British artist buries MiG-21 fighter jet to symbolize the end of an era - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE=zupadupazupadude;52796608]We don't need to preserve literally [B]every[/B] fucking tank/airplane/etc that rolled out of the factory ever. This was an aircraft that was produced in large numbers. Museums don't need 20 aircraft of the same type Another example: I highly doubt anyone here would argue we need to preserve every T-34, or any other Russian tank that was produced in huge numbers. Museums already have a fuckton of them Obviously if it's a rare example then it should be preserved.[/QUOTE] Should we start chucking things in holes until they're scarce and only then preserve what remains? It wasn't hurting anyone wherever it was before, why seek it out and destroy it purely because it represents this guy's idea of "the old world"? There are plenty of flight museums and demonstration teams seeking Fishbeds for display or flight or parts for the ones they have. They are inexpensive exhibits that always attract attention and interest from guests. It wasn't some old ocean liner beached in a troublesome spot or a run-down building in the way of new developments. It didn't need to be knocked down to make way for anything, it was just sitting inert until this guy came along and buried it simply for the "symbolism" of shitting on a vintage jet fighter. No, it isn't some major blow to the historic record but that doesn't mean it's not dumb and wasteful.

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;52796485] This was a waste of something that could have made a fantastic art piece, or museum exhibit, to teach people how far we've come technologically in a relatively short period of time.[/QUOTE] Or, hell, something in private ownership that actually gets flown from time to time. Better it run the miniscule risk of exploding in a ball of flame when it has an unexpected meeting with terra firma than bury it where nobody'll ever be able to experience it in any way whatsoever.

This guy could be building homes or helping people with the money he's spending putting planes in graves. What a wanker.

[QUOTE=zupadupazupadude;52796608]We don't need to preserve literally [B]every[/B] fucking tank/airplane/etc that rolled out of the factory ever. This was an aircraft that was produced in large numbers. Museums don't need 20 aircraft of the same type Another example: I highly doubt anyone here would argue we need to preserve every T-34, or any other Russian tank that was produced in huge numbers. Museums already have a fuckton of them Obviously if it's a rare example then it should be preserved.[/QUOTE] Ya know, you may not need to put every T-34 tank in a museum, [I]but one would certainly be pretty well appreciated in my driveway where I could do donuts on the back 40 with it from time to time...[/I]

A lot of people in this thread will be very disappointed once they hear that "scrapyards" exist

Nah, Can you imagine a T-34's Insurance? Plus it's a gas guzzler. On the otherhand, if you're going to blare out [I]the international[/I] when you gatecrash, there's nothing better.

[QUOTE=WhyNott;52796660]A lot of people in this thread will be very disappointed once they hear that "scrapyards" exist[/QUOTE] But those usually get used for something. Burying it doesn't do anything for anyone

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;52796671]But those usually get used for something. Burying it doesn't do anything for anyone[/QUOTE] so what about the ones just sitting in abandonment? [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/ac/a6/f0aca6e9ae302db88da137de687befb7.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;52796671]But those usually get used for something. Burying it doesn't do anything for anyone[/QUOTE] It provides moles with a pretty rad adventure dungeon/mole fort

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;52796671]But those usually get used for something. Burying it doesn't do anything for anyone[/QUOTE] Maybe future generations will find it in 1000 years and learn something useful I don't quite get it, if you're okay with it getting scrapped, why do you find the idea of burying it so offensive? It's not nearly the dumbest or most outrageous waste of money imaginable by any stretch. Dude bought the plane carcass and he can do whatever he wants with it if it gives him kicks.

[QUOTE=WhyNott;52796660]A lot of people in this thread will be very disappointed once they hear that "scrapyards" exist[/QUOTE] Scrapping serves a purpose. It is a way of reclaiming raw materials from old things which serve no purpose to make new things. Unrepairable MiG-21s are scrapped all the time. This was a flightworthy heritage jet. There's a stark difference between the jets that get scrapped and the ones that don't. 6,500 Stukas were built for the Luftwaffe. They quickly became a feared and iconic aircraft. You know how many are left? 2. There are 2 Stukas remaining because once there were a lot of Stukas and nobody thought twice about scrapping them or cutting them up to make art exhibits or using them as targets for new weapons. Now only two remain. Fishbeds aren't in danger of extinction as long as a healthy attitude is maintained toward preserving these iconic jets. This numbskull burying one does not threaten the type's future survival, but [B]widespread adoption of a callous attitude toward preserving them like what happened to the Stuka means they won't be around forever.[/B] The Fishbed is nearing the point where many of them will all at once become too worn out to fly and they will be cannibalized for parts for others in better condition. The availability of the jets will drop sharply at that point. It is the natural course of things for old and worn out examples to be recycled to help preserve those in better shape. It is not the natural course for some hippie to buy up and destroy good examples of a dwindling type for his meaningless "art" "exhibit". Where do you think all the medieval castles went? People cannibalized them for their stones to make roads and huts and things and now there are very few left. Did we need ALL of the castles? No, but it'd be nice to have more than zero preserved in their original condition. I'm not directly comparing the value of a MiG-21 to a medieval castle, I'm just talking about the careless attitude that results in iconic historic articles becoming scarce.

[IMG]https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.collageplatform.com.prod/image_cache/719x431_fit/556d89b2cfaf3421548b4568/839c318ac9eb21502d0bf7fe41dfa4a0.jpeg[/IMG] Here's it actually in the process of being buried. There's a ton of pictures of it. I agree with Wealth+Taste's idea of leaving it in the pit sealed over with glass as a sort of "grave" as GabrielWB mentioned. Maybe put up a sculpture of Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich sort of like the Kalashnikov statue.

didn't these things tend to do that themselves after their wings snapped off?

[QUOTE=Sableye;52796730]didn't these things tend to do that themselves after their wings snapped off?[/QUOTE] You're thinking of the MiG-17. 21s have delta wings to increase their strength.

[QUOTE=Grenadiac;52796707]his numbskull burying one does not threaten the type's future survival, but widespread adoption of a callous attitude toward preserving them like what happened to the Stuka means they won't be around forever. The Fishbed is nearing the point where many of them will all at once become too worn out to fly and they will be cannibalized for parts for others in better condition. The availability of the jets will drop sharply at that point.[/QUOTE] I'm not arguing against maintaining a healthy attitude about preserving these planes. Just that if you are concerned about wasting this supper common plane, you might as well do something about the ones that are laying around useless rather then getting angry at a dude making an arts exhibit. Besides, times and the attitude towards preserving aviation history have changed since the stukas. There are plenty MiG-21's in museums now, and unless we are going to purposefully throw them out because they are "too common" this isn't going to change in our lifetime.

[QUOTE=Grenadiac;52796736]You're thinking of the MiG-17. 21s have delta wings to increase their strength.[/QUOTE] The 21 would stall if the pilot sneezed pretty much. THEN it'd crash if he couldn't get the engine running again, and as a result the wings would snap off.

[QUOTE=WhyNott;52796746]I'm not arguing against maintaining a healthy attitude about preserving these planes. Just that if you are concerned about wasting this supper common plane, you might as well do something about the ones that are laying around useless rather then getting angry at a dude making an arts exhibit. Besides, times and the attitude towards preserving aviation history have changed since the stukas. There are plenty MiG-21's in museums now, and unless we are going to purposefully throw them out because they are "too common" this isn't going to change in our lifetime.[/QUOTE] I work at an air museum and you'd be surprised how happy it makes some people to see even a static aircraft. If all it takes is making someone pay to ship it overseas and maintain it, why not turn it into a display? Burying it in a hole and just leaving it makes no sense.

[QUOTE=Trooper0315;52796775]I work at an air museum and you'd be surprised how happy it makes some people to see even a static aircraft. If all it takes is making someone pay to ship it overseas and maintain it, why not turn it into a display? Burying it in a hole and just leaving it makes no sense.[/QUOTE] Going by the article, it does seem like putting the glass over it would probably give the same message that the dude had wanted and not offend a shitload of people so I think think I may agree Honestly, if he was going for a burial, then he half-assed it anyway. He didn't even put it in a gigant plane coffin as I would probably do myself

[QUOTE=WhyNott;52796746]I'm not arguing against maintaining a healthy attitude about preserving these planes. Just that if you are concerned about wasting this supper common plane, you might as well do something about the ones that are laying around useless rather then getting angry at a dude making an arts exhibit. Besides, times and the attitude towards preserving aviation history have changed since the stukas. There are plenty MiG-21's in museums now, and unless we are going to purposefully throw them out because they are "too common" this isn't going to change in our lifetime.[/QUOTE] My point is that these are early generation supersonic jet fighters which played a huge role in shaping world history. Right now, they're common and not particularly valuable to the historic register. In 100 or 200 years, they will represent a far more significant milestone in civilization's technological progress than we recognize today. It's one thing to scrap them for a purpose but another entirely to destroy them for the sake of making a misguided point. It would be better off anywhere above ground performing some role for some purpose somewhere. Even putting glass over it rather than crushing it under tons of dirt would be fine, the aircraft is still there, can still be resurrected if needed in the future, and is still offered for whatever message he's trying to make. As it sits, it makes no difference whether or not the jet is actually there because it can't be seen. He could put a plaque anywhere that says "Here lies MiG-21" and it'd be as meaningful as it is here.

[QUOTE=Trooper0315;52796775]I work at an air museum and you'd be surprised how happy it makes some people to see even a static aircraft. If all it takes is making someone pay to ship it overseas and maintain it, why not turn it into a display? Burying it in a hole and just leaving it makes no sense.[/QUOTE] "It appears the massive EMP from the alien UFO has fried all electrical components above ground, we can't fight back!" "Go get my shovel from the shed, we're heading to Prague."

Tyynenmerenkatu 11, Helsinki has a MiG-21 on the rooftop. It's even visible from google maps 3D view.

[QUOTE=squids_eye;52796503]If it was the most popular jet fighter of the developing world there are probably plenty of them out there, one less isn't that big a loss.[/QUOTE] They're fucking everywhere, in museums and not. One being buried is no loss.

[quote]In addition to finding a plane and getting all the necessary rubber stamps for the art project it meant getting the plane decontaminated and conserved to avoid any pollution, and finally arranging workmen to assist in its burial which was estimated to last for three days. The choice of a Soviet-made Mig 21 was made to symbolize the end of an era, a symbolic act of saying good-bye to an era of development represented by the MiG planes. David Korecký says he sometimes had trouble explaining the meaning behind the artistic concept.[/quote] What era? The cold war clearly never stopped. We are still locked in an arms race for fighter aircraft.

If people are so bothered by a single MiG-21 getting buried after being gutted, then [url=https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=MIKOYAN&s-type=aircraft]buy yourself a working one[/url] to keep around for funsies. [editline]19th October 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=GunFox;52797268]What era? The cold war clearly never stopped. We are still locked in an arms race for fighter aircraft.[/QUOTE] The cold war stopped ages ago man, what we have now is basically as you described it, "The Slightly Chilly Arms Race".

[QUOTE=BANNED USER;52797328]If people are so bothered by a single MiG-21 getting buried after being gutted, then [url=https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=MIKOYAN&s-type=aircraft]buy yourself a working one[/url] to keep around for funsies. [/QUOTE] Really can't use military jets for funsies tbh with how much maintenance they actually require and scarce parts. Ain't getting much flying done.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VRaIUx88As[/media] oh won't someone please think of the children

This is immensely retarded and its certainly not art.

[QUOTE=Rastadogg;52796460]Why do a lot of artists seem to not care about history when it comes to weapons?[/QUOTE] Wouldn't you get more history about the plane from books?

[QUOTE=Sableye;52796730]didn't these things tend to do that themselves after their wings snapped off?[/QUOTE] Nah just shake a lot until the weapons randomly fall off the pylons. Though the engine would flameout if you pull too many negative g's by pushing the nose down so the result might be the same

[QUOTE=SpaceGhost;52797538]This is immensely retarded and its certainly not art.[/QUOTE] Art be different things to different people, more at 6.