WIX Archives
An interesting question- opprtunists and dreamers...
Posted by bdk on Wed Oct 09, 2002 03:40:46 PM
In reply top Question: crashlocations for sale posted by Cees Broere on Wed Oct 09, 2002 04:44:53 AM
Over the years I have contacted some of these people, and all seemed to be timewasters.
These timewasters seem to fall into two classes:
1. The professional middleman with Russian/Ukrainian connections- This person wants to sell you something they do not own, and the owner doesn't even know this person is acting as their agent. In the end, you get offered a broken gear leg for a Lavochkin for $5000 (i.e. of no use to anyone).
2. Airplane in a lake- This guy knows for sure of the location of a P-39 in a lake. The airplane landed there and then sunk through the ice come spring- he knows it is in perfect condition with no corrosion, even though he's never seen it. He wants to sell you the location, unfortunately he has no plan, no permits, and no idea what is involved. Oh and incidentally, he has no money of his own at risk, but this is such a rare find and good deal, who wouldn't want to take the risk? After all, it is only your money at risk! If you don't buy this location from him, Kermit Weeks surely will...of course Kermit can afford to buy one that he can go see (without the benefit of a SCUBA tank) already restored and flying, but don't confuse me with facts!
I think that most of these folks are opprtunists or dreamers. I think that nearly all the #2 types mean well, I am wary of the #1 types, especially when the photos they send you are copies of what you've seen before.
As has already been mentioned, the crash location is only of value if you have the permission or permits required to effect a recovery. The permits are the value added that make the location relavent for a recovery.
It is one thing to get the permits and find out the aircraft looks like a silver colored soda cracker, it is another to pay for a location, only to find that you can't legally recover anything.
: Regarding our thread about the German site where locations
: where wrecks are to found are for sale, I was wondering i
: f there are people who actually are paying for this inform
: ation?
:
: If you look at Barnstormers, there are also many locations
: for sale or financial backers wanted to "recover" a wreck