Amen to the P-38 love. I mean who wouldn't love a plane designed by Kelly Johnson, the man that gave us the SR-71. But still, as far as just pure drop dead sexy, nothing compares to the P-51.
As far as the correlation between gun and P-51 enthusiasm? I'm convinced its because all the best guns, planes or what have you, LOOK like what they're supposed to do. Look at the lines of a P-51, no is ever gonna mistake it for a cropduster. It looks like what it was meant to do. And the same can be said for any well designed firearm.
Some day I'll figure out why we who love guns and liberty love the P-51 so much. But it's almost across-the-board. I'm a sucker for this stuff.
ReplyDelete(But my childhood airplane crush is for the P38.)
As a WW II-era brat, "I like all of 'em!"
ReplyDeleteBut if you like airshows, take your camping gear and go to the EAA gathering in Oshkosh. That's not an airshow; it's an orgasmic experience.
Art
Amen to the P-38 love. I mean who wouldn't love a plane designed by Kelly Johnson, the man that gave us the SR-71. But still, as far as just pure drop dead sexy, nothing compares to the P-51.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the correlation between gun and P-51 enthusiasm? I'm convinced its because all the best guns, planes or what have you, LOOK like what they're supposed to do. Look at the lines of a P-51, no is ever gonna mistake it for a cropduster. It looks like what it was meant to do. And the same can be said for any well designed firearm.
Because of the P-51 (and the M-1), our troops don't march in goose step and we don't speak German. That's why I like it.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteMore likely because of the Liberty Ship and the C-47 and the Deuce-and-a-half and the LST, but the Mustang and Garand are prettier. ;)
Matt and Matt:
ReplyDeleteNo, no...nothing "special" about gunnies and their appreciation for mechanical beauty, history, self-reliance, and freedom.
"Shooters aren't special people, (they're) just people. Who happen to shoot."
AT
"More likely because of the Liberty Ship and the C-47 and the Deuce-and-a-half and the LST, but the Mustang and Garand are prettier. ;)"
ReplyDeleteLike you, Tam, like you.
You're especially prettier than a Deuce-and-a half.
AT,
ReplyDeleteCute, but still wrong.
You should read this. Don says it a lot better than I could.
Everybody's in their own special 1337 club.
"Wrong" being such a subjective thing -"cute" and "special" too for that matter- I guess this is another of those "agree to disagree" things. ;O)
ReplyDeleteAT
""Wrong" being such a subjective thing..."
ReplyDeleteNot really, no.
Wrong.
ReplyDeleteAT
More likely because of the Liberty Ship and the C-47 and the Deuce-and-a-half and the LST, but the Mustang and Garand are prettier. ;)
ReplyDeleteDepends on your take on "pretty." I love the likes of the old Deuce-and-a-half, and a C-47 always looked... "right" to me.
I think it's because they all have an underlying efficiency. But that's just me and my engineering side talking.