The Deadliest Space Fighters In Science Fiction, Ranked

[@mawkishdave]

Nasa asked for permission to copy the Starfury designee. It never got built but they wanted it as a little service craft for the ISS.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

It would totally work. They even use the Starfurys as service craft and tow craft every now and then on the show, as an extra duty

[@cdevidal]

When I saw this video in my feed I immediately thought of the Last Starfighter and that Death Blossom scene. Glad I wasn’t disappointed.

[@peternordgren]

@@GiantFreakinRobot Also ISTR seeing something like a simplified Starfury in bright yellow here and there.

[@komodosp]

I believe permission was given on condition that NASA called them Starfuries!

[@mawkishdave]

@@komodosp yes that is a fact

[@DarthVoxyn]

I am so happy to see The Last Starfighter get some love! That movie was my childhood and was my very first exposure to sci-fi.

[@blackc1479]

Same. I always loved that low angle shot they used at 4:44. Even with the weak cgi that looks awesome.

[@daved22]

i think the gunstar has an advantage over the star fury cause of the gimbaled lasers turrets . glad to see it on the list though .

[@johnweatherman5685]

The Gunstar should be #1 on this list. A single gunstar destroyed an entire armada, including comman ship. No other starfighter I can think of ever did that. The heads up, 360 degree targeting system was brilliant. And regardless of what people say, I still think the starfury owes something to the gunstar. This move was a real gem with a great cast, far before it's time.

[@NurmYokai]

@@johnweatherman5685 A Gunstar also had Shields. Every other starfighter on the list 'cannot take a punch.' Meanwhile the Gunstar was able to take a pounding by the entire (surviving) enemy fighter fleet. Then Came Death Blossom.

[@ConcealedCarrier]

Took the words right outta my mouth. Last Starfighter is NOT underappreciated!

[@Grey_Shard]

Last Starfighter is one of the few movies I'd like to see remade with modern effects.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

It would be amazing

[@DngnRdr]

A remake followed by a sequel if the remake succeeds... they just need to cast it perfectly (preferably unknowns IMO).

[@caveatlector2671]

Keep the movie as is and just redo all SFX like they did with STTOS remastered. Current Hollywood would absolutely butcher any remake and strip it of any of the innocence, charm, wonder and character of the original, not to mention that they would swap the main protagonist from Alex to Alexis "the non-binary bestest evah" in their self-righteous chase of the _Modern Audience._

[@Wolf359inc]

I’d like to see a sequel, where mankind has been embraced by the other races of our galaxy. I’d love to see how our daily lives change, due to the advances in our technology, and show what a human-designed Gunstar was capable of (you know it would bring absolute devastation, beyond that of the original Gunstar, because we humans have a knack for both turning anything into a weapon, and creating overpowered devices of destruction - it comes from having to survive on a death world, I guess. Humans are Space Orcs! :) ). Cheers,

[@Deevo037]

Yes but Hollywood would stuff it up by having forced diversity and Alex being a gay female character just because they can.

[@jefff3886]

"Death Blossom." "Death Blossom?" "It's never been tested. Might overload the systems. Blow up the ship." "What are you worried about? Theoretically, we should already be dead." "Yeah, well..."

[@bustyrandit]

Hmm. Open Death Blossom Petals. Switches up..

[@VespoLiveGaming]

What do we do now sir? We die.

[@mfreed40k]

Fixing the systems with a 9v battery after...

[@golem2866]

You got the thumbs up for have space above and beyond on your list!!!

[@houstonadama5151]

Awesome list with some great pulls. The Hammerhead, Gunstar, and Star Fury all get forgotten, but were amazing in so many ways.

[@blackfire3744]

You have my respect for having the hammerhead fighter in the vid.

[@theknave69]

You got me. Holding the Starfury for last. I loved some of the runs on the cap ships. Turning sideways and raking the hull with fire while using inertia to continue on course.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Glad the build up was worth it!

[@JohnJ469]

Hard to fly though. There was a sim for flying the Fury. Great fun but you have to learn to think differently.

[@theknave69]

@@JohnJ469 I used to play a game in the late 90s called I-War. You would fly a dreadnought class spaceship using Newtonian physics. Half the time you're accelerating, the other half decelerating. And heat management was awesome as well.

[@JohnJ469]

@@theknave69 I'll have to look for it. Thanks. I keep a multi boot computer just for old games. It boots in 98 SE, XP or Vista. 😁

[@christopherbarringer751]

@@theknave69 lust like old school MechWarrior

[@Koenshakuable]

The Gunstar solo's the Ko-Dan Armada... Everybody else needs to phone a friend.

[@KrawmKruach]

sure the gunstar requires 2 people to effectively operate, and it should be classified a gunboat not a fighter, still if i had to choose between starfury or gunstar, picking gunstar everythime.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

If I need to take on an Armada I take the Gunstar. If I’m in a dogfight I take a Starfury

[@JeremyMeyer-h6g]

Gotta vote Gunstar no contest. Movie Gunstar equipped with Death Blossom was a prototype with extra armor plating to take several direct hits. Starfury can turn on a dime and surprise you. Gunstar doesn't need to when you can shoot in practically every direction, plus wide variety of weapons, a stardrive, (hyperdrive), of it's own and capable of trans-atmospheric flight. It also has the maneuvering thrusters as demonstrated in one scene.

[@garyrobbins283]

"Greetings Starfighter, you have been recruited by the Star League......"

[@Datan0de]

Yup. The Star Fury is unquestionably the most maneuverable ship in this vid, but the Gunstar is no slouch there, plus it has massively superior firepower, is far more durable, and has lots of extras like hyperdrive and the ability to fire in any direction. I personally would've put the Hammerhead at #3 due to its weapons all being turreted or gimbled, and it being the equal of the Viper in maneuverability. I imagine the Viper probably puts out more thrust though, so it's a very close call. The two actually complement each other well.

[@TheAngryBell]

Thank you for remembering the Gunstar. I wish they could just update the special effects and leave her rest of it alone.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Yeah, that would be good.

[@noladr]

Thanks for including the Last Starfighter. I loved that movie as a kid. While not technically a 'starfighter', I did love seeing the Rocinante tear things up in The Expanse (probably the most physics-realistic sci-fi show ever as well).

[@thegneech]

I am pleased the Gunstar made the list. :)

[@lonniemcclure4538]

As soon as I saw the title, I thought, "I'm going to be very disappointed if the Gunstar isn't on this list".

[@alanhilder1883]

But why the @#$%ing star wars garbage. It doesn't belong. I would have the Starship trooper spaceships on a list before star wars stuff and ST ships were not good.

[@ChuckieFinzter]

I guessed it would be the B5 Starfury before I even started watching.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

That’s because you’re a true nerd, welcome friend

[@cdevidal]

And I correctly guessed Last Starfighter and the Gunstar with its Death Blossom before I even clicked on the video

[@Chindogu133]

Yup, the only ones that operate in three dimensional space. All the other ones basically operate in space the same as atmosphere

[@garthwebb4643]

Agreed. The Starfury was my pick for the top rank with the Hammerhead in the top 5. Love the X-wing but I would’ve dropped it below the Hammerhead

[@willvgo2950]

And so it begins.

[@highbornjase2412]

B5 doesn’t launch the star furys it simply releases them because of the centrifugal force of the spinning station which gives the ppl inside gravity but yeets the fighters out its just simply genius. Your list was pretty much spot on love that you included the hammerheads from space above and beyond a short lived show which had amazing potential and a rich lore. The oast star fighter a favourite of mine growing up a fantastic pick. I am glad this showed up in my feed and I said to myself after i saw the hammerheads if he picks the starfury he is getting a like sub and you earned it nice video thank you.😊

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks for the sub and the like. We really appreciate it, it's really nice of you.

[@tomwilson2112]

The Gunstar took out an entire fleet. On its own. In a ranking of “deadliest”, that should be number one.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

That is a great case, can I hear more?

[@renegadeleader1]

The Gunstar is also more heavier armed than a Starfury and can engage targets from multiple directions without having to change course due to the gunner's gunsight being fire linked to all the turrets. It also carries guided missiles which gives it a longer ranged punch the Starfury lacks. It's armour is also more durable surviving multiple direct hits, something the Starfury can't do. The Gunstar also has incredible interstellar travel range without the need for pre-existing jumpgates that a Starfury requires. Long story short the Gunstar has about the same maneuverability as a Starfury, but is heavier armed and armoured with a massive advantage in range with the ability to travel past lightspeed without the need of a jumpgate or mothership carrier letting it dictate the fight.

[@jglotzbach]

​@@renegadeleader1I'd argue that the Starfury is more "realistic," but from a sci-fi sense, you make good points.

[@rex_ad_regum7540]

@@jglotzbach I dunno if Id say the starfury is more realistic. If we made a Fighter Similar to either today in real life it would look more like the Gunstar than the Starfury for sure. Weapons and durability wise sure. But looks go to the Gunstar.

[@LordElpme]

@@renegadeleader1 And as such it could be argued that the Gunstar should really be classed as a corvette rather than a fighter. It has too many different weapons systems many of which as 360 degree coverage.

[@DngnRdr]

Babylon 5 leaves virtually every other space sci-fi in the dust when it comes to realism - and it's arguably better than either Star Wars or Star Trek in many ways.

[@jefff3886]

I've been a Star Trek fan since Captain Kirk first appeared on TV screens in 1966, and all the later spinoffs too. TNG, DS9, VOY, and all the movies too. I still watch episodes on streaming almost every day and probably will until the day I pass. But even so, I still think B5 is the best S-F show ever put on TV. And it's all because of one guy and his passion for the show, Executive Producer J. Michael Straczynski. Babylon 5 was his brainchild and his baby, and without his drive to get this show on TV we would never know about it, because the networks were lukewarm about the show, coming out when the popularity of Next Generation was peaking and Deep Space 9 had just started. It's speculated that the networks were thinking, "Oh no, another show about space stations and aliens, uh no thanks." But JMS never gave up, and now we're lucky to know the greatest S-F show ever. By the way, check out The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5, an in-depth wiki of all things B5, including commentary on each episode by the man himself; what he was thinking, what he was trying to accomplish in this or that episode, why he did this or that particular thing or did it in that particular way. It's a fascinating insight into the creative process and into the man himself, his drive and total commitment to the show.

[@DangerMouse35]

If you like realism in your SciFi then may I recommend the Expanse.

[@acerpg]

We had to have Star Trek so that Babylon 5 could run.

[@acerpg]

​@@DangerMouse35I think that the expanse has one of the best space combat sequences ever made. And I do love the fact that projectiles are actually more viable than lasers. Because over astronomical distances you can almost avoid lasers.

[@DangerMouse35]

@acerpg bobby's move against a certain someone's flagship was awesome.

[@michaelposey6529]

I can't argue at all with this list. That Delenn clip at the end...nice

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks, I'm glad you approve.

[@harrisonchr]

I'm so glad you had both of the Babylon 5 fighter aircraft on this list. I would say the only honorable mention I would add is the Stargate SG1 F-302.

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

Actually I would imho also mention the Rapiers in Wing Commander and the Scavengers in Enemy Mine.

[@AvroBellow]

When I started watching, I thought "The Star Fury had BETTER be on this list!" and my friend, you did not disappoint! Cheers! 😁

[@retluoc]

I was hoping that the Gunstar would make your list. That was one of my favorite 80s movies. I bought the 25th anniversary DVD. It's just too bad that it was a "one-off." I wanted sequels. 😀

[@Heegaherger]

They certainly wrote it for sequels.

[@maxgremln]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! for including the Sa-43 Hammerhead. Space above and beyond was a terrific show and I’m glad to see there are those out there who still remember it.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Our pleasure!!! I am glad too!!! Thanks for the positive feedback.

[@wakjagner]

I also really love the inclusion of Lt Col Butts' line!

[@TenkawaBC]

I'm sorry, but God doesn't want to talk to me today. I'm about to go out there and end one of his creations. -"The angriest angel" Damn the script on that show was great.

[@bbarr69]

I have the series (albeit it was only 1 season) on DVD

[@tungzauzage977]

Agreed, the Starfury would only now face real competition with the likes of the Rocinante from the expanse in real space physics. Babylon five was a very well written and the most realistic sci-fi shows around, still love the battle scenes.

[@kellysmith1144]

Not quite. The Vipers are accurate to modern space physics and don't use energy weapons. They would be the most realistic above B5 and below the Expanse.

[@RCAvhstape]

Rocinante is not a fighter though. The Expanse has no "fighters", only analogs of 20th century naval ships, kind of like Star Trek but without so much magic tech.

[@Fley1965]

The Expanse is too realistic for having a Star Fighter, though.

[@crosana01]

@@kellysmith1144 I kind of feel like the engine setup of the Star Fury would allow for far greater maneuverability.

[@simonoleary9264]

​@@kellysmith1144 We didn't see it very often, but the Starfury could also carry missiles. And for sheer maneuverability, the Starfury outclasses the Viper because of it's arrangement of front & rear mounted, independently controllable engines + RCS thrusters, vs Viper's rear only engines + RCS thrusters. This allows the Starfury to decelerate as quickly as it accelerates, but without having to rotate.

[@ACMaddocks]

+1 for the Space Above and Beyond reference!

[@gordonm1828]

Great list, anytime the space above and beyond gets on any list I always excited. Show was so good and didn’t get a chance to really fly :D. Hail to the king baby go starfury. Yah the graphics of the fist season or to hold Babylon 5 back a little bit but one of the coolest things about watching it is seeing the evolution of the computer graphics over 5 years. Seasons 5s over 1s is vastly different and makes it feel like your watching history. Great choices!

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much!!! I'm glad you also love B5 as well.

[@miguelrivera3383]

I have two model kits of the Starfury, I have the Last Starfighter and Space: Above and Beyond on DVD… and Babylon 5 too … gotta keep these close to me. Great video! Thank you!

[@exc911ence_channel]

No Starfighter from Buck Rogers? I love that ship!

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

It was a contender! Just didn't make the cut. Close though.

[@caveatlector2671]

Thunderfighter is cool and all but just a cheap knock off, much like the Viper MK.I from the original BSG*, of the X-Wing which will always win out in comparison. *The greatest demerit of the MK.II, III, VII from NuBSG is the omission of the go-fast Turbo button on the stick... loved the kick you back in your seat, dragon's breath exhaust spectacle of it.

[@chrislenz6634]

Number 1 in my book

[@t.j.johnson7026]

It is the prettiest design by far.

[@ChayMiddleton]

Yeah I was waiting for that one

[@kleeklor]

For the whole video i was going "the starfury better be number 1" And then it was! Great video!

[@Frankenstyleish]

Thank you for Space Above and Beyond! It's inexcusable that it's not on streaming. Glad I picked up the box set during the five minutes it was in print. (Should have been first choice. Maybe second after the Star Fury.

[@Frankenstyleish]

Heh. I posted that before I got to number 1. Great video.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

You can't find anything on streaming anymore, you just have to enjoy it when it's there I guess. Glad you can still watch it though.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

BTW thanks for your appreciation!!!!

[@Txhalfnote]

I watched this video just to see if the Gunstar was included. Great list. Well done

[@dawfydd]

Ok, you got a win for putting the Sa-43 my favorite fighter then an ultra combo win for featuring the best starfighter at the top! B5 is my favorite scifi series! It really should be watched by more people, same goes for space above and beyond! I love Starwars but.. space fighters just aren't the same as fighter jets so these other shows are much cooler. Though i still can't find myself liking the Gunstar, perhaps if it was part of a game, i feel its design could work as a player ship in a game.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

We just need a modern CGI render of the Gunstar, I think it could win you over then!

[@KipIngram]

Hey man - if you put B5 in the #1 slot you're on the right track. Hell of a show.

[@artturner2054]

@@KipIngram amen to that

[@riveryzen]

Yes, season 1 was a little slow but then it kept me on the edge of my seat afterwards. The spin-offs weren't that great though. They might have improved if they went longer but we'll never know.

[@KipIngram]

@@riveryzen I've never watched the spin-offs, but it's definitely not uncommon for spin-offs to fall short of originals.

[@BrandonSmith-rt8pm]

So glad you guys didn't forget the Last Starfighter!

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Why would we? That would be so embarrassing.

[@AFT3RDAY5]

Great choices and a worthy first place. I have all seasons and films of Babylon 5 and the Starfury will forever hold a special place in my heart 😄👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@romainhaller5686]

You nailed it! These would have been my choices, too. I only preferthe Thunderbolts over the classic Starfuries, as they seem to be so much more versatile… and better looking 😎.

[@jedironin380]

Excellent video! Thank you for putting Babylon 5 Starfury in the top slot! I'm a huge fan of this show. The BSG Viper launch tube is a long-time favorite. My friends and I joke that if you don't take a highway on-ramp like a BSG launch tube, then we can't be friends! LOL

[@falcardeckion]

Holy crap, a countdown list I 100% agree with. Kudos

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks, that's really nice of you. I really appreciate it!!!

[@LoopyWolf]

I was hoping for details why they were deadlier, but meanwhile.. good list. My personal favotite will always be Buck Rogers' starfighter. I agree with starfury being #1 on this list

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks!!!! I'm glad that you agree with us.

[@stew9168]

I was hoping it was on the list. It and Battle Star Galactica fighters looked so cool back then.

[@harveykitzman9083]

Thank you for mentioning Babylon 5! It is the best series I have ever seen!

[@eharasan]

All good choices, and yeah, I agree with you, the Starfury is the best. Loved it from the first time I saw them when the show first aired.

[@ericmaserati5840]

Great list! Loved the Hammerhead, and the Viper Mk II will always be one of my favorites. The BSG Raptor was a FTL capable, multi-mission craft. It could do it all recon, SAR, surgical strikes, etc… and exhibited the Newtonian physics of maneuverability.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks, I love the compliments.

[@1911a1bob]

Great list and I absolutely agree about the Starfury.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much for agreeing!

[@TheRealCoolDude1989-nt5ed]

Well I read the article you did on this , and rewatching say the X-Wing is my all time fighter in science fiction .Then the Viper from both the classic "Battlestar Galactica" , and the rebooted one since the a Vipers have always been badass on tv , as for "Babylon 5 " fighters , I always like the Thunderbolt fighters , when the came out season 3 on B5 .And you do have a great list too .

[@Incognito413]

Anybody who shows Space: Above and Beyond some love gets my sub. Good on ya, mate.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks so much!!!!

[@treebrother]

I miss my Cylon Raider and Viper MK2. Especially years later my Cylon Raider got left out on the edge of the woods. It rained and shorted out the laser guns so that they were stuck on. It freaked my father out so much he woke the house up to see the demonic creature staring at us from the woods.

[@Zirbip]

I was happy to see the Gunstar on this list.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I'm glad that you are happy

[@BrianBlake-t4w]

I'm very happy The Last Starfighter's Gunstar made the list. I'm probably in the minority here, but I think the SFX have held up quite well. Yes, you can certainly tell the majority of the space shots were CGI and look cartoonish. However, I don't think it takes away from the film in any way 40 years later. Considering the Hollywood propensity to fuck up remakes, I'd prefer if they touch this movie at all, just remaster it and leave it alone.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I agree strongly, there are very few remakes that are any good.

[@kitten9416]

i was like were not going to get the best... and then it shows up at #1 with an the second at #5. so glad your list was actually made with real thought

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks! So you’d have put the Hammerhead at 2?

[@garytoddvolquardts126]

Babylon 5 ships have always been a favorite of mine because of the way they were portrayed. The rotating engines.

[@garydaniels5495]

My favorites: 1.The Astrofighters from Star Blazers, Comet Empire, 2. The Starfighter from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

[@mowgli2071]

You really need to do more videos like this. This was awesome

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

We have and we do and we will! Glad you liked it.

[@jimmyboy131]

It'll always be the X-Wing for me.

[@johnfrench5279]

A major advantage that the Starfury has over all the other designs is that the pilots position is located at the centre of any High-Gee 180 degree turns which massively reduces the stresses on him/her. In most of the other designs, centrafugal forces would ensure that the pilot is unlikley to remain consious after making such a turn.

[@CYCO1631]

The Rebel A Wing, and the F-302 deserve spots on this list... though I was pleased to see the Gunstar!

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks for your appreciation and your feedback.

[@andersonnettleship845]

The F-302 from Stargate SG-1 and a Stargate Atlantas should have been at or near the top of this list

[@thedeg2917]

@@andersonnettleship845 it definitely should be, it reaches mach 6 in earth's atmosphere, while being more maneuverable thanks to its inertial dampeners and armed with dual railguns and 4 naquadria enhanced AIM 120 type missiles. It would smoke any other fighter on this list.

[@Cpeerson2000]

I mean the Macross Fighters should be on here too. Especially the YF-19, not so much the YF-21 since only one person could fly it correctly

[@Meower68]

That final line ... that has got to be one of the best "go ahead, make my day!"-type lines in sci-fi history. I'm well acquainted with all of these. I remember when "The Last Starfighter" came out. I watched Bab5 all the way through on the original run. Heck, I'm even old enough to remember seeing the original theatrical release of "Star Wars" (at a drive-in, no less). I have bootlegs of "Space: Above and Beyond." I never got into the BSG reboot, preferring the OG. The OG Vipers were so cool that pilots flying the then-brand-new F-16s started calling their aircraft "Vipers." They still do, to this day. While the F-16 is, officially, the "Fighting Falcon," the pilots all call it the "Viper."

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I know right!! That's so cool that you saw Star Wars when they first came out.

[@TenkawaBC]

Hello fellow member of the bootleg vhs space above and beyond club. I also have the DVD set, but that was much... much later

[@artturner2054]

Last Starfighter was my first ever date movie

[@leftcoaster67]

Was it a forever date?

[@artturner2054]

@leftcoaster67 yes, she's the love of my life But she's in Florida and I'm in Pennsylvania. Hope to see her soon

[@warblerblue]

@@artturner2054 How nice things turned out that way. Best wishes.

[@emjay95]

i COMPLETLY agree with this list, especially the top 3.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks!!!!1

[@stevenewman1393]

👌😎👍Very totally wonderfully cool and very nicely greatly well informatively explained and executed in every detail way shape and format provided on "The Deadliest Space Fighters In Science Fiction", Ranked 1 through 5, And I myself own 4 of these spectacular ships in model kits and Die-cast and so forth except for the Gunstar which is an very expensive resin kit that you can still get through Fantastic Plastic!; Any ways a job very nicely fabulously well done indeed Sir!👌.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks for your appreciation! That's so cool that you have the models.

[@stevenewman1393]

@@GiantFreakinRobot I also have them all on DVD in their entire complete series and the movies on the others as well.

[@jameschastain1229]

I would have to choose the Starfury. Had this discussion years ago with a group of Marines I was playing DnD with. It was our choice as well, even brought them into the Alternity game we were playing at the time. Miss that game system.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Me too. Those were the days.

[@erics8192]

+1 like for including the last starfighter on this list

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks so much!

[@AvroBellow]

Ah Delenn, with one of the most badass moments in sci-fi history. "Only one human has survived combat with the Minbari fleet. He is behind me, you are in front of me." So calm and so terrifying. I loved it. Ivanova had a similar moment later on with her "I am death incarnate!" speech.

[@marcelosm03]

I missed the thunderfighter from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century on this list

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

I prefer Hawk's fighter because it looks like a hawk in flight! Remember that one?

[@RCAvhstape]

@@fredhercmaricaubang1883 I love how Bird Person from Rick and Morty is basically just Hawk from Buck Rogers. Such a great callback.

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

@@RCAvhstape Really?! I didn't know! Aaah, the memories!

[@bryandow2827]

The Vipers were meant to be the Earth Defense Fighter in Buck Rogers but they scrapped for the classic EDF that we know. Love this list Hammerheads, Starfurys ..love it

[@theredwind]

Hammerhead was mentioned… I’m happy.

[@pickleballer1729]

So glad you recognized the B5 Star Furies. That show had a lot of cool spacecraft, especially the Vorlon ships. A note about banking turns in space: Banking in a turn has two functions (that I know of). One is to take advantage of winds across wings and air foils. The other is to manage inertia, either for the engine or for the pilot. If you're into history, you probably know that one of the advantages the Germans had early in WW2 was having fuel injected engines, which enabled their planes to go directly into a dive without the engine stalling , while in an allied aircraft, if you turned in a negative G direction, the carburetor would not function properly and the engine would stall. But once they solved that problem with fuel injectors, they found after the war when flying jets that the negative G was MUCH more stressful on the pilot, and could cause a blackout much sooner than high G would, so they kept banking for the pilot, not for the engine. That aspect of a banking turn would also apply in space, I think.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks for the fun facts and feedback!!!

[@randallraszick6001]

No Buck Rogers? Come on.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Was in consideration but didn’t make the cut

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

Yeah, it's sad, ain't it? Especially when Hawk's fighter was so utterly BEAUTIFUL & COOL to look at!

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

No Wing Commander? No Enemy Mine? No Stargate SG1?

[@robertedwards7900]

Actually the Viper I identify with is the OG Viper from the original BSG, with Lorne Green, Dirk Benedict, Richard Hatch, Anne Lockhart, etc. Ships that got missed were the Starfighters from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The bad guys in that show had cool ships too, the Draconian Marauders!

[@MAWSAFGJP-p5b]

Great list. What is your opinion of the robotech fighters?

[@Koenshakuable]

I was thinking the same thing. Veritech's crush. How about the Cosmo zero in Space Battleship Yamato, or Spike's swordfish in Cowboy Beebop? I suppose that's all fuel for at least another two lists, right?

[@heathhacker8948]

The Robotech VF-15 Super Valkyrie, Is my Favorite fighter. It would need to be in Battloid mode or Guardian mode to match the Starfury in maneuverability, but the Starfury is sadly out gunned and armored by a VT.

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

Don't call it "Robotech", heretic! It's called "Macross" & what flew there are actually called "Variable Fighters" NOT "Veritechs"! And as far as I'm concerned, the BEST Variable Fighter EVER is the VF-22 Sturmvogel II!

[@MAWSAFGJP-p5b]

@fredhercmaricaubang1883 Glad you have your option

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

​@@MAWSAFGJP-p5b So, what's your favorite Variable Fighter?

[@mothafraker]

Very good and well thought out list

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much!!! That's very thoughtful of you!!!

[@Captain_Razor_88]

My working head canon theory (until proven otherwise in official lore) for why star wars fighters bank is that the repulsor technology introduced in the world space is responsible. Its' tech is highly compact and modular but also surface space dependent, such as the flat surfaces of the main body and wings on an X-wing and could possible take up too much space to allow for traditional RCS thrusters. This would explain why we don't see these craft pull similar stunts to what a BSG Viper is capable of. Such a system would not require fuel and few to no moving parts and be extremely robust, to the point that part of a wing can be blown off and the tech in the remaining part of the wing continues to function. It also explains the VTOL nature of these craft with no visible exhaust ports. The reason they don't use it as a primary drive system comes back to surface space, there isn't enough of it in the rear to achieve speeds and acceleration that matches conventional engine thrusters, not without compromising the rear profile of a starship making it an easy target for enemy craft. Another possibility is that such craft DO have RCS thrusters that would allow for high maneuver turning but at the cost of speed, we see this in BSG when fighters of both sides are pivoting, they look like they are either at an almost standstill, or at least going slow enough that an incoming enemy fighter would have an easy lock-on. Hence they opt to use the repulsors at all times. This would explain the maneuverability edge Tie Fighters have over X-wings due to the sheer amount of flat surface space they have on their wings both outwards and in. They can turn on a dime and angling up or down doesn't require much maneuver power due to the overall shape of the ship, plus more repulsor tech in the wing struts.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I like it. A good theory

[@rakaydosdraj8405]

It's simpler than that. There's an old (debunked) physics theory (from before we believed space could ACTUALLY be a vacuum) that space had an energy field that could be pushed against. Star wars operates in a universe where that debunked theory is true, and so "etheric rudders" really do push against the aether to steer the ship through banking turns.

[@SteveWreck-c4r]

Finally, one of these lists that I actually agree with.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Welcome brother

[@brentwilliams6603]

My vote goes to the Quaedlunn-Rau Battle Suit (aka Female Power Armor) from Super Dimension Fortress Macross. And if your reply is going to be “It’s a mecha, not really a space fighter”, it seems to me that they ravaged the defending VF-1 series Valkyries (and canonically those are very definitely space fighters)

[@Boritis]

There's a discussion about turret-mounted weapons on space fighters. Some guys often say that turrets are better than fixed guns because you can steer them and fire backwards. But here Starfury clearly shows you why space fighters don't need turrets. They ARE the turrets... in space.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

That's funny and I agree!!!

[@jeffanderson8165]

Good list, but respectfully, I'd rank the Gunstar as the top fighter. Two main reasons... One: it is more capable than either the Viper or the Starfury. First, it has more missiles than either of the other two craft, plus it has all five of its guns mounted in turrets, giving it omnidirectional gun coverage without needing to rotate the craft. This enables even faster responses than with the other two craft. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, it predates the Viper and Starfury by a significant margin. Would either of those ships exist without the Gunstar? Maybe not; it's entirely possible that the VFX people for both shows were inspired by the imagery in Last Starfighter to do the flight/battle visuals that they did. (Okay, okay, there was the Viper from the original, 1978 BSG, but that flew atmospheric style, just like your justified complaints about the X-wing. The Gunstar was the first Sci-Fi space fighter that flew with Newtonian physics in mind.) That little aside, aside, IMO, the Gunstar should be number one.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Love the effort you put into your argument. Thank you!

[@garyrobbins283]

Very good assessments. Hadn't heard of the Hammerhead before, I'll need to look that one up. Always believed a tail gun mounted on a T-65 would make it near invincible. Personally, I would favor the Gunstar over the Viper, unless you're facing Starbuck or Apollo in which case you're toast. Starfury is good choice for #1, especially if you're flying with actual physics.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

That's what we were going for!!!! and thanks for your agreement!

[@jameshanlon5689]

What! No love or mention of the classical Viper from the 1970s Battlestar Galactica.

[@leodouskyron5671]

I love this list and am a fan of all these fighters. They all can be the best as they all could plausibly take out the others. Even the slow turn of the X-Wing may not matter when you have on the fly configurable shields and a droid that can do repairs in battle. Or the Gunstar’s ability to target a massive number of fighters and wipe them out. Good job.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much for your positive feedback!!! I'm glad you liked the list so much!!!

[@sergioaccioly5219]

First off, great list, I can't forthe life of me disagree with the choices or the order. Bonus point for Delenn's boss talk at the end. Now, what can I contribute for the discussion? I'm partial to the 90s PC game franchise, Wing Commander, speciallytheose found in WC IV, of which I'll talk about in a little while. All of the fighters in the franchise flew like airplanes, but boy oh boy, You got all the adrenaline you could ask for piloting one of those. The Dragon was a monster, capable of beating anything in space withease, but the humble Banshee was my favorite. Much better than it had any right to be.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Glad someone stayed til the end to see it!

[@RCAvhstape]

Wow, been a long time since I've thought of Wing Commander.

[@sergioaccioly5219]

@@RCAvhstape I seriouslly wonder how much impact that series had. For starters, those games looked a lot like a proto Mass Effect. And I doubt the X_Wing games (and Rogue Squadron books) would've been made without WC. One of those things.

[@Mornech10]

@@sergioaccioly5219 Yeah, grew up on Wing Commander. For like a decade any space simulator or space combat game that came out was compared to Wing Commander. Sad it doesn't get the recognition it deserves these days. Wing Commander fighters are ridiculously powerful. Just about any Terran Light fighter is a match for anything on this list, yet alone their Heavy fighters or Space Superiority fighters. Just saying. haha

[@randlebrowne2048]

@@Mornech10 I'm really looking forward to the release of Squadron 42 sometime in 2026. It's the spiritual successor to the Wing Commander games; by the same creator. It even has both Mark Hamil and John Reese-Davis (among *many* others)!

[@Jmac1962]

Total props to y'all for getting this totally right!

[@artao5]

The only reason I watched this was to make sure the Starfury is number 1. Good job. :)

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks so much!!!!

[@thebritishengineer8027]

I think you pretty much hit the mark with this one, nice job. Although the two fighters at the start of Lost in Space do deserve a mention. As for something we can fly, although simulated of all the games and sims I have played there is one ship that puts the F in fook’in FUN. Star Citizens Drake Buccaneer, is designed for... speed, lots of guns, acceleration, insane manoeuvrability, small size and a pilot in that order. You can slide this thing into a turn while firing and beginning to black out. It’s 5 weapon mounts, two big engines and a seat as an after thought it’s paper thin but lethal if you can get your strikes in first. It's a Battle of Britain dog fight get him before he gets you.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks for your appreciation and you make a very good case about the Buccaneer.

[@williamsquires3070]

Actually, I prefer the Mk. I Viper over the later ones. I definitely agree about the X-wing, though, mostly because it’s FTL capability means it doesn’t have to have a mothership hovering nearby; it can stay back out of range if things get hot, and call for backup, then jump in with the Star fighters as needed be. Another, though not a Star fighter as such, is the Starfleet runabout from DS9. Even the smaller shuttle craft in Picard’s era had warp drive, but the runabout was better armed I think, and it was better suited for longer patrol or exploratory missions. Finally, I like the Buck Rogers starfighters, too.

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

You've got GREAT TASTE! I remember that one, too, especially when Dirk Benedict played Starbuck before he moved on to play Templeton Peck in "The A-Team"! Ah, such fond memories!

[@jglotzbach]

Agreed, the DS9 Runabout was a massive upgrade from the old TNG shuttle craft. More useful and much better looking.

[@CYCO1631]

The DS9 Runnabout's hold their own surprisingly well. In that vein also is the Delta Flyer! Neither though, are technically fighters.

[@dapper189]

Currently rewatching B5 for the first time since it aired and I was a kid. It's so much better than I remember.

[@Stinger522]

The F-302 from Stargate didn't make the list.

[@RBweb24]

The hammerhead is like a 302 but better

[@Eaglefellow1]

For a Top Ten I would think the F-302, The Puddlejumper, and the Prowler from Farscape would be included.

[@Stinger522]

@@RBweb24 Would the Hammerhead do better than the 302 at the Battle of Antarctica?

[@ArtistBrianSheffield]

Should have been #1. None on the list are intergalactic only intrasolar. Equipped with freeze pods the 302 could easy travel between galaxies.

[@RBweb24]

@@ArtistBrianSheffield not between galaxies, 302s had hyperdrives but it wasn't mentioned after the prometheus and 304s showed up. It's never shown if the 302 can make it to other galaxies. Even if they could it be a long terrible trip

[@michaeldixon3440]

Warms the heart seeing the Hammerhead on this list.

[@jacobdorow6374]

I really like the list. It's probably not a Starfighter but I really like the ship from The Expanse, the Rocinade

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Yeah, the Roci is too big to be a fighter. It's in that weird middle tier small ship class with the Falcon and the Razorcrest, and the Serenity.

[@Nachtschicht1]

@@GiantFreakinRobot really a class of very loveable little ships. I would add the Defiant from DS9 and the Bebop from Cowboy Bebop, although the Defiant might be a little to big already.

[@brownro214]

Rocinante

[@jacobdorow6374]

@brownro214 yeah I should have looked up the spelling. I was winging it

[@Nachtschicht1]

@@jacobdorow6374 I wrote Defiance first, but it looked a bit odd, so I looked it up 😅

[@tonycapri2608]

I've got my Seawitch Starfury on my drawers next to me where it's been for over 20 years, I love Babylon 5. Really pleased it came In at no. 1 😊

[@InternetGravedigger]

It isn't just the x-wing that's skewed toward fantasy... the whole franchise is basically about space wizards. The 'Death Blossom' system was only on the Gunstar piloted by Alex, it was a prototype. Also, I've seen newer movies with worse computer graphics, it was actually pretty good for the time. No clips from the original BSG? It should be noted that the Viper predates everything on this list except the X-wing, as Star Wars came out a year earlier.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Oh Last Starfighter was GREAT graphics for the time! But it’s a tough sell for new people

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

And there were so many awesome BSG 04 clips I could not make room for

[@jeffanderson8165]

The thing about Star Wars can best be explained by translating the opening line... "A long time ago..." translates to "Once upon a time..." "... In a galaxy far, far away..." translates to "... In a faraway land..." Pure and simple, Star Wars is a fairy tale. (Mind you, I still enjoy some of it...)

[@InternetGravedigger]

@@jeffanderson8165 Interesting fact about the Death Star: it used enormous khyber crystals to focus the beam for the planet destroyer... in essence, it was a giant lightsaber.

[@dareka9425]

In the early 2000s my country's public TV channel kept airing sci fi shows late at night. So, I have to wait before midnight to watch Space: Above and Beyond, Babylon 5 and Enterprise. If I remember correctly only Sea Quest was aired quite early after the 8pm news. TNG was shown on a new satellite-based channel and while it's free for everyone I had the misfortune of living in a black hole of sorts because my house couldn't catch any signal no matter what kind or how high the antenna was.

[@Wolf359inc]

Great list. Was hoping for both the T-65 X-wing, and the Gunstar, and expected the Star Fury to take the top spot. B5 was/ is a great show. It really changed the landscape for sci-fi, and TV shows, in general, with its five-year arc, but great characters, and “real life” treatment of beings surviving in space, was just the cherry on top. Also, the evolution of the characters throughout the show. It was like a well organised role-playing game campaign… :) Was it perfect? No. I can admit that. But it was one hell of a ride. Though, I must confess, I was almost relieved when they introduced the White Star, and its later versions, with Mimbari gravity technology. B5 had many moments that still bring a tear to the eye of this 55 year old. Possibly my favourite must be, “Today is Saturday” (or was it Sunday? Damn…). “I think I’ll go for a drive.” IYKYK… I would only change two things in the show: . Confirming a full five seasons for J Michael Straczynski, in advance; and . Having Sinclair stay through the entire run, rather than having him replaced after the first season (yes, I know the actor was struggling with his mental health at the time, which necessitated the change. Would that this had never been an issue for him - Rest in Peace). I would make these changes, as I want to see JMS’s original five year vision of the show. I don’t argue that some of the forced changes in the show ultimately made some things better, and gave us an unforgettable character, in Bruce Boxleitner’s John Sheridan, but I would have loved to have seen Ivanova as the station commander in season five. Cheers, Now I want to rewatch the whole damn thing again… ❤

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RCAvhstape]

Ivanova is God.

[@pleadian]

Awesome Video and List mate , I would have chosen the same

[@jamaltientenn]

Robotech Macross had the best scifi fighters

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

There are some other anime ones I'd put ahead of them, honestly.

[@jamaltientenn]

@GiantFreakinRobot I was just thinking of 80s and back

[@JaredHight-g4e]

Maybe they aren’t the most efficient, but you get all the best features of an F-16 and a gundum, with no drawbacks.

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

It's actually "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross" & what you saw there were Variable Fighters & as far as I'm concerned, the very BEST one EVER is the VF-22 Sturmvogel II!

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

@@GiantFreakinRobot True, but none can beat the versatility &, more importantly, the COOLNESS factor of a Variable Fighter transforming & turning the tables on its pursuers!

[@TentaclePentacle]

This list has all the great ones hammerhead gunstar, starfury. Without including animate this is a complete list.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the video so much.

[@Saintbow]

Can we get a honorable mention for the Prowlers from Farscape? I know the scenes were limited for battle, but it is a cool space fighter. Also I think the Rapier from the Wing Commander movie was also a great looking fighter. Thanks for the list!

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I strongly considered the Prowler, it just did not quite make the cut! I even had a version of it I cut with the Prowler in the intro, but the Pterodon ended up looking better.

[@KrawmKruach]

prowlers had a very lethal look to them, like you could tell rigth away that there was a right end and a wrong end and you didnt want the wrong end pointing at you.

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

Love this list. Space superiorty fighters - yeah! They were exactly the ones I would have picked. Honourable mentions: Rapiers (Wing Commander) Scavengers (Enemy mine) F-302 (Stargate SG-1) Starfighter (Buck Rogers) Total fail: Star Trek 😂 And now please the enemy attack ships

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much for the compliment. And I agree with your list as well.

[@Animalover205]

Honestly cannot argue your choice for top pick. The Starfury is honestly one of the most dangerous star fighters in all Sci-fi.

[@JediBearBob]

Only to its pilots.

[@Revan2908]

Man, I was hoping the Starfury would make it on the list. Didn't expect it to be #1, hell yeah! Two honorable mentions for me would be the F-103 Excalibur from _Wing Commander III_ and the Dragon from _Wing Commander IV._ Best part was, those games had an "alt flight dynamics mode" which leaned more towards Newtonian physics than the standard "aerial dogfight" type of flight mode. Including Delenn's dialogue at the end? 🤌

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

I liked the Rapiers of the Wing Commander movie 😊

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

A lot of people were saying that the F-103 should be a honorable mention, you are not alone in that and I agree with that as well. Thanks for the feedback.

[@randlebrowne2048]

That "alt flight dynamics mode" has actually made a return in Star Citizen (an MMO) and Squadron 42 (it's single Player campaign). Both games are being made by the original creator of the Wing Commander games. Squadron 42 even has both Mark Hamil and John Reese-Davis in it.

[@brettsteinbook5370]

love this list. i think you got them all right.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

I am glad you think so!!! I appreciate your gratitude.

[@michaelwalsh2095]

You nailed it!!! Definitely the right ships in the right order.

[@GiantFreakinRobot]

Thank you so much!

[@markwells3289]

Thank you; the Starfury is easily the most realistic starfighter in mainstream sci-fi,

[@tyranavalon]

Personally, I would have put the Gunstar higher than the Viper Mk2 as it has the ability to fire in all directions despite what direction the ship is facing/traveling. I do, however, agree that Starfury is number 1 because it only requires 1 pilot to do the same.