Fighter Planes

Ever since the movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, everybody knows, if they didn't already, that flying a jet fighter "is better than sex". And listening to the experts in this episode of The Greatest Ever may well lead you to believe there is some truth in this. Roaring through the skies at over 2,000 km/h is certainly guaranteed to get anyone's pulse racing. But apart from providing the sheer thrill of flying extremely fast, these jets also have a deadly serious task. In battle situations they drop precision guided bombs on houses and fire laser rockets at other planes. Command of the skies has always been the decisive factor in war. Our experts have put together ten legendary fighter planes in an all-time top ten - make up your own mind about which you would like to fly with.

F117 Stealth Fighter Year 1983

Engines 2 x General Electric F404-GE-F1D1 Turbofans
Range approx. 1,110 km
Weight 13,400 kg
Top speed approx. 1,040 km/h Dimensions
Length: 20.08 m, Height: 3.78 m, Wingspan: 13.20 m
Rank 10th

DR 1 Fokker Triplane Year 1917

Engine LeRhône type J
Range 298 km
Weight 405 kg
Top speed 185 km/h
Dimensions Length: 5.77 m, Height: 2.95 m, Wingspan:
7.19 m
Rank 9th

Mitsubishi Zero (A6M2) Year 1937

Engine 1 Nakajima NK1C Sakae 12
Range 3,107 km
Weight 1,680 kg
Top speed 533.5 km/h
Dimensions Length: 9.06 m, Height: 3.05 m, Wingspan:
12 m
Rank 8th

Harrier Jump Jet (AV-8B Harrier II) Year 1985

Engine 1 Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408
Range 1,000 km
Weight 10,410 kg
Top speed 1,000 km/h
Dimensions Length: 14.11 m, Height: 3.6 m, Wingspan:
9.24 m
Rank 7th

F 86 Sabre Year 1949

Engine General Electric J47-GE-17B
Range 870 km
Weight 9,136 kg
Top speed 1,107 km/h
Dimensions Length: 12.27 m, Height: 4.57 m, Wingspan:
11.92 m
Rank 6th

Messerschmidt ME109 Year 1937

Engine Daimler-Benz DB 605A
Range 550 km
Weight 2,600 kg
Top speed 635 km/h
Dimensions Length: 8.94 m, Height: 2.59 m, Wingspan:
9.92 m
Rank 5th

F 18 Super Hornet Year 1983

Engines 2 F414-GE-400 turbofans
Range 2,453 km
Weight 29,932 kg (max.)
Top speed 2,145 km/h
Dimensions Length: 18.5 m, Height: 4.87 m, Wingspan:
13.68 m
Rank 4th

MIG 21 (F-13 / Fishbed C) Year 1959

Engine 1 Tumanski R-11F-300 jet
Range 1,640 km
Weight 4,600 kg
Top speed 2,093 km/h
Dimensions Length: 15.77 m, Height: 7.16 m, Wingspan:
4.80 m
Rank 3rd

Supermarine Spitfire Year 1938

Engine 1 Rolls Royce Merlin 45
Range 580 km
Weight 3,300 kg
Top speed 520 km/h
Dimensions Length: 10.77 m, Height: 3.90 m, Wingspan:
11.23 m
Rank 2nd

M51 Mustang Year 1941

Engine 1 Rolls-Royce/Packard Merlin V-1650-7
Range 2,000 km
Weight 3,450 kg
Top speed 703 km/h
Dimensions Length: 9.82 m, Height: 4.16 m, Wingspan:
11.28 m
Rank 1st