Aircraft Recognition Guide

Ted Smith designed the fastest small piston twin airplane that was named Aerostar. Later Piper acquired the Aerostar and gave it designation PA-60. It has a typical mid-wing configuration and swept tail. Learn how to recognise all the versions on https://www.aircraftrecognitionguide.com/ted-smith-piper-aerostar.

On the outside the F/A-18C model can be recognised from the F/A-18A by additional antenna bumps behind the cockpit (on top of the fuselage), on each side of the nose, on the forward nose gear door and on each fin in between the three already there. For details see https://www.aircraftrecognitionguide.com/mcdonnell-douglas-f-18!

The BN-2 Islander can be seen as an earlier gene­ra­tion of the Tecnam P2012. The main differences are that the BN-2 has the fixed, double wheel main gear attached to the wings (with long struts) and the larger cabin windows.

The B-21 has a similar shape as the B-2, but is smaller and with a single W shaped trailing edge, making the outer wings look longer. Also, the main gear has two wheels and the cockpit windows have a unique, different shape.

Superficially, the A129 and Tiger look similar, in particular the stepped, separate canopies and the ventral fin which holds the tail gear. The Tiger has a three blade tail rotor on the right though, a four blade main rotor and anhedral on the outer stub wings. Some versions have a dome on top of the rotor mast, as shown here.

The Pilatus PC-12 was always easy to recognise, with its T-tail and single turboprop in the nose. That is until Textron came with the Beech 220 Denali. Both are very similar in appearance. It is easiest to look at the tail area. The PC-12 has a longer dorsal fin than the Denali, a rudder that extends to the bottom of the rear fuselage, longer ventral fins and a typical bullet fairing in front of the horizontal stabiliser.

The Caravelle VI-R is the only variant with the larger cockpit windows, not based on those of the Comet, but still the slim nacelles of the Rolls-Royce Avon engines. Here it is compared to a Caravelle VI-N.

The YS-11EA and YS-11EB are both military special mission versions of the Japanese propliner. Both have General Electric T64 turboprop engines instead of Rolls-Royce Darts, and three blade props. The YS-11EB has many bulges on top of and underneath the fuselage. This makes it easy to recognise from the YS-11EA.

The Falcon 2000 has a lot in common with the Falcon 6X when is comes to appea­rance, but is smaller. Most obvious other diffe­rences are that the 2000 has seven flat cockpit windows (the 6X four curved ones) and anhedral on the horizontal stabilisers.

Most Mirage fighters have delta wings attached low to the fuselage. However, there is one version that has high, swept wings, the Mirage F1. Read about all the different variants on the new page