# BMW, Finding Forrester and the spinning propeller of Nazi racism? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214 "2002-12-17T01:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/1 "2002-12-17T01:08:33Z")
So I hear on the news that a car carrier collides with another ship and sinks in the English Channel. Fortunately, it appears all are OK. Except lots and lots of cars. Lost, are lots of BMW’s, Audi’s etc. Then I remember that I was gonna ask this question here about 2 years ago, and just haven’t got around to it. So anyway, in the movie Finding Forrester, the H.S. kid tells another character that the BMW logo is from the days when BMW made german military plane engines and the logo is of a white propeller in a blue sky. The white prop representing white aryan supremecy or some such notion. This true? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/2 "2002-12-17T01:21:45Z")
> [@](#): > > If you ever wondered why the BMW symbol contains a stylized propeller, there is a reason. The result of the consolidation of two aircraft industry manufacturers in the midst of World War I, what would become one of the world’s best-regarded car manufacturers was in business more than a decade before it built its first automobile. from here: > **[Home](https://drivingtoday.com/)** > > DrivingToday is a resource for new and used car shoppers. We publish new car reviews, buyers guides, top ten lists, and other automotive related content including car loans and car insurance. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/3 "2002-12-17T01:24:47Z")
I think the white is meant to be a propellor blade, the logo orginated in the Great War so it predates the Nazis ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/4 "2002-12-17T02:18:44Z")
FWIW the type of symbol is called a roundel. Those types of markings have been used on miltary aircraft since the great war. _The Roundel_ is also the monthly magazine of the BMW Car Club of America. ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@Drew\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_17)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/5 "2002-12-17T03:49:10Z")
The RAF target is another example of a roundel. The blue and white checks also happen to be the state flag of Bavaria - [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/d/de-by2d.gif](http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/d/de-by2d.gif) My first post after lurking for 2-3 years… wonder if it’ll work… ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ea924/32.png) [@Drew\_17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_17)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/6 "2002-12-17T03:50:13Z")
I’ve made 11 posts??? I guess I’ve forgotten more of college than I thought… ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bmw-finding-forrester-and-the-spinning-propeller-of-nazi-racism/143214/7 "2002-12-17T05:52:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Drew 17 \* > \*\*I’ve made 11 posts??? I guess I’ve forgotten more of college than I thought… \*\* Then this should bring back some memories of yesteryear… [Drew 17’s posts](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=302827&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending) Consider yourself out’ed from the lurker’s closet.