War machine or Thing of beauty

I have often thought about this issue. How can a weapon designed for death and destruction be also admired as a thing of beauty?. Well, the answer is of course, it can.

Throughout history, man has made weapons, often to hunt, sometimes to defend, sometimes to attack and also to kill each other. But one can admire the skill and craftmanship that has gone into many of these weapons, whether it is a 50,000 year old flint axe head or whether it is “Enola Gay”.

Knowing the context in which the weapons were used is usually a factor in whether it is admired or despised. As someone said earlier, a Stuka may be a thing of beauty to a retired Wermacht officer but to a Dunkirk verteran it might be epitomised as the flying equivelant of a Swastika and the evilness that symbol embodied.

I think admiring man’s handiwork, whether built for good or evil, is not an issue. Knowing the context in which the weapons were or are used, knowing the background history and the way it effected people’s lives and appreciating the technology are the factors which keeps me fascinated in military aircraft.

I also do my best to ensure that my love for combat aircraft does not cloud my political judgement. Just because I think an A-10A Thunderbolt II is an aweome and impressive piece of kit does not mean that I would support every miltary action it has been involved in.

Great post.

This is something I have thought about long and often over the years.

I’ve heard expressed the thoughts that airshows, particularly the ones like the late-lamented Fighter Meet that re-enact aerial battles in a sanitised way are glorifying war and all that entails.

I can see this point.

There were people in these aeroplanes when they fought. Real, ordinary, extraordinary people. People like you and me.

The periods of warfare were intense, distilled experience.

I often go to Shuttleworth. There is not a great deal to differentiate the Hind from the Gladiator (And OK, I know about the Middle-East use of the Hawker biplanes in small colonial wars).

But somehow, seeing the Gladiator brings to my mind Norway, and Malta. Hopeless fights against massive odds. Heroism, belief in the values of patriotism.

The Gladiator does this only because I know its place in history, I’ve read the accounts of the protagonists.

Then maybe it’s because that period was recent history when I was growing-up and at an impressionable age.

No answers here really, just disconnected thoughts. I might come back to this topic later.

Moggy

Originally posted by Corsair166b
Ever look at a WWII battleship of the Iowa class? Long, lean, purposeful lines, sloping decks, superstructure set aft….functional yet graceful…and DEADLY…it had a job to do, and that was to lob 16″ shells at other ships and targets…but it did’nt hurt if it looked good while doing it…it helped bring the public on board supporting the Navy if they liked the way the ship looked, they WANTED to see it…

So it was with the planes of the Air Force and Navy, I believe, and it continues to this day…there is a reason enlistment went skyrocketing after Top Gun and Tom Cruise got together in an F-14, people thought it was sexy and what THEY wanted to do (no matter that most pilot recruits washed out or never got to fly the F-14)…the F6F, Corsair, P-51, P-38, Spitfire and Sea Furies were the F-14’s of their day, great looking planes with plenty of power and with a job to do. Planes that we view today dropped bombs and fired bullets yesterday, on whom and for what purpose we do not know….it was all so distant and separated from us, the airshow viewers and casual observers. Sometimes lack of an imagination can be a good thing. Have heard more than one story of a vet who saw a particular plane and it brought back bad memories (my grandfather included) and he would not enter a museum to see a certain exhibit because it hit too close to home.
The payoff is that other vets are glad we preserve these memories and relics….so that nothing like WWII happens again.

Just my 2 cents.

Mark

I have to say the Iowa class were some of the most awesome warships of the time.

Ever look at a WWII battleship of the Iowa class? Long, lean, purposeful lines, sloping decks, superstructure set aft….functional yet graceful…and DEADLY…it had a job to do, and that was to lob 16″ shells at other ships and targets…but it did’nt hurt if it looked good while doing it…it helped bring the public on board supporting the Navy if they liked the way the ship looked, they WANTED to see it…

So it was with the planes of the Air Force and Navy, I believe, and it continues to this day…there is a reason enlistment went skyrocketing after Top Gun and Tom Cruise got together in an F-14, people thought it was sexy and what THEY wanted to do (no matter that most pilot recruits washed out or never got to fly the F-14)…the F6F, Corsair, P-51, P-38, Spitfire and Sea Furies were the F-14’s of their day, great looking planes with plenty of power and with a job to do. Planes that we view today dropped bombs and fired bullets yesterday, on whom and for what purpose we do not know….it was all so distant and separated from us, the airshow viewers and casual observers. Sometimes lack of an imagination can be a good thing. Have heard more than one story of a vet who saw a particular plane and it brought back bad memories (my grandfather included) and he would not enter a museum to see a certain exhibit because it hit too close to home.
The payoff is that other vets are glad we preserve these memories and relics….so that nothing like WWII happens again.

Just my 2 cents.

Mark