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The origin of the wing myth now makes more sense, though I suspect it may have originated from conflation of tales within the BAE workforce itself and others involved in the programme but outside the company itself. I find it harder to believe BAE management would have created that story as a contract renegotiation ploy, specially with the concurrent Astute issues. It would hardly of convinced the government, or the shareholders, that they were a reputable company. The media stories though were probably a convenient smokescreen.As a trained historian I find this a fascinating case study of how myths are formed and perpetuated, quite beyond the technical issues discussed here. There are obviously a number of people who were involved who do believe this myth and perpetuate its telling. Like Chinese whispers it changes its form as its retold with new layers of anecdote added and 'evidence' like the photos with glum faces being brought out or reinterpretated as 'proof'.
The origin of the wing myth now makes more sense, though I suspect it may have originated from conflation of tales within the BAE workforce itself and others involved in the programme but outside the company itself. I find it harder to believe BAE management would have created that story as a contract renegotiation ploy, specially with the concurrent Astute issues. It would hardly of convinced the government, or the shareholders, that they were a reputable company. The media stories though were probably a convenient smokescreen.
As a trained historian I find this a fascinating case study of how myths are formed and perpetuated, quite beyond the technical issues discussed here. There are obviously a number of people who were involved who do believe this myth and perpetuate its telling. Like Chinese whispers it changes its form as its retold with new layers of anecdote added and 'evidence' like the photos with glum faces being brought out or reinterpretated as 'proof'.
