Brits Ban Nose Art
The British Ministry of Defense has banned "Nose Art" from British aircraft.
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.
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.
For some examples of the kinds of nose art that appeared on military aircraft through the years, see this site, this site and this site. Some of the art may not be acceptable in today's workplace, so be forewarned. (Frankly, I'm surprised it hadn't already been banned, given the advance PC insanity in Britain in particular.) It feels like a bit of history is being taken away, doesn't it?
World news | Gaius Tuesday, 5 June , 2007
By curtis, Tuesday, 5 June , 2007 @ 6:14 pm
What do you expect from a military that produces a “mr bean” who cried all night because those nasty persians took away his ipod ?
By feeblemind, Tuesday, 5 June , 2007 @ 7:14 pm
I believe sexist nose art has been banned from US planes for many yrs.
By Gaius, Tuesday, 5 June , 2007 @ 8:19 pm
It’s not clear from the article, but it seems to imply that the only allowable nose art (now banned) was a silhouette with no details, not the extravagant WWII art. They have a picture of one of the people who modeled autographing a silhouette (caption says “authorized” art).
By Sam L., Wednesday, 6 June , 2007 @ 8:21 am
Good thing they banned nose art–next thing you know, those crazy flyboys would have put the 2012 Olympics logo on their planes.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 6 June , 2007 @ 8:30 am
No. Nothing that obscene would ever have been allowed.