Here are 35 aircraft civilians can purchase. See the full article here ▶
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Sukhoi SU-27
Within the last decade, the Soviet-era Sukhoi SU-27 became an aircraft for sale to civilians. This military aircraft was built by the Russians to compete with the Fourth Generation F-14s and F-15s. Its impressive stats make for an exciting civilian aircraft. With twin engines, supermanueverability, and a top speed of Mach 1.8, this fighter jet will give you the ride of your life. It's also unusually large. While it was built to rival the F-15, it comes in at over 10 feet longer and 5 feet wider than its competitor. All ten of the weapons hardpoints are removed and protected radar technology is stripped for civilian sale. The fuel is carried internally, so this stripped version of the SU-27 is the lightest and fastest of its kind. The asking price is around $5 million which is a pretty good deal to own one of the only bonafide fighter jets available to the public.
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
Lockheed's F-104 "Starfighter" was first introduced in the late 1950s and was active in militaries across the globe until the early 2000s. The US, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Spain, and many other nations all flew F-104s at some point in time during its 40-plus years of operation. They are now retired from military use but can be purchased by private buyers. The Starfighter was developed with help from renowned aeronautical engineer, Kelly Johnson. Johnson was also involved in the development of the U-2 spy plane and the SR-71 Blackbird. This aircraft for sale proved particularly deadly to operate and was plagued with controversy during its operational lifetime. Nonetheless, according to the FAA, there are ten privately owned F-104 Starfighters in the US. Three of which are ex-Canadian military aircraft belonging to the civilian demonstration team, Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Florida. In 2011, there was a restored, albeit engineless, F-104 for sale in the UK for £25,000.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 21 has been a staple in military air forces around the world since its introduction in 1959. Primarily used by the Soviet, Indian, and Libyan Air Forces, the MiG 21 was the first successful Soviet aircraft to perform both intercepting and fighting capabilities effectively. It held a number of world records including its rank as the most produced supersonic aircraft in history. Despite still being used by some military forces today, the MiG 21 can be purchased to be owned privately all over the world. It's estimated that somewhere around 10,000 MiG 21s were produced by the Soviet Union and their allies over the last forty years. According to the FAA, there are 44 aircraft for sale in the United States alone. Three are located in Portland, Oregon at Premier Space Systems which perform public and private sub-orbital atmospheric space launch services. How much will one of these aircraft set you back? Around $150,000.
Hawker Hunter
The MK-58 Hawker Hunter was originally built for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a fighter jet in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Later, it would transition into intelligence gathering and fighter-bomber roles. Both single and double pilot versions were created. The aircraft was heavily exported, serving in a large number of other military units around the world. It officially retired in 2014 and now enjoys "warbird" status. Maxing out at just under 700 miles per hour and regarded as one of the great early fighters (the UK produced around 2000 of them), military aviation enthusiasts would be happy to get their hands on one of these aircraft for sale. If you have the funds, they aren't all that hard to locate. Most Hawkers that are still in existence are owned by groups who perform aerial demonstrations.
Aero L-39 Albatros
No other former military aircraft is more synonymous with "warbird" than the L-39 Albatros. It was developed by Aero Vodochody in Czechoslovakia as a training aircraft. It was the first Second Generation jet trainer to be produced. Also, it's pretty easy to see why the Albatros has become such a popular civilian enthusiast military aircraft to own. The sleek design combined with its relative ease of care and operation make it a go-to purchase for those with deep enough pockets.
North American P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang is a North American classic, originally built for the British during World War II as a medium-altitude fighter. However, the Mustang performed much more than those duties. The addition of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine (and later the Packard V-1650-7), allowing it to reach higher altitudes with greater power... continue reading here ▶
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