WIX Archives
Re: Lonestar Flight Museum...Blake?
Posted by Blake on Thu Jun 19, 2003 11:00:26 PM
In reply top Lonestar Flight Museum...Blake? posted by Brad on Thu Jun 19, 2003 07:01:08 PM
: Can anybody explain the collection policy behind the LSFM?
: I have seen several of their more interesting planes be
: sold over the years and a couple are up for sale right now
: . A-37, OV-1, P-51, P-40, Firefly, C-47, F7F, A1E, AD5, T
: -6 and several others. The only explanation I have ever s
: een is that these planes don't fit the "collection policy"
: of the museum.
:
: All that being said, I consider the LSFM to be the finest
: museum in the states. I am just curious as to why they do
: some of the things they do.
:
: Being closely associated with a museum myself, I understan
: d
: the need to sell a few planes to buy a few more. I also u
: nderstand the occasional need for an infusion of cash. (No
: bucks, no Buck Rogers). Is this the case?
I am just a volunteer at LSFM. I cannot speak for Mr. Waltrip or the board of directors that chooses what to do with aircraft. I do believe that Mr. Waltrip has an affinity for Naval aircraft and radial engines.
However, one of the objectives of the museum was/is to have a rarest of the rare collection. That's the real reason why LSFM doesn't have a Mustang in the collection. Strange as it sounds, they're relatively commmon. It really doesn't have anything to do with their in-line engines. They do have the Merlin-powered Spit in the collection after all and a Hurricane under restoration, not to mention the P-38.
The museum is also a business and like any business, they have to make decisions to ensure the financial future of the organization. All non-profit organizations have been affected by the economic times. The sale of certain "non-strategic" aircraft is part of that process. In most cases, I think that the sale of a particular aircraft has more to do with opportunity than setting out to get rid of that particular aircraft. Like they say, everything has its price. Just because they advertise even say 6 or 8 planes doesn't mean that they intend to sell 6 or 8 planes.
That's not to say that the museum is struggling to survive. It's very much a viable entity. Everybody focuses on the aircraft that have been sold from the museum. The fact is that there isn't a whole lot of room to spare in the hangars. They certainly don't have room to add any large aircraft. In the past few years, the museum has acquired the P-47 "Tarheel Hal", the Spitfire restoration is completed and flying and the Bearcat is now on-site, getting ready to come on-line. The SBD is getting close to coming back on-line, also.
I think that changing up the collection keeps people interested in what going on down there. It also refines the collection.
BTW, is anybody going to the Tullahoma, TN air show this weekend? I'll be there with Thunderbird.
Blake Palmer
volunteer - Lone Star Flight Museum
crew chief - Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Thunderbird"