On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 17:54:14 -0400, Charles Talleyrand wrote:

This thread isn't about 'best'. It's about 'very clearly superior for it's time'.

You can argue the F-20 was better or worse than the F-16, but it was not
very clearly superior. To use a naval example, I'm looking for
Dreadnoughts and not Queen Elizabeths. Revolutionary designs and not
just good planes.

How about these:

Fokker Eindecker. First fighter, can't get more revolutionary than
that!

Bf 109. First monoplane fighter with retractable undercarriage and
fully enclosed cockpit.

Me 262. First operational jet fighter.

Not sure what was the first supersonic jet fighter to successfully
use AAMs. Probably one of the MiG-21 or Phantom.

Harrier. First VSTOL fighter.

F-22. First stealth air superiority aircraft.

????. First unmanned fighter.

????. First weapon that makes combat aircraft obsolete.

--
Phil
"All alternate timelines need airships" -- Steve Glover