The B-17, aka "The Flying Fortress," was a massive steel beast of a plane used in World War II. Each wing was so big they both needed dual turbine engines just to keep in the air. They are not used anymore, but tattooing a large B-17 bomber to your upper back with the wings spread across you shoulder blades can share your affinity for flying crafts to the world as well as honor the soldiers in World War II. You can also position the plane at a slight angle to portray the name painted on the side, and give it any name you want.
Stealth bombers are the exact opposite a World War II bomber planes. Instead of designing large and frightening air crafts, the United States determined the best wartime plane is one the enemy can't see. Its small black, triangular shape is specifically designed to fly underneath radar range and reduce engine noise to a slight whisper. In keeping with this theme, you may want to tattoo a Stealth bomber to either the back of one of your shoulder blades or over your rib cage. This will give the tattoo a hidden implication without actually hiding it.
At the turn of the 20th century, Orville and Wilbur Wright designed a series of unmanned glider planes, which were the first in history. On Dec. 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew the very first manned flight in history aboard a small wooden craft named the Wright Flyer. This would certainly make a beautiful tattoo with more generic, nostalgic value than any proceeding plane. If you love flying enough to get an airplane tattoo, consider getting the Wright Flyer over your heart to symbolize the love.
Most young boys and girls, especially those with an affinity for flight, used to fold pieces of paper to create small gliding crafts. This innocence and inception of a life-long passion can be easily recaptured by tattooing a single, small paper airplane over one of you shoulders. The simple design can be represented on its own, but may work best in conjunction with another more extravagant tattoo.