--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The aeroplane is an invention of the…" description: "\"The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never play any part in such a serious business as the defence of the nation, my boy!\" — Sam Hughes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png" --- # The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never… ![“The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never play any part in such a serious business as the defence of the nation, my boy!” quote by Sam Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png) > “The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never play any part in such a serious business as the defence of the nation, my boy!” Sam Hughes ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The aeroplane is dismissed as a dangerous invention unsuitable for national defence. **In simple terms:** Aeroplanes are seen as risky for defence. Key Takeaway Question the role of technology in security. Themes technology defence aeronautics skepticism Mood skeptical historical Type aeroplanes:1 aviation:1 boys:1 business:1 defence:1 devil:1 invention:1 my boys:1 nations:1 play:1 predictions:1 serious:1 serious business:1 invention devil:1 aeroplane:1 defence nation:1 aeroplane invention:1 When to use this quote - debating military tech - evaluating aeronautical threats - considering alternative defence methods Key Concepts military strategy innovation risk public perception Questions to Reflect On - Is fear of new tech justified? - What alternatives exist for defence? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ; modern views accept aircraft in defence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aeroplanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aeroplanes/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aviation/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Serious business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-business/) ## Related quotes > [The aeroplane should open a fruitful occupation for women. I see no reason they cannot realize handsome incomes by carrying passengers between adjacent towns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-quimby/the-aeroplane-should-open-a-fruitful-occupation-for-women-i-see-no/) [Harriet Quimby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-quimby/) > [The aeroplane is the nearest thing to animate life that man has created. In the air a machine ceases indeed to be a mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macpherson-smith/the-aeroplane-is-the-nearest-thing-to-animate-life-that-man-has/) Ross Macpherson Smith > [Few people who know of the work of Langley, Lilienthal, Pilcher, Maxim and Chanute but will be inclined to believe that long before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/few-people-who-know-of-the-work-of-langley-lilienthal-pilcher-maxim/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [In less than twenty-five years . . . the motor-car will be obsolete, because the aeroplane will run along the ground as well as fly over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gibbs/in-less-than-twenty-five-years-the-motor-car-will-be-obsolete-because/) [Philip Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gibbs/) > [There is no reason why the aeroplane should not open up a fruitful occupation for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-quimby/there-is-no-reason-why-the-aeroplane-should-not-open-up-a-fruitful/) [Harriet Quimby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-quimby/) > [After two wars, I have been in danger too often to bother very much about being killed, and when it comes, I would prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/after-two-wars-i-have-been-in-danger-too-often-to-bother-very-much/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [The aeroplane is tragically unsuited for ocean service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-eckener/the-aeroplane-is-tragically-unsuited-for-ocean-service/) Hugo Eckener > [The aeroplane will never fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1st-viscount-haldane-richard-haldane/the-aeroplane-will-never-fly/) 1st Viscount Haldane Richard Haldane > [Everybody pays lip service to the safety of the aeroplane, but nobody is prepared to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/everybody-pays-lip-service-to-the-safety-of-the-aeroplane-but-nobody/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [You don't think much of the individual, because you don't think you've hit him and you hope that he will bail out or something;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-malam-brothers/you-don-t-think-much-of-the-individual-because-you-don-t-think-you-ve/) Peter Malam Brothers > [As the aeroplane is the most mobile weapon we possess, it is destined to become the dominant offensive arm of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-f-c-fuller/as-the-aeroplane-is-the-most-mobile-weapon-we-possess-it-is-destined/) [J. F. C. Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-f-c-fuller/) > [It is apparent to me that the possibilities of the aeroplane, which two or three years ago were thought to hold the solution to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/it-is-apparent-to-me-that-the-possibilities-of-the-aeroplane-which/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [It may be that the invention of the aeroplane flying-machine will be deemed to have been of less material value to the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waldemar-kaempffert/it-may-be-that-the-invention-of-the-aeroplane-flying-machine-will-be/) Waldemar Kaempffert > [The life of an aviator seemed to me ideal. It involved skill. It brought adventure. It made use of the latest developments of science.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/the-life-of-an-aviator-seemed-to-me-ideal-it-involved-skill-it/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [No one is going to question my commitment to the defence of our nation. I don't know what it is these Republicans, who didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/no-one-is-going-to-question-my-commitment-to-the-defence-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More by Sam Hughes > [There's a lot of people who don't understand the touring and the party scene and it's like, go to bed late, wake up early,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hughes/there-s-a-lot-of-people-who-don-t-understand-the-touring-and-the/) Sam Hughes Explore all 2 Sam Hughes quotes ## More Aeroplanes quotes > [You know the best thing about aeroplanes? Apart from the peanuts in little silver bags, I mean. It's looking out of the windows at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-the-best-thing-about-aeroplanes-apart-from-the-peanuts-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think there is something exhilarating in flying amongst clouds, and always get a feeling of wanting to pit my aeroplane against them, charge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rumney-samson/i-think-there-is-something-exhilarating-in-flying-amongst-clouds-and/) Charles Rumney Samson > [If you want to propose marriage to your girlfriend and you live in England and she is in Sicily, do the decent thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-you-want-to-propose-marriage-to-your-girlfriend-and-you-live-in/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Before I went to the Mess I made the excuse I wanted to get something out of my aeroplane, and climbed into the cockpit;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rumney-samson/before-i-went-to-the-mess-i-made-the-excuse-i-wanted-to-get-something/) Charles Rumney Samson > [“You have something against women flying aeroplanes? No, three's a crowd that's all. We'd have all ended up in the drink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dennington-the-ghost-of-captain-hinchliffe/you-have-something-against-women-flying-aeroplanes-no-three-s-a-crowd/) David Dennington, The Ghost of Captain Hinchliffe > [The bravest thing I've ever done is fly to New York. I'm simply terrified of aeroplanes - I am the woman you see weeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bond/the-bravest-thing-i-ve-ever-done-is-fly-to-new-york-i-m-simply/) [Samantha Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-bond/) > [Of course, with the increasing number of aeroplanes one gains increased opportunities for shooting down one's enemies, but at the same time, the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manfred-von-richthofen/of-course-with-the-increasing-number-of-aeroplanes-one-gains/) [Manfred von Richthofen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manfred-von-richthofen/) > [I was fascinated by aeroplanes in my childhood. So, it was like I wanted to study science and then become a pilot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayank-agarwal/i-was-fascinated-by-aeroplanes-in-my-childhood-so-it-was-like-i/) [Mayank Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayank-agarwal/) > [As soon as you think of fishing you think of things that don't belong to the modern world. The very idea of sitting all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/as-soon-as-you-think-of-fishing-you-think-of-things-that-don-t-belong/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Hey there's not a cloud in the sky It's as blue as your goodbye And I thought that it would rain On a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-matthews/hey-there-s-not-a-cloud-in-the-sky-it-s-as-blue-as-your-goodbye-and-i/) Wendy Matthews > [I have always loved aeroplanes and spacecraft and the design element.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-muilenburg/i-have-always-loved-aeroplanes-and-spacecraft-and-the-design-element/) [Dennis Muilenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-muilenburg/) > [You may hear people say that submarines have done away with the battleship, and that aircraft have annulled the mastery of the sea. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/you-may-hear-people-say-that-submarines-have-done-away-with-the/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [As the journalists of the time phased it, this was the epoch of the Leap into the Air. The new atomic aeroplane became indeed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/as-the-journalists-of-the-time-phased-it-this-was-the-epoch-of-the/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [The life of an aviator seemed to me ideal. It involved skill. It brought adventure. It made use of the latest developments of science.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/the-life-of-an-aviator-seemed-to-me-ideal-it-involved-skill-it/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [The aeroplane. . . is not capable of unlimited magnification. It is not likely that it will ever carry more than five or seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waldemar-kaempffert/the-aeroplane-is-not-capable-of-unlimited-magnification-it-is-not/) Waldemar Kaempffert [Browse all 78 Aeroplanes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aeroplanes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never play any part in such a serious business as the defence of the nation, my boy!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hughes/the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-devil-and-will-never-play-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aeroplanes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hughes/the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-devil-and-will-never-play-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/sam-hughes-94507_aeroplanes_the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-dev_1401603.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The aeroplane is an invention of the devil and will never play any part in such a serious business as the…” — Sam Hughes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sam Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The aeroplane is an invention of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hughes/the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-devil-and-will-never-play-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hughes/the-aeroplane-is-an-invention-of-the-devil-and-will-never-play-any/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```