Isn't that one of those ubiquitous 'Tipos' in the background...

How about anything in the Phoenix series? My dad had a Pheonix 7 I always wanted to build and fly but was apprehensive about doing the glass work on the wings and stab. Painting would have been challenging too.

I later bought a very nice Phoenix 9 fully glassed, was beautiful. Heavy and fast.

I have a Dirty Birdy and it does fly well.

My top 3-4 are:
Brushfire
Phoenix 8
Curare or Blue Angel - never owned one of these though but they looked great in the sky and seemed to fly well
Anyone willing to part with a good used classic pattern ship PM me!
I miss having one.

There are certainly many to choose from. I would add the Tiporare and my personal favorite: the Citation.

How about the Troublemaker from Tony Bonnetti 1978? What a beauty! Never saw one fly. Picture from the good old days when we put babes next to beautiful sleek pattern airplanes. I believe the girl was family of the MAN magazine editor or owners. I have been in RC since 1975 and pattern about 1978. Nostalgic times.

To date I have owned: Mach1, Miss Norway, Dirty Birdy, Kaos, Arrow, Firebird and Aurora. By far the best flying was the Aurora.

That is Yvonne DeFrancesco with Tony (if memory serves). I saw Tony fly his Troublemaker back in the late ‘70s. He was flying an EU1-A before he left the east coast to work for Circus Hobbies in Las Vegas.
Yes, the Aurora is a terrific airplane and I really liked the Arrow. The post ballistic era 60 sized designs (early turnaround) all flew very well, though they were not really any slower, just bigger or at least longer. I always wanted to build a stretched Brushfire for turnaround, maybe someday.

flywilly that is her name exactly thank you for the reminder! You have been around always like your posts.
I also had a Brusfhire after seeing real life jet jock Steve Rojecki fly his at the Orlando Tangerine! One of my best of the classic pattern airplanes. I too have thought some day build a stretched version. I still have the full size plans.

I saw Steve fly his at the ‘83 Nats, every flight. We were on the same flight line. He would perform a knife edge to knife edge snap at the end of every flight before starting the landing approach. Back in the early ‘80s there were several members of my club flying pattern. Two of them built Brushfires. One weighed 8.25 pounds and one weighed 9.5 pounds. They both flew well. Landing the lighter one was a real pleasure. Maybe I’ll put a Brushfire on my winter project list! :-)

Hats off to Hanno Prettner for his Suprafly Curare ,Superstar and Calypso among others. Many world championships between them and the OS 61 Hanno Special
engine was a great addition for pattern then. Wish i still had mine.

I still have my beloved 1960 Kasmirsky Orion and a 1983 Prettner Calypso that are still flying to this day

Sorry it took me so long, Phoenix 6, Phoenix 7 and Phoenix 8!

I can’t say what is the absolute best classic pattern model ever made, IMO the unicorn just does not exist. I can however say that the one that fit my flying style the best and the one I wish I had never sold is the MK Aurora. Mine had mechanical retracts and was powered by an OS 91 Surpass. If I were to build one today I would go with another 4 stroke power plant, perhaps YS 115.

Got to be Blue Angel or Tiporare for me.