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Old July 25th 03, 05:05 AM
Charles Talleyrand
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My list of revolutionary fighters

Fokker Eindekker (guns through the propeller arc, monoplane, wildly successful for it's time)
I-16 (I'm told this one)
Me-109 (first low-wing retractable gear used in large quantities)
Me-262 (First jet used in large quantities)
Harrier (VTOL)
F-117 (Stealth)

My list of other revolutionary aircraft
Bell Huey (first helo used in large numbers????)
AH-1 (first custom attack helo)
V-22 (first tilt-prop if it gets fielded)
B-70 (huge performance over other bombers but never fielded)
SR-71 (huge performance over any fighter)
E-4 AWACS (unique for it's day)

What's missing is the first fighter with a real AA missile/radar system that worked well.
Would that be the Mig-21/F-4/MirageIII or something else?

Finally, note I'm tempted to put the F-22 on this list not because of it's stealth or it's
performance (since these things have been done before) but because of it's networking
abilities. Would this be reasonable?