WIX Archives
100K! Ouch!! - But anyway many thanks for the info (n/t)
Posted by Jagan on Thu Aug 29, 2002 04:15:41 PM
In reply top How much do you have???? posted by bdk on Thu Aug 29, 2002 02:39:28 PM
: I was told it would cost about $100k for a P-47 replica (r
: etail) due to the amount of engine detailing required and
: significantly less for a P-51. The display standard matter
: s a lot. An aircraft that will be blown up for a movie (an
: d only seen for a split second) does not have to be as det
: ailed as an aircraft for permanent outdoor display. Also,
: an aircraft that is hung for display is cheaper because th
: e landing gear doesn't need to be detailed and the structu
: ral requirements are less.
:
: There was a fellow in the UK offering fiberglass Spitfires
: a while back on Barnstormers.
:
: The market is so specialized for these replicas, that I th
: ink the price varies a lot. I know a guy that has a mold f
: or a P-51, but if you wanted one he wouldn't do it because
: he is too busy working on real airplanes.
:
: Fiberglass work of this type can be done by mostly unskill
: ed labor if you have a decent shop foreman. You need a goo
: d mold, which requires either a real airplane to copy (Mr.
: Grey, can I borrow your Spitfire for a few weeks?) or a p
: lug to make the mold from. With all the environmental regu
: lations in the US, it is becoming increasingly difficult t
: o work with these resins and they are expensive because th
: e shells need to be thick enough to support their own weig
: ht and any loads from handling. For a display aircraft, yo
: u would need to have a nice canopy made and you would have
: to have the same quality paint job that an airworthy airc
: raft would require to make it look decent.
:
: For the less sophisticated consumer/patron/guest/visitor t
: o your museum, you could build a plywood frame like a gian
: t tissue paper covered model and screw sheet metal on the
: outside and call it a Zero (like I saw in China). :-)
:
: :
: : How much would a fibreglass spitfire cost? What are the
: co
: : sts involved?