smaze17

My Feedback: (60)

I am half German as well and personally would never put a swastika on any plane period. Iron Cross probably, swastika absolutely no way.

ARUP

History definitely influences me in my choice of warbirds! I like to build the original warbirds... the ones from WWI ! For some reason they tend to be overlooked as a 'warbird' in the eyes of the modeling public. When the word 'warbird' is mentioned most folks automatically think of WWII or later aircraft types. Does this post make me become a troll?

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

So whats the difference... The hakenkruez and balkenkruez were both used by nazi germany on their aircraft. So if you dont want to support nazi germany, you shouldnt use either

Andy_S

The Iron cross is not the same as the Balkenkreuz. The Iron cross originates with the crusades era Teutonic order, if I recall correctly. Also, I don't think anyone here is talking about "supporting nazi germany"

Andy_S

Of course, not all Swastika bearing German aircraft are Nazi aircraft

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

The sins of our fathers are NOT our sins, we should learn from them and not repeat them. Besides those who build scale models of the" Losers" aircraft want do do them as authentic as possible ,after all they are NOT a political statement.
Semper Fi

tim5713

If it hadn't been for all the bad people in the past we wouldn't have all the beautiful warbirds to model. A warbird model is only that,not a tribute to the country it originated from. And if a troll can work a controller with his big hairy thumbs he is welcome at our feild!

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

[h=1]Dose history effect your choice in warbirds?[/h]No.

alanc

We do several static and flying displays on a club level, i always ask the organisers if they object to the swastika on the rudder of my TA152, if they do, then i offer to cover it up, so far, none have said anything, and this included a display for a local Jewish organisation, the organiser said, its important we do not forget the era, sweeping the symbol under a carpet does not bring it to the attention of the masses it hides it, this proved to be so on the day the model getting several comments from young and old alike, we are representing the ERA, not the movement,

a few years ago, we where flying at the woodvale rally, a famous German model flier visited us with his large scale ME109, this model had the swastika on the fin, with, the german translation of sensored across it in a wide red band, with black lettering, this was for germany, not us, in the UK, he said, i was not sure what the Brits would have to say about a German model being flown in britain, imagine his surprise and comments when we took off and did a full pyro bombing scenario with spits, heinkells, stukas, hurris, 109s, 190s, wellingtons, lancasters, all with FULL national markings, we simply did not give a toss, its a model, it represents, as i said, and ERA, not the facist movement, and if you look, the swastika, is far from a German thing,

alanc

Enjoy 15 minutes of us not careing about national markings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJGnbn7zuTc

ma_mulcahy

The modern swastika is a symbol of hatred, but I don't see a conflict using it in historically correct representations. If anything, as long as the usage helps to ensure that we never allow genocide to happen again in this world, it will be a better place. We must never ever forget.

alanc

EXACTLY, my country got bombed to hell and back by hordes of bombers and fighters, my Uncle got shot down and killed by an ME 109, (or so i am told, i wasnt around then) i see models at shows up and down the country, all displaying the fin markings, none of us bother, for you, i would imagine that the rising sun on Jap fighters would be more offensive, yet you dont bat an eyelid at them, its just a swastika, taken on by a fascist party, and *******ized away from its original peacfull meaning, thats all, if you wish, write censored across it, as with our german friend above, then, at least it would show that you care,

ARUP

The swastika was used by many peoples as a good luck symbol. The Native Americans even used it and that was before Europeans came over! There are examples of the swastika on Allied aircraft during WWI, too!

siberianhusky

The political correctness in some of these posts makes me want to vomit!
Finish the damn plane as it was finished during the war! It's a piece of history no matter how much some losers take offense to it. I bet none of them have my family history and I take absolutely no offense at a swastika on a plane. It's a part of history, and as posted above it's more important that we never forget what was done.
How many of you politically correct idiots have sat down to dinner with relatives who kept the concentration camp tattoos for life as a reminder?
How many of you ended up in N.A as refugees after the war?
How many of your grandmothers had somebody shooting at them as they swam across a river with your father and uncle in their arms?
The most disgusting thing is people wanting to make it all go away! Some of us will never forget what happened and it is our duty to educate the younger generations in the hope it never happens again.

blhollo2

My Feedback: (278)

I have not and wouldn't put a German swastika on any scale german WWII plane out of respect for those around me WWII vets and such and out of respect for those who have died at the hand of that regime...besides I wouldn't want to send the wrong message to anyone who might "think" I'm ok with or affiliated with the Nazis. The swastika is very offensive to many like it or not. Same goes for the Japanese meat ball. Same goes for for the confederate battle flag, I dont like the german iron cross any better.

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

And yet you're not respecting or honoring their sacrifices by pretending that it never happened. Seems like you need to be less concerned with what other people think. If someone is so stupid or reactionary to assume that you're a Nazi because your scale representation of a full scale aircraft has the correct markings on it, then you're being dragged down to their level of intelligence by taking their opinion seriously.

You say you like the Iron Cross better, and yet it was used extensively by the Nazis. Tanks didn't carry the swastika, only the Iron Cross. All aircraft had the Iron Cross displayed larger than the swastika. Iron Crosses hung around the necks of some of the most barbaric criminals in the war. Your statement makes no sense relative to your stance.

Also, recall that the American flag flew over the institution of slavery much longer than the Confederate flag. Better take down those stars and stripes....

Luft-Gangster

Bury it, hide it, sweep it under the carpet wont make it go away. Its history. To deny history is to invite it back for a repeat. I respect my fathers generation by not letting people forget. I use the call sign of Luft-Gangster for that very reason (Terror Fleegan was another) its what the germans call our pilots and air crews. You can white wash it away if you want. As for me, its history and it is written and it shall stay there. I want people to ask why, so my grand children don't have to see it.

blhollo2

My Feedback: (278)

I don't dictate what YOU choose to put on YOUR airplane, I am speaking about MY reasons and MY belief. I suggest you stick to your own beliefs and morals/ reasoning.

tunakuts3d

seems to me the swastika and the meatball are NOT offensive to a lot of people like it or not. so there! If you don't like it don't look. Same with TV shows, don't like it change channels or better yet get rid of your TV .That'll show em'.

siberianhusky

That's funny considering my grandfather was a highly decorated polish pilot during the war - Wing Commander of the 303 squadron of the Polish RAF, he had a ME-109 and a FW-190 built to display in his home office along with the Hurricane and Spit he flew, he respected the ability of those planes he flew against.
I've been surrounded by vets my whole life....Jan Zurakowski delivered his eulogy, he's the AVROE Arrow test pilot.
Not one of these Polish veterans ever had anything to bad say about seeing a swastika in a historically correct setting.
As a matter of fact my grandfather actually wore a bracelet with a number of swastikas on it, one for each confirmed kill! Just remembered that, my mom has it stashed away some place still.
My family was there in the most literal terms you can imagine, concentration camps, battle, losing their homeland and every thing they owned except the clothing the wore, my grandmother made her way through numerous refugee camps with my father and uncle before she made her way to England.
If people are offended by what REALLY happened and are happier shoving their head in the sand fine.

glazier808

My Feedback: (1)

I was just watching a interview with Kermit Weeks, he had brought his Zero to a show, and a gentleman that had been in the war came up to him and said, "The last time I saw one of those, it was diving on our ship... I just as well would have seen it burn...and happily at that". He then thanked Kermit for bringing the plane so we won't forget

i lost an Uncle fighting in North Africa against Hitlers army. My wife's family is from Austria. Her Opa(grandfather), fought for the Germans
I have several "luft" planes, all correct with swasticas. I'm now doing a Zero for use at Pearl Harbor, (actually Ford Island). You may have heard of the place... It's the flight leader of the second waves plane, most famously known for saying "tora tora tora".

I have never had family friends or acquaintances complain about what I've built...ever

Im with Husky on this one.

Casey

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

if a marking was on a particular plane I am building then I am placing it there for content.
if I was to be asked why a swastika was there then I would try to educate that person on the historical significance of whatever insignia I had on my plane.
its understandable people would be offended by the symbol but its place in a historical context cannot be overlooked, just because a marking is on a model aircraft certainly doesn't mean the modeler ascribes to the particular philosophy that would be ridiculous,people seem to lose site of context.

glazier808

My Feedback: (1)

I hear ya Tim, it's insane to think that somebody would actually believe that you are a Nazi just because you had a swastika on the tail of a model airplane. I can think of 1000 ways of making yourself seem like a Nazi a lot easier than that lol.

Casey

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

Then I suggest that you step out of a public forum where an issue is being debated if you don't want to hear other opinions. Sorry dude, you don't have the right to not be offended or disagreed with. Maybe you should try defending your reasons with logic instead of just telling someone to mind their own business.

No where in any of my posts have I tried to dictate to anyone what to put on their planes.

pimmnz

Interesting that the question about choice of model quickly become one of paint and politics...
Besides the model flying bit, the history should help us honour all those who died. They were all very brave young men, and during the last year of the european war, the German day fighter pilots were being killed at a rate exceeding the training capability, one or two per sortie, and with 12 to a squadron, you can work out the odds, and they still flew...same as the British pilots in 1940, 41. Lest we forget. To remind those who inherit our systems that it cannot be allowed to happen again, it is good to graphically represent what went before.
Does history affect my model choice? Not really, the aircraft, whatever its use, is the thing, the history behind it is fun, but not the determinate...
Evan, WB #12.