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facts are diffrent then speculation

Posted by sceptic on Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:21:20 AM

In reply top Re: don't believe everything you read (n ) posted by Jeff on Fri Jan 02, 2004 11:24:10 PM

It really bothers me when people assert things as facts that they really know nothing about.

The folks in Rialto don't recover or export wrecks from PNG. You have no facts in your possession that unscrupulous means were used to recover any of the aircraft in question, only innuendos from dubious (and very biased) sources. Show us the court documents or arrest warrants!

The guys in Rialto operate a business restoring airplanes. They are honest and do it well, facts not lost on their customers. Their customers are not liars and thieves either, they are well respected collectors that often keep their PRIVATE business just that- PRIVATE.

There are plenty of houligans, rip-off artists, and opportunists in the warbird ranks, just as there are in any industry or hobby. Some people will do anything to anyone when money is involved. Unscrupulous things have occurred in PNG (many by residents of PNG I might add!), but please be careful in which direction you cast aspersions.

I know more than I can discuss, so I'll just have to leave it at that, and that's why I am posting anonymously.

In my opinion, speculation is OK, but unfounded accusations are not. It doesn't help the hobby or industry at all, and it doesn't foster the historical value of these aircraft, which is why they get recovered and restored after all. As it is, these collectors purchase and restore aircraft that are worth less money than they have spent in restoration. Why discourage them more? If these planes didn't have the interest of these wealthy folks, they would just rot away to nothing or get scrapped for the value of the aluminum. The only interest the PNG gov't has in these wrecks is the money they can get out of them. They don't give a damn about the history like we do!

: If they use unscrupulous means to acquire these things and
: thereby for the sake of saving one airframe cause the del
: ayed retrieval and waste of 2 airframes then it to my mind
: is not something to be celebrated but something to be con
: demned as the saving of one at the cost of the rest is not
: something for the greater good.

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