Popular Mechanics February 1943 “Tough Guys”

Popular Mechanics started publishing in 1904 and focused on making complex mechanical objects more understandable for the average man. This issue, published during the war, illuminates the everyday preoccupation with the war effort in America. The cover promotes buying “war savings bonds and stamps” and shows an illustration of a “‘Noiseless’ Sea Skimmer to Battle Submarines” (page 7). This issue predominantly focuses on the latest and greatest military tech. This likely would have eased some fears of the American public and encouraged American patriotism and confidence in the military. It also exemplified the encouragement of men to work in the trades and/or join the military, especially since this series is called “Tough Guys”. This issue highlights the patriotic, inventive, and largely sexist attitudes of the American working class in the 1940s. The cover art was likely done by Frank Beatty, the art director. This magazine was purchased at a flea market at MIT.