WIX Archives

Re: 'Real' or 'Genuine'

Posted by david J burke on Sun Jun 16, 2002 05:37:19 PM

In reply top Re: No one wants to talk about it. posted by David M Jameson on Sun Jun 16, 2002 02:21:18 PM

David - the question here is of provenance and honesty. I actually believe that warbird owners are interested in what they acquire or indeed rebuild. The addition of 'Twilight
Tear' (P-51D) to the TFC collection is a prime example.
The aircraft is undoubtedly substancially the same machine that flew from Duxford in 1944 - she has been damaged over the years and has had new parts incorporated
but when she flies again in her old scheme (hopefully)she
is recreating her past.
The fact that people say why does it matter if it was built in 1944 or 1994 is important. It might not affect
the way it flies but could the be a better feeling than to know that what your flying in was flown by hero's originally.
I do not for one minute want to stop, curtail or even reduce the number of people who create masterpieces from sheets of aluminium. History is what this amount's to - if you are honest and say 'I built this all myself' nobody will think any less of it - the reality of this is that flying machines need to be regulated and precise in what they are - provenace it the easiest way of determining this.

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