WIX Archives

You got my vote Tony!!!

Posted by Will Fowler on Tue Dec 04, 2001 07:42:38 PM

In reply top "and Ladies and gentlemen if u look to the ...... posted by Tony on Tue Dec 04, 2001 03:54:31 PM

Well I voice my opinion on this subject three times over the last year or so, so I am not going to say it again, only that Tony's comments have my support, prices are well over the top and in my heart I think this is what is really causing a big problem for the antique aircraft hobby, high prices bring lots of 'down sides' to it, which we all know about.

Will

: ...end of the runway, you'll see the not totally authentic
: Spitfire which was rebuilt 20 times taxi-ing to the end o
: f the runway"
:
: A mouthful for the airshow commentator , so how about this
: ?
:
: Does it contain 99% of it's construction, true to the orig
: inal design or specification?
:
: Then it's that aircraft as described. Flugwerke 190's will
: be referred to, as FOCKE-WULF 190's on the circuit, and t
: hat is how their owners think of them.
:
: Did it once fly in combat in some shape or form, but has s
: ince been changed more times then a changed thing.... The
: n lets do it this way
:
: BIN the military serial,or keep it for the authenticity of
: the paint scheme, and it gets known by its civvy registra
: tion. The Dataplate, provides for a historical reference,
: for enthusiasts and researchers, who quite frankly, are th
: e only ones who give a toss. The crowd at an airshow, coul
: dn't care less how many times it's been re-built, it's fly
: ing , and giving them and its' pilot pleasure
: Why are we arguing about nuts and bolts?
:
: I'll tell you why. MONEY
:
: If you can give a historical provenance to your aircraft,
: then it is worth more MONEY, isn't that the case?
:
: Back here, on Planet Earth, the newer an item is, the more
: money it's worth. The same goes, if its over 100 years ol
: d, then it is an antique, and worth MONEY. So, when someon
: e says to you, this aeroplane is 100 years old, do u want
: to fly it? We know the answer.
:
: Warbird prices, and provenance, are the result of 80's and
: 90's speculation, driving prices up, and making sure, tha
: t everyone wants their aircraft refered to, as genuine as
: possible, to drive the MONEY up.
:
: I couldn't care less, if the aircraft was found in a hanga
: r in outer bongdwanaland, or built from scratch. Does it c
: onform to the original design specifications? Good, it's t
: he aircraft as designed then
:
: The overriding factor, and therefore the PRICE and MONEY,
: should be reflected, in the quality of the article, I am h
: aving to pay for, and risk my ass flying. The more expensi
: ve it is, then the better the job. Not "it's expensive, be
: cause it's got a history, even though me metal-bashing ski
: lls ain't up to scratch, and I wouldn't fly it".
:
: Categorising aircraft like this stinks. It smells of eliti
: sm. "Oh, my aircraft is more expensive then yours, because
: i have more money, you are QED a peasant"
:
: This industry needs an OPEN market, with honest and fair e
: valuations done, on the quality of the item offered for sa
: le. Categorising aircraft like this, is sheer snobbery
:
: If fuel lasts that long, and people are still flying, do y
: ou think that aircraft in 20 years time, will possibly hav
: e ANY original components in it, apart from the panel and
: the rear view mirror? NO, it won't.
:
: If you are going to buy a bloody aeroplane, and it's owner
: , want's you to pay through the nose , because it was once
: flown on an air test by an ace, just ask him one question
:
:
: "How much of it, is original" You already know the answer,
: beat him up on the price.
:
: In todays market, there are 2 types of warbird.
:
: 1. REFURBISHED
: 2 NEWBUILD
:
: It's incredible, a lot of us are Pilots on this forum. Whe
: n we buy an aircraft, the first thing we say, is how many
: hours since/Till it's next overhaul, how many hours has it
: flown? and THAT dictates the price. But, as soon as we're
: faced with a "warbird" we throw logic out the window. Hon
: estly, if we let our wives/girlfriends buy aircraft on our
: behalf, this conversation would never arise.
:
: The only ORIGINAL warbirds, were back in 1945. Engines off
: , straight into museums or collections. We know the identi
: ties of all those.
:
: Tony
: (simmer gently)
:
:
:

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