Identify by airplane characteristics

A single big vertical stabiliser, two seat cockpit, variable sweep wings and wedge shaped air intakes characterise the Tornado. That combination should thus not be difficult to recognise.

Typical features of this radial piston powered trainer are the bubble canopy with many frames, a rounded square fuselage cross section and horizontal at the very end of the fuselage, almost beyond the trapezium non-swept vertical fin. The Provost also has long, fixed main landing gear legs.

Typical for the Sea Prince and Pembroke tactical transports and the rectangular cabin windows with rounded corners (race track shape) and the triangular vertical stabiliser with rounded top. The nose is big and rounded. The aircraft have radial piston engines with large conical prop spinners.

Long wings (cut-off on the photo) and a short fuselage are typical characteristics of this plane, as is the tall rounded triangular straight vertical fin and horizontal stabilisers at the bottom of the rear fuselage. The fixed main gear is attached to the fuselage and the high wings.

The Piaggio P136 is a small amphibian aircraft that is characterised two piston engines in a gull wing, driving pusher propellers. The only comparable aircraft is the larger P166, which is a landplane only, but has the same configuration.

This is the larger, land-based version of the P136 amphibian, with two piston or turboprop engines driving pusher propellers mounted on top of the gull wings. These wings go through the fuselage, somewhat above the middle of its cross section. Tip tanks are standard.

When you hear an Avanti in approach or take-off you will immediately recognise its distinctive sound. In appearance, it is also unlike any other aircraft. Like the Beech Starship it has a canard wing configuration with pusher props, but the wing is attached right through the middle of the fuselage and the engines are in the wing. Moreover, the aircraft has a T-tail.

This quite typical bizjet type is the result of an adventure between Piaggio and Douglas. You can easily recognise the PD808 from the front as the engines look as if they are “glued” directly against the fuselage, instead of being placed on pylons. Also note the long dorsal fin and the slightly "popped-out" cockpit.

A sleek home-built airplane with a wide top of the cowling (around the engine's pistons) and a canopy that is flush with the top of the fuselage. It often has a fixed gear, but a retractable gear as shown is optional. Also small tip tanks are optional.