Or is it me getting old as the modern models do not seem to have any character other than perhaps Concord or the Vulcan Bomber.

absolutely, WW1 and WW2 had much more intresting planes.It took skill to fly them.There were no missles that would lock onto a target w/ the click of a button.It was harder then to destroy your opponent

yes i agree modern aircraft have lost a little flare but that is the price you pay for a better aircraft, unfortunately aerodynamics of something so big can only get so good which is why they look similar. im sure given time there will be another big leap in aircraft engineering that will bring out something new and never seen befor but lets face it the older generation still wont like it as they dont like change. i supppose your used to what your used to. id bet there are young kids out ther that think things like a spitfire look silly compared to something like a mig

Yup, they just dont have that same distinction of strapping the whole plane on you like before. Small cramped cockpits and lots of torque to deal with. Now its all fly by wire and crap

No, all aircraft have their place and history. WW2 Wellingtons, Lancasters, Spitfires, Hurricanes, ME109s, Stukas, Mosquitos fantastic aircraft. Post war Harriers, B1s, F4s, F15s, F111s awesome but todays Typhoon and JSF, B2 and F117 equally incredible - my advice don't compare them, just enjoy them all. I appreciate the TSR2 comment below, cancelled because of politics and the need to demonstrate European cooperation on MRCA (Tornado) which we didn't really need as TSR2 was arguably better than Tornado turned out to be. If you ever get the chance get along to the USAF museum in Dayton Ohio, the best collection of military aircraft in the World

i don't think boring is the right word or phrase to use id say they are less evocative.

there is a grace and beauty about WW1 and WW2 war planes particularly from Britain, you only have to look at Lancasters, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Mosquitos, Tempests, Typhoons, Beau fighters, Beau forts, Camels etc to see there is design flare that few others can match

In the cold war the British aircraft Industry went mental, planes like the Vulcan, Victor, Valiant, EE Lightning, Canberra, Buccaneer, Sea Vixen, Harrier, Nimrod, Javelin, Hunter etc all of which are glorious to look at as well as very capable

the other thing i think is we are living in a PC HSE world and we are hankering for a time when life had just a little bit of danger to it

I agree, I like the old piston engines better myself