Nevertheless, my dear Mr. Panzerknacker, I think that if I had had a minor quantity of cash, as well as a significantly better eyesight, I should have had some fun with that old Spanish metal birdie.
You see, if I had owned one I would have achieved some measure of worldly satisfaction in my life, some justification for having been around.
Sometimes I wonder what has become of the Modern Generation of rich men worthy of the name of the possession of wealth in our world. Once upon a time Leland Stanford, for example, was overjoyed to learn that the endowment of Harvard University at the time was only $ 25.000.000, so that he too could endow a university in California. The Vanderbilts thought nothing of building three or four entire Fifth Avenue blocks filled with French châteaux. Alternatively Ed Stotesbury, who announced that gold plumbing on his private cars was an economy issue, because it saved polishing. Where, for Heavens sake, are the August Belmonts, such as the first of that name, who spent an estimated $ 20.000.000 in ostentatious luxury in his New York home for the purpose of inducing apoplexy – as eventually it did! – in his avaricious neighbor James Lenox? Where is even “Diamond Jim” Brady, who once arrived at Saratoga for the racing season in a private Pullman with solid silver trucks and brake rigging, thirty five Japanese houseboys, and a gold-plated lady’s bicycle belonging to Lillian Russell? Not even to mention Howard Hughes, who produced highly intriguing machines for his personal use while designing a seamless push-up bra for his dearly beloved sport-shirt girl Jane Russell.
Unlike today, in those ancient times there were people who – one way or another! – had some real fun for their money, a laugh or so out of every million bucks they acquired. True, their pleasures were various: race horses, the endowment of universities, public bequests of Titians and Rembrandts, seagoing yachts, or first folios of Shakespeare. Admirable or deplorable, at least they had character and the best, not the worst, that money could buy like nowadays…
However, enough with this empty philosophy. We have our distinct responsibilities in this thread. Therefore, here is another less known photo of our special metal guest star:
Bf 109 Ga 6 – RHUAF, Veszprem, 1944
I really do hope that you like that “classicistic” Messer shape.