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Ugliest Airliners?

Irobertson From Canada, joined Apr 2006, 601 posts, RR: 5
Posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 30393 times:

What are your nominations for ugliest airliners? I don't mean paint schemes, I mean designs.

Here's one to get us started: The Armstrong Argosy

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Photo © Ralf Manteufel

23 replies: All unread, jump to last

57AZ From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2548 posts, RR: 2
Reply 1, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 30392 times:

Frankly, the Carvair was pretty ugly too.

"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."

PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 10387 posts, RR: 66
Reply 2, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 30386 times:

I can't actually think of one, but I give it only a few posts before somebody mentions the A380. All aircraft have their good and bad points aesthetics wise.

Dan Smile

TruemanQLD From Australia, joined Feb 2007, 1235 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 30353 times:

Big version: Width: 2236 Height: 1275 File size: 686kb

A380 is beautiful (not A vs B'ing)

Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16211 posts, RR: 57
Reply 4, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 30295 times:

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Quoting Irobertson (Thread starter):

Considering it was originally designed as a military cargo a/c, functionality trumps aesthetics.

Quoting 57AZ (Reply 1):
Frankly, the Carvair was pretty ugly too.

Another example of functionality trumping aesthetics.

I think Shorts wins the prize for Ugliest Airliners:

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Photo © Michael Vaeremans

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Photo © Jordi Grife - Iberian Spotters

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Photo © Paul Morley

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Photo © David Oates

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Photo © Ven Stephan

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Photo © GAAEC

A/C so ugly that no livery makes the a/c look good.

If it ever does enter production, the Utility Aerospace FF-1080 will definitely rank up there among the ugliest a/c:

Looks like a Shorts 360 and a Do 228 had a kid.

Hello Airplanes? Yeah, it's Blimps. You win, bye....

PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 11
Reply 5, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 30295 times:

I'm not sure if "ugly" is the right word for an airliner...remember that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

However, here are some of my votes for the "Most Visually Displeasing":

The VFW 614:

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Photo © Torben Guse

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Photo © Peter Seemann

This one has to go down as the most crack-smoking inspired idea - putting the engines on TOP of the wing?

The Shorts 330:

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Photo © Michael Vaeremans

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Photo © David Oates

The Shorts 360:

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Photo © Paul Morley

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Photo © Wingnut

The flying boxes.

And yet, they all got airborne and flew.

Pan Am:The World's Most Experienced Airline - P(oor) S(ailor's) A(irline): San Diego's Hometown Airline-Catch Our Smile!

B747forever From Sweden, joined May 2007, 16074 posts, RR: 12
Reply 6, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 30288 times:

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Airbus Super Transporter???

That is one of the ugliest aircraft in the history. Makes my cry when I see it.

Work Hard, Fly Right

MAN23R From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2007, 256 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 30283 times:

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any Russian aircraft, bloody awful...

ZBBYLW From Canada, joined Nov 2006, 1887 posts, RR: 8
Reply 8, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 30265 times:

Quoting PanAm747 (Reply 5):
This one has to go down as the most crack-smoking inspired idea - putting the engines on TOP of the wing?

Well consider this, the gear does not to be extremely long, and they dont need to have aft C of G problems. In those two cases its a win-win.

Keep the shinny side up!

Yflyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 755 posts, RR: 1
Reply 9, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 30265 times:

I think the Dreamlifter deserves a mention. There are probably uglier planes out there, but I like the way an acquaintance in Seattle described it. "It looks like a 747 with a bad allergic reaction."

B747forever From Sweden, joined May 2007, 16074 posts, RR: 12
Reply 10, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days ago) and read 30261 times:

Quoting Yflyer (Reply 9):
but I like the way an acquaintance in Seattle described it. "It looks like a 747 with a bad allergic reaction."

That is a great description.

Work Hard, Fly Right

Pilotboi From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 2366 posts, RR: 11
Reply 11, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 30254 times:

Quoting B747forever (Reply 6):
Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Airbus Super Transporter???

That is one of the ugliest aircraft in the history. Makes my cry when I see it.

I don't really think it's ugly. It's odd looking, yes. But I think it, along with the B747LCF, are kind of cool looking. The main reason I thinnk is because of the size. Also - these aren't really 'airliners' - they are for cargo use only, so not sure if you can include them in that category.

Lrdc9 From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 606 posts, RR: 0
Reply 12, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 30240 times:

Shorts Skyvan, OMG that thing is ugly IMO!!!

Just say NO to scabs.

Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 18414 posts, RR: 17
Reply 13, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 30231 times:

Quoting MAN23R (Reply 7):
any Russian aircraft, bloody awful...

I don't totally agree. I've always liked the IL-62.

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Photo © Mats Lundberg

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Photo © Tom Turner

The Tu-154 isn't bad either.

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Photo © Tamon Takeoka - AirTeamImages

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Photo © Fyodor Borisov - Russian AviaPhoto Team

ShannoninAMA From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 14, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 30220 times:

Easy one.

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Photo © Mel Lawrence

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Photo © Bob Garrard

Fine, it was designed for military use, but still Wink

Shan

B747forever From Sweden, joined May 2007, 16074 posts, RR: 12
Reply 15, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 30196 times:

Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 13):
The Tu-154 isn't bad either.

It looks really great in Aeroflot's colors.

Work Hard, Fly Right

RAFVC10 From Spain, joined Sep 2005, 1978 posts, RR: 9
Reply 16, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 30188 times:

PZL-Mielec M-15

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Myasishchev VM-T

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El dia que los gilipollas vuelen, no podremos ver la luz del sol!

Bmi332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 17, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 30187 times:

Although as Pilotboi said not really an airliner, it was pretty ugly

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CXfirst From Norway, joined Jan 2007, 2355 posts, RR: 1
Reply 18, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 30174 times:

Quoting Bmi332 (Reply 17):
Although as Pilotboi said not really an airliner, it was pretty ugly

From how I read their posts, it seems they were talking about the airbus super transporter, not the airbus skylink (otherwise known as the super guppy; rather fitting name).

Here's another photo of what I would say is the ugliest plane ever built.

-CXfirst

From Norway, live in Australia

Pilotboi From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 2366 posts, RR: 11
Reply 19, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 30140 times:

Quoting CXfirst (Reply 18):
From how I read their posts, it seems they were talking about the airbus super transporter, not the airbus skylink (otherwise known as the super guppy; rather fitting name).

Yeah, the ST...but we can include the Guppy and Super Guppy with them.

Alaska737 From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 1030 posts, RR: 7
Reply 20, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 30134 times:

I dont have a picture but the BAE AEW. 3 Nimrod has to be the ugliest plane ever even though it isnt an airliner it was based off one....

Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 18414 posts, RR: 17
Reply 21, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 30122 times:

The Beech 1900D with the taller fuselage to improve headroom doesn't win any beauty contests. All the little aerodynamic strakes and fences hanging from almost all parts of the tail section don't help. The head-on view of the Beech 1900D always reminds me of the A380.

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JCKastrup From Denmark, joined Sep 2006, 412 posts, RR: 0
Reply 22, posted (4 years 6 months 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 30000 times:

Quoting RAFVC10 (Reply 16):
PZL-Mielec M-15

OMG.............

Really hope the designer got some kind of punishment.

I take my air travels as i take my women. Fast and low cost

N5014K From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 103 posts, RR: 0
Reply 23, posted (4 years 6 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 29935 times:

They're almost all beautiful to me, even the SD-330. When I was a kid at BAL (now BWI) some commuter operated for a while that used Dornier Do-28's. I always thought they were homely.

Ditto the GAF Nomad.

To me the Martin 404's design still seems to be "off" in some way I could never quite put my finger on; my Dad worked on the 404 assembly line.

I think the Comet looked ungainly on the ground, but in flight it was something to see.

I never cared for the looks of the Yak-40.

I agree that the Carvair can be hard to look at. Ditto the Bristol 170 Mk32.

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