“Dive Bombers and Conscience”

     While watching the History Channel one evening I spent a while viewing a program dealing with Swedish combat aircraft.  During the 1930s the Swedes conducted a study on the effects of excessive G-forces on the pilots of dive bombers as they were engaged in nearly vertical descent.  They discovered a strange and dangerous phenomenon which amazed me.

     As these planes would go into there earthward dive to deliver their bombs, the ever increasing speed resulted in so much force on the pilots that they suffered a temporary vision blackout.  Still, at just the right moment, the pilot would release his bombs and pull out of his deadly dive.  How did the pilot know to pull back on the stick if his vision was temporarily lost?  The study found that the pilots instinctively pulled out of their dives due to the sound of the aircraft.  Needless to say, this was a dangerous and sometimes fatal way to operate.  Therefore, the Swedes made adjustments to aircraft, tactics, and weapons delivery to ensure a greater degree of survivability.

     Have you ever thought much about conscience and its role?  Have you ever been hurtling down a path in life that was headed toward sure destruction?  Not seeing the certain destruction ahead you continue to gain speed.  It may be sudden or a gradual awareness, but something makes you stop your downward spiral.  What is that something?  Your conscience.  What happens if you  ignore the warnings of your conscience?  If the Swedes would not have heeded what they discovered and made necessary changes what would have been the result?  Many pilots might have lost their lives unnecessarily.  Likewise, ignoring the warnings of our conscience can lead to disaster.  Eventually the heart will harden and the conscience screams without being heard.  Eventually we will fail to “pull back on the stick” averting disaster.

     God gave man a conscience for a purpose.  Do not ignore it.  Train your conscience to be God-driven.  When the conscience sounds its warning, pay attention.  Stop doing what you are doing.  Analyze the situation.  Make the necessary life changes.  Avoid eternal destruction.

-Jennifer Watson

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