From mind-controlled fighter jets to invisible planes and nuclear-powered airliners, this countdown celebrates the most iconic fictional aircraft to ever grace screens, pages, and game maps. Whether they’re hilariously impractical, genuinely visionary, or just plain cool, each one has earned its place in aviation pop culture history. Watch our video below to see which airborne legend claimed the number one spot
Honorable mentions.
We couldn’t leave this list without a few honorable mentions. We avoided including space-based aircraft in this, but would totally have considered Star Wars’ X-Wing fighter and Battlestar Galactica’s Colonial Vipers. The James bond franchise has also gifted us with some brilliant (and utterly stupid) aircraft. It would also be remiss of us not to mention Austin Powers’ Boeing 747. To our knowledge it’s the only example of the type to include a lazy-susan bed and a shagadelic livery to match.
Sadly, you won’t see any of these machines appearing on Flightradar24 any time soon (pop culture has clearly never heard of ADS-B), but there are still some real world examples worthy of your tracking attention.
If SciFi is your thing, check out our guide to the history of Star Wars special liveries. Airline alliances such as SkyTeam and One World boast a selection of unique liveries, and if youre feeling philanthropic, why not take a look at some special charity liveries.
Whether it’s a top secret Soviet fighter controlled by the mind, a disaster-prone 1960’s jetliner, or an invisible plane, these fictional aircraft have earned their place in our hearts.
28 Responses
The T/A-37 Talon, from the movie “Stealth”. Yeah, the movie is awful, but the plane is cool as heck, looking like a YF-23 modified to fly in space.
Brill description!!!
Yes
I personally think the film stealth filmed on the USS Abraham Lincoln called the F/A-37 Talon is epic! Or the full-scale MiG-31 Foxbat from the film Firefox.
The T-37 was(!) a ‘Tweet’. The Talon is the T-38.
The MiG 31 Foxbat is a real a aircraft though it’s a Russian Mach 3 interceptor I think 🤔
Cannot forget James Bond crazy aircraft.
The top 2 are mine reversed, loved T2 but Fireflash for me, wonderful design.
If we’re talking aircraft and not just airplanes what happened to AirWolf?
One of my favorites is the nazi wing from raiders of the lost ark
Yes love this frame.
THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!
MiG-28 from OG Top Gun
Thunderbird 2 and then Firebird XL5 (yes, I’m that old…)
Ha Ha, I could add Supercar and Stingray, or what about the later UFO semi live acted effects with the submarine with a nose launched interceptor ( with EE Lightening influences )
Agree with Thunderbird 2, but gutted that Thunderbird 1 is missing. Rhapsody, Harmony, and Melody Angel were some of my earliest crushes, so I would like to see the Angel Interceptor higher up the list.
Firefox with Clint Eastwood as the American pilot
Well done, T2 is amazing.
But there’s a lot of nice flying machines left out of this list.
Hughes P21-J Devastator, Curtiss-Wright J2 Fury e Whittly&Douglas Raven just to name a few.
Check them out in Crimson Skies Game…or make one !!
agree
The “dragon” from Indiana Jones
Didn’t see the movie but I believe the Talon is the T-38.
The T-37 is the Tweety Bird.
lockhead martin f-35 lightning ii is by far the best and tactical air force plane
Maybe, when it’s not down for maintenance or software update. My money is on the Gripen.
Yes, more for your bucks/Kronas. The F-35 should be kept for carrier based or stealth missions, while a much bigger robust Saab fleet for everything else. Take note Australia, Canada is developing a great EU defense deal.
The Flying Machine from Noggin the Nog.
So many from Studio Gibli films but obviously excluding the real ones.
The Intention Craft from His Dark Materials.
Any of the super cool airliners from the Thunderbird series!
They are really cool ngl I forgot the name of the show until this came up
Oh my gosh. Thank you for this video. I had totally forgotten that when I was in my teens I actually build a Airfix model kit of the Angel interceptor. I admit it was less for the fighter than for the beautiful pilots that were piloting the crafts during the TV series. Tnx again