WIX Archives
Re: F4U-4 From Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
Posted by Cees on Wed Jun 19, 2002 09:13:38 AM
In reply top F4U-4 From Sierra Nevada Mountain Range posted by Mike Henniger on Wed Jun 19, 2002 07:14:03 AM
Hi all,
I wasn't going to mingle into the replica/reconstruction/restoration discussion because I feel that it will never end (just look at the previous post these past days), but because the word replica is being used regularly I just want to say this:
I personally hate the word replica. If someone has gone through hard work and effort to roll out a warbird even with the majority of its construction newbuilt, but all according to factory specifications and structurally indistinguishable from a similar airframe which was rolled out in say 1944, the term replica would be an insult to all the work the rebuilder put into it.
I would class Mr Marlin's MB5 project a replica because there was only one built, it no longer exists (unless someone can prove otherwise) it incorporates no original parts and its fuselage is shorter than the original aircraft, and uses a lot of Mustang-parts, so it is purely made to look like a MB5, although it still is an incredible piece of work.
The whole discussion is the result of some people building an aircraft from scratch and then stick an original dataplate on it, but even then the building of the airframe itself is a work of art.
Of course this is my personal opinion only and not intended to insult anyone or dismiss someone else's opinion.
Cheers
(No Cees's were harmed during the typing of this message)