BRISTOL F.2B FIGHTER
This two-seater was designed as a reconnaissance aircraft, but proved to be one of the most effective fighters of WWI. The Bristols got off to a rough start in April 1917 when four of six fighters were shot down due, in part, because pilots were too gentle with them after being warned of their supposed fragility.
Wingspan: 39 ft. 3 in., Length: 25 ft. 10 in., Top Speed: 123 mph
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE
Produced originally in 1938, the Spitfire was a key cog in 1940's Battle of Britain and a staple in WWII. It remains one of the most romanticized of all military aircraft. The distinguishing characteristics of this single-crew fighter plane were its close cockpit quarters and unique elliptical wing.
Wingspan: 32 ft. 2 in., Length: 29 ft. 11 in., Top Speed: 357 mph
BOEING B-52 STRATOFORTRESS
A standard in military aircraft since 1955, the B-52 is an eight-engined giant that carries a load of up to 60,000 pounds of bombs, yet has room for only six crew members, none of whom have space to stand upright. Originally developed to drop nuclear bombs over the Soviet Union, the "Cadillac of the Skies" remains in use by today's military because of regular updating of its onboard systems.
Wingspan: 185 ft., Length: 160 ft. 11in., Top Speed: 650 mph, Crew: 6
BELL AH-1 COBRA
First flown in 1965 and debuting in Vietnam two years later, the AH-1 was the first rotating-wing aircraft designed specifically as a gunship, which fundamentally transformed the helicopter's mission from simply transporting troops and supplies. Loaded with an array of weaponry — the AH-1 fires antitank missiles — it ushered in the era of helicopters as attack vehicles.
LOCKHEED F-117 NIGHTHAWK
The F-117 was developed in total secrecy beginning in 1975 as the U.S. military sought a stealth component to air warfare. From the angled design to the radar-absorbent paint and tiles, this plane's primary feature is its ability to fly undetected by the enemy. Its subsonic top speed relegates it to use as a nighttime attack aircraft, but the Nighthawk justified its $40 million price tag in the first Gulf War, in which it was responsible for 30 percent of the targets hit by precision munitions.
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