The Nazis developed a particularly vicious weapon in their war against the Allies: a bomber known as the Stuka. The aircraft was known for high-precision attacks in steep dives and for its powerful psychological effect on the enemy. An important part of this effect was produced by the so-called ‘Jericho trumpets’ – a whistle device fitted to the aircraft, which howled during the dive and caused panic on the ground.

The X-wing fighter from George Lucas’s Star Wars films is said to have been inspired by the Stuka and its sharp-edged design. If one compares it with Allied aircraft, especially the legendary Spitfire fighter plane and the DC-3 transport aircraft, it is clear that they have a more rounded form, as illustrated here.