Choose Any Aircraft For Free.

[mongers]

If you could choose to own any aircraft to own for free, what would it be ?

The rules are, it has to have been built, flown and more than one must have been produced.

You get it for free and any necessary maintenance is also free.

All aircrew necessary for it to fly are at no cost to you.

But you have to pay all 'running costs' ie fuel, special gases, landing fees, air transport/traffic fees, hanger rent etc. 

So what is it ?

edit:
I forgot to add, no armanents are included or allowed.

[grumbler]

P-38 Lightning.  J or later model, as I wish to live.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Airwolf. I'm sure they used more than one. 

[FunkMonk]

Bf-109 E or F

Remembering all those hours (days?) of IL-2 still bring tears to my eyes.

[Tonitrus]

But you have to pay all 'running costs' ie fuel, special gases, landing fees, air transport/traffic fees, hanger rent etc. 

So what is it ?

That right there will make the vast majority of airplanes either unobtainable, or relegated to rusting on the back lawn.

Without that...a luxury-converted 747 jumbo crewed by HOTT babes.  The stewardesses count as "crew", right?   

[mongers]

I think I'd either have a photo-reconnaissance version of a DH Mosquito or a PR version of the Canberra, though I'm not sure I could afford the gas for that.

But would probably go for one of these, the Pilatus Turbo Porter just so I could get flown in and out of some of the hairyest strips across the world, al a Air America:

[mongers]

But you have to pay all 'running costs' ie fuel, special gases, landing fees, air transport/traffic fees, hanger rent etc. 

So what is it ?

That right there will make the vast majority of airplanes either unobtainable, or relegated to rusting on the back lawn.

Thats the one of the main point of the topic, you can have whatever you want, but if its a XB-70, its going to have to be a static display, unless you're JR or PeterL.

[MadBurgerMaker]

A King Air 350.

http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/beechcraft/aircraft/turboprops/ka350/   

Thats the one of the main point of the topic, you can have whatever you want, but if its a XB-70, its going to have to be a static display, unless you're JR or PeterL.

This would actually apply to pretty much any aircraft.  The things are just expensive own if you actually want to use them, even just regular little Cessna 150s (although those, and similar types, are much much closer to being affordable for "regular" people).   http://www.ben.com/flying/costown.html  That King Air would be horribly expensive to operate, I imagine, but I really really like those.  Now if you really mean all necessary maintenance, including the unscheduled stuff, that would help with the cost a whole helluva lot.  It would probably make it more like owning a car that guzzles really expensive gas.

[Fireblade]

I'm going to disregard your rules and pick the F-22.*



*One that doesn't randomly explode

[KRonn]

I'll go with P-51. Others would include F4U Corsair, Spitfire. 

[CountDeMoney]

Oh, man. Tough choices.

I've always loved the Thunderbolt with a passion, and I love the maneuverability of the early Zero and Spitfire.

But I'd have to go with the JU-87 Stuka.  Just to scare the piss out of the local synagogues with the Jericho Trumpets.  Oh, fuck yeah.




Jet Age category: A-10 Thunderbolt.  Or a Convair B-58 Hustler.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Please read the OP, I set out the 'rules' so that you only have to pay for the runnng costs, no crew, certification, maintenance or repair costs; so at least some languishite could afford to run some.

Yeah I read that, and the point still stands.  You're probably looking at close to $500 a month to just have a "normal" sized private plane (not a King Air, and not a little sport thing) sit around doing nothing, although less if you just leave it outside to rust at a tie down (a P-51 sitting at a tie down would be funny at first, then kinda sad).  Tack on another $60 to $<large3digitnumber> an hour for gas and shit, depending on how much it drinks and how much gas costs a gallon, if you want to fly the thing.

But yeah....I'd gladly give up a few thousand a month to have and use a big King Air.  I really would.   You guys can all be crammed up in your little combat planes while I party at 35,000 feet on my way to somewhere 1,500 miles away.   

[FunkMonk]

But I'd have to go with the JU-87 Stuka.  Just to scare the piss out of the local synagogues with the Jericho Trumpets.  Oh, fuck yeah.

You're so bad. 

[Darth Wagtaros]

How about The Goose from Tales of the Gold Monkey?

[Admiral Yi]

Prop: Avenger.  Jet: Intruder.