Stylin' an profilin' - Military transition to ugly weapons

[Pete123]

I miss the days when military weapons had panache and style.  Many of us grew up watching the awesome style daddies in movies and TV.  Now, well not so much.   Allow me to illustrate. 

 

Below is the 40 mm Bofor’s - our primary anti aircraft gun in the Pacific theatre.  This is the gun where the barrel moves back and forth as it shoots.  You see, this gun has class and style.  Heck, these guns are so cool that Star Wars copied them.

 

 

 

 

Next we have the present day 20 mm Phalanx.  I don’t mean to hurt it’s feelings, though it would be much more at home in the movie “Minions”.  Star Wars, not so much.  

 

 

 

 

Next check out the completely stylish military / law enforcement pistols from yesteryear.

 

 

 

Now, coming to present day.  egads!!

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s take a look see at battle ships. Ultra cool vs fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

 

 

 

Oh, and it doesn’t end there.  Check out hip, slick and cool vs coyote ugly.

 

 

 

 

 

[monkeylizard]

Not everything modern is uglier than its ancestor:

 

 

 

Some things still have panache

 

 

 

While I agree it's ugly as sin, a WW2 destoyer could never do donuts like this. It's a 127m long JetSki.

Edited March 16, 2016 by monkeylizard

[Pete123]

MonkeyLizard,

 

This thread is about stylin' & profilin' - not some slick jet ski move.  Show me a modern day battle ship that does jet ski moves and has the style of the old school and I'll be impressed.

 

You also posted an A10.  There's a reason they call it the wart hog.

 

Now, to the B-1 Lancer.  Below is a better picture.  Truthfully, it looks like some kind of freakish S&M marital aid with wings stuck on it so it will hurt more.  

 

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Pete123

[Obiwan]

I always thought the Phalanx looks like R2D2 is sitting on top of it and driving the gun.    :D

 

I agree with you though. Style is one reason I prefer steel over plastic guns. The classics have, well, class. :).

Edited March 16, 2016 by Obiwan

[btq96r]

It may not look all that great, but hearing that phalanx in action is something else.  And a bit of a shock when it's for real and you don't get the test warning before it happens.

[Pete123]

Keep in mind, this is the stylin and profilin thread.  copied by Star Wars - YES!  Part of the cast for Minions - well not so much.

[bigun]

It may not look all that great, but hearing that phalanx in action is something else.  And a bit of a shock when it's for real and you don't get the test warning before it happens.

I guess you have never seen the rounds land on  a target island from a Battle wagon when you can't see the ship.

[btq96r]

I guess you have never seen the rounds land on  a target island from a Battle wagon when you can't see the ship.

 

No, but that's not what I was referencing with the phalanx gun.  They had them in Iraq to shoot down incoming rockets.

[Pete123]

Go ahead and admit it BTQ, you would rather have a homely girl friend than a pretty one.  That's ok, we still love you.

[Clutch80]

It may not look all that great, but hearing that phalanx in action is something else.  And a bit of a shock when it's for real and you don't get the test warning before it happens.

This brought back a memory when a Phalanx went off about 50 yards from my CHU one night in Balad - twice!  That was the only time I hit the deck and grabbed my body armor.  Found out the next morning it was a test fire that I didn't get the word on.

[Clutch80]

Neglected to add that I agree with the loss of style - nothing like nice wood and steel in firearms!  On the other hand, the newer ships and planes are more effective at covering your backside in a bad situation.

[btq96r]

Go ahead and admit it BTQ, you would rather have a homely girl friend than a pretty one.  That's ok, we still love you.

 

Naa, just one born in the 1980s or 1990s, not the 1940s.  :D

 

This brought back a memory when a Phalanx went off about 50 yards from my CHU one night in Balad - twice!  That was the only time I hit the deck and grabbed my body armor.  Found out the next morning it was a test fire that I didn't get the word on.

 

Same thing happened to me on the walk to chow one night when a C-RAM not too far away went off.  Loud noise startled the bejesus out of me, then I see the red line in the sky like a phaser from Star Trek.  It's a show, that's for sure. 

Edited March 16, 2016 by btq96r

[peejman]

As far as weapons go, form follows function.  If it works beautifully, it's beautiful. 

 

During the original design of the F-117, they called it the "Hopeless Diamond" because the idea of making that shape fly was hopeless.  When the aerodynamicist saw how well the stealth technology worked, he said "I'll make it fly."