Posted on 06/09/2007 6:26:26 AM PDT by radar101
In killer heels and little else, they have a definite deadly charm.
But the risque images of women that have decorated warplanes since the First World War have been scrubbed out.
The Ministry of Defence has decreed they could offend the RAF's female personnel.
Officials admitted they had no record of any complaints from the 5,400 women in the RAF.
Hello Sailor: But these pilots can appreciate Caroline's charms too
But commanders are erring firmly on the side of caution and "nose art", as it is known, has been consigned to the history books.
Harrier jump jet bombers currently launching daily airstrikes against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan have been scrubbed clean to comply with the orders.
Critics said the MoD should be focusing on more important issues - such as the quality and quantity of equipment available to British forces sent off to war.
Nose art first appeared on warplanes during the First World War and enjoyed a golden age during the Second World War when thousands of American fighters and bombers were decorated with pictures of glamorous women.
Model Michelle Marsh signing a 'regulation' silhouetted image of herself on a Harrier plane during her Afghanistan trip
Military commanders tolerated the practice as a morale booster.
Famous examples include the Memphis Belle, a U.S. Army Air Force B-17 bomber that was the subject of a 1990 Hollywood movie.
Many RAF units picked up the practice from the Americans.
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During the Second World War it was common to see images of movie stars including Rita Hayworth and Jane Russell on British bombers heading for Germany.
Nose art enjoyed another surge in popularity during the 1991 and 2003 Gulf Wars, when risque images appeared on many British warplanes.
The decision to ban the images followed a visit by glamour models to southern Afghanistan before Christmas. During the trip they signed paintings of themselves on RAF aircraft.
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Commanders decided the images were sexist and insisted there was no place for them in the modern armed forces.
There was also concern that they could cause offence in a muslim country where until 2001 all women were forced to wear the head-to-toe burkha in public.
Glamour model Lucy Pinder, 23, who visited the RAF detachment at Kandahar last November and signed a painting of herself on a Harrier jet, said such images were only "harmless fun".
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"It's very flattering and it's nice that they get to do something that takes their minds off things for a while," she said from her home in Winchester, Hampshire.
Conservative MP Phillip Davies said: "Has the MoD really got nothing better to worry about at a time when there are serious concerns over equipment and resources available to our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan?"
Memphis Belle: A traditional pin-up adorns the RAF plane
An RAF spokesman defended the decision to remove images which he said "cut across" the service's culture of equal opportunities.
"If you have women flying aircraft and working on them as engineers then these kinds of pictures are inappropriate," he said.
"That's why it's crossed the line and that's why they have been removed."
What the hell? Are they longing for the "good old days?"
If the rags had airplanes, what would they adorn them with? Black tents with eyeholes?
Screw the 'slammics and all they hold dear.
NAAAAAHHHH...it would offend muslims....(sigh)
PC is going to get us all killed....
Oh yeah! Paint this hottie on the side of your jets boys!
The Belle is a cherished icon of the American fighting man. She is on display in Memphis and should be a must see for everyone who goes within 100 miles of her.
As far a nose art goes - if you going into combat you can have the picture of any woman you want on your aircraft - clothes or not. The Brass got their panties in a wad during WW2 and it was stupid. Guys going on missions where 25 or 30% of them aren't coming home can have a pass in my book.
Well if they have had no complaints what the hell they worried about?
Love that picture of Michelle Marsh autographing the airplane!
Too bad there aren't "flaming turban" silhouettes painted on the side, too.
PC is going to get us killed — BUMP!
The pleased expression on her face speaks volumes!
The wussification of the West continues.
ping
This could be amusingly nipped in the bud by tracking down any and every MoD employee, in uniform or not, and changing their duty assignment to Afghanistan for a year.
You can imagine how this would affect all of their bureaucrat kin. They would think long and hard about future regulations that impacted morale.
Muslim strip tease...SHOW US YOUR FACE!
This art work is called “nose art”. Check it out if you are interested in more. It was seen mostly on WWII bombers. Those guys needed encouragement. Their survival rate was horrible.
Morale-Booster! Got it?
The P-C crowd should be forced to clear a minefield or two before they tell anyone else what's inappropriate.
Besides, let the Women-Pilots adorn their aircraft with pictures of me, showing my huge schnazola .................... FRegards
Is that spelled right? ...
I wish I could ask my uncle what was his B-17’s nose art, but he’s in Arlington (snif).
His brother and my uncle will be interred there Monday (Merchant Marine). I wonder how many brother pairs are in Arlington?
I wish I could ask my uncle what was his B-17’s nose art, but he’s in Arlington (snif).
His brother and my uncle will be interred there Monday (Merchant Marine). I wonder how many brother pairs are in Arlington?
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