..that the ww2 started on the 1st September 1939

The worst war in human history, it's hard to forget it. There was such sacrafice on all sides. Even those on the wrong side of history gave all many times. There was hideous evil defeated at an equally enormous cost.

The air war seems to have been conducted on all sides reasonably well although. I am dismayed by the occassional story of one aircraft shooting at someone who is in a chute though. Mostly the Japanese did this, although I have read it wasn't necessarily a common practice. Their seemed to be some honor and mutual respect in the air.

Not to say there wasn't at sea and on land, but I'm an aviation historian after all. Ha ha.

Thank you for the reminder. May our planet never see such conflict again. I for one am interested in exploring space, I think it is a great idea to do together as a planet and the wonders that await us are surely there. My other hobby is amateur astronomy, if you can tell.

Maybe we can as a planet do more constructive things in the future. We may have no choice if we want to survive as a species. Russell

Somewhat off-topic, since this will be a GROUND dio.....but anyway! I have a friend who's family emigrated to the states from Poland in the late 19th century. I have had many conversations on Polish history over the years, and he has some great family stories of his own to tell!
My buddy's dad served in the US Army at the tail end of WW2 in Europe, really spent more time in occupation duty well into 1946 - he passed away a few years ago, and I am planning a build-up of a diorama showing an incident where PFC Symanski is shooting out German streetlights from his "mail truck"....a ragged-out Jeep he used to deliver the mail (his "job" in late '45-'46).

Mr. Symanski told me how he got drunk on way too much booze, "borrowed" his jeep late one night from the company motor pool, and tooled around the German city with his nickel-plated Walther PPK shooting at any worthwhile stationary targets. While he was doing this, and by SOME miracle not getting into any trouble - OR accidentally shooting anyone!!! - a "dud" round ruined the barrel and luckily didn't blow up in his face.

Somehow, I want to replicate this scene...in 1:35 scale. I already have a CCKW to build, thought I'd use that parked in the background and build a Ford MB with Mr. Symanski standing next to it, PPK aimed lazily at a lamp-post..

On a more somber note; I also plan on a diorama depicting an urban combat scene from the street fighting in Warsaw, during the August Rising '44. I want to depict an event in which Azerbaijani troops - or Dirlewanger's units - assault on a Polish barricade. Something like the image of the StuG III approaching the roadblock on the Osprey book cover which describes the battle.

I have a soft spot for the Poles - I considered Mr. Symanski to be a friend, and quite funny in a subtle way! He died of cancer just two years ago, and I went with his family to Arlington National Cemetery for his funeral - the rifle salute and playing of Taps was really nice to witness.

Adam

There were those who hated other side so much on all sides, germans, soviets, brits, yanks they all did it. Luckily it there were also gentlemen who were shooting down planes and not the pilots.