WIX Archives
Re: Combat Veterans ....
Posted by Rob Mears on Thu May 15, 2003 10:01:21 AM
In reply top Combat Veterans .... posted by Dave on Thu May 15, 2003 04:40:40 AM
This is something that is becoming more and more of a concern to me. In the mad rush to invest and fly warbirds, I would venture to say the majority of investors have little interest in the actual history of the aircraft. Whatever it takes to get them back in the air to make the next Oshkosh competition seems to be the ruling factor. "Original identity" is still largely synonymous with "original aircraft" in most circles. If owners/operators were to allow their sense of historical significance to become any stricter than this, many would not stand a chance of being able to actually fly their multi-million dollar investments. Therefore perception is directed to serve the means.
In a way it's a real shame that historical significance still runs a distant second to the thrills & spills of active warbird operations. The actual number of any given type of warbird that are truly historical airframes versus the total number of that type that are available for commercial consumption is for the most part miniscule (not counting certain types like Spitfires, etc). You'd think many of the entusiast who have the means would be consciencious enough to make trades such as the one you described. I also feel that in the end such trades could be conducted in a way that was financially balanced. I think the factor of TIME in regard to making and investment versus being able to cash in on that investment (ie. get it in the air) is just one of the many reasons that you don't see deliberate attempts to make a differece in regard to legitimate preservation. I'm guessing that for most, having a million bucks on the line will go a long way toward diluting one's regard for historical particulars. At that point I betting it becomes real easy to join the "honoring the original identity" camp versus that of honoring the original aircraft. There are a few shining exceptions to this rule, most of which reside in the UK I'll admit. I've always been impressed with the regard given to preserving the originality of airframes over there.
So at least for now, money talks and touchstones walk. It will be interesting to see how many airframes have actually made it through time intact by the time these airframes become largely regarded for their TRUE originality.
As more and more new-production warbirds find their way onto the flight line at airshows, the relevance of original aircraft that wholely survive as "original" because of a few bulkheads and a data plate is sure to make the basis for bragging rights quite interesting :)