Just for a little controversy:
The Golden Age of aircraft was so named simply for the fact that prior to the 1950's, aircraft travel and ownership was the meilieu of the wealthy and/or eccentric. With the economic and technological boost created by WWII, the world saw a marked increase in both aircraft sales and travel by aircraft, making air travel a sellable idea for the entepreneurs of the world.
As such, many aircraft manufacturers (Douglas, Lockheed, etc) began creating civilian aircraft for travel in large numbers, all with technology dreamed up in the race for air superiority brought on in the War. And so America (and much of the rest of the world) fell in love with the IDEA of flight. Not necessarily the great performance of aircraft or the amazing stuff to put in the cockpit, but the fact that one could hop into this machine, and be anywhere on the continent in a few hours. It was a technological and sociological boom that I would equate to the advent and marketing of the internet in the early 80's.
Now, in my opinion, the world doesn't revolve the same as it used to. Most people today are looking not for the next great innovation in aircraft development, but for modifications on their favorites. We don't create brand new personal aircraft anymore, stuff that no one's seen; most technological developments are in the way of creature-comforts or digitizing the industry.
Most aircraft TODAY look far too much alike for me to tell the difference.
FOR INSTANCEI can easily tell the difference in the two images below:
GLOBE SWIFT
SPARTAN EXECUTIVE
However, I have an extreme difficulty in telling these two apart on first inspection:
BEECHCRAFT BARON:
PIPER AZTEC:
The difference in the first two is the entire creation process. They have very little to do with each other, other than a common use. And they aren't necessarily very good at what they do, which is why I love both of them. They have their little quirkes, and that's what makes them attractive to me.
The second two are so similar, I could fly around in either one (simming) all day and not realize the difference unless I actually knew what I was flying. I even found a repaint on SimV one time that was for the Baron, but said it was a Piper Aztec.
And other than that, the craftsmanship that went into the Executive (for FS) was amazing. So much comprehensive, user-friendly stuff that it virtually flies itself. Tweak the trim just a little bit, and she'll fly true and level regardless of the winds. But when you want to get low and fast, she can do that, too. I can't say the same for the Baron or Aztec. Or even the Cessna 182RG. It just doesn't compare.
Now, someone please disagree with me . . .
Aw c'mon . You're being all ratty just for the sake of it. The Howard is a twin with twin tail fins and you know you could tell the difference if you wanted to..... 
