cargo cults - that is, B-24 Liberator as a... god.

[Odoaker]

I don't know if you've heard of it. A bit of a funny thing. A long time ago, a professor told me about it at the university:

Cargo Cults and Entrepreneurial Baggage

 

[SaparotRob]

I always thought it would be fun (and perhaps a little sadistic) to charter a plane and parachute drop a crap load of stuff onto one of these islands.
The more isolated the better.

 

[pbehn]

I don't know if you've heard of it. A bit of a funny thing. A long time ago, a professor told me about it at the university:

Cargo Cults and Entrepreneurial Baggage

Hilarious. Seeking cultural superiority of "islanders". Do any of the islanders die in this malarkey, do they actually believe in it more or less than anyone in the west believes Jesus was born on 25th December, in what could be called a "Multi continental cult".

 

[SaparotRob]

Maybe it became a sort of "aluminum overcast" Xmas. Complete with its own custom and song.

 

[Zipper730]

I wouldn't consider the B-24 a god. Maybe a grim-reaper like entity. It did a decent job, though some prefer the B-17, and the B-29 was far better yet

 

[Maxrobot1]

I read that at least part of the USAF makes it a unwritten tradion to have a practice flight over some of those isolated Pacific Islands around Christmastime. They drop gifts.

 

[SaparotRob]

I read that at least part of the USAF makes it a unwritten tradion to have a practice flight over some of those isolated Pacific Islands around Christmastime. They drop gifts.

I really really hope that's true. I don't mind kicking in a few extra bucks in taxes for that.

 

[Wildcat]

Very much still a thing (not sure about last year though?).
Air Force Hercules wraps up Operation Christmas Drop | Defence News

 

[SaparotRob]

Great post, Wildcat. It cheered me up.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Yeah, I remember reading about these years ago. If you'll pardon the pun, it makes one wonder about the genesis of other religions.

 

[Snautzer01]

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/fsa/8d29000/8d29800/8d29873v.jpg

Somewhere in Central Africa. No, children, that is not one of those model planes you made for spotters to practice on, or aerial gunners to shoot down with BBs. This is the African version, complete with flags, of the Royal Air Force consolidated-built Liberator bomber as adapted for ju-ju dancing. The natives who work at Allied airports in the jungles evolved the idea, which is nothing if not original in the annals of ju-ju