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Re: Roving ML417 and others

Posted by Ron Henry on Wed Dec 12, 2001 09:44:27 AM

In reply top Re: Roving ML417 and others posted by Brett on Wed Dec 12, 2001 02:01:24 AM

: There is an article in Flightpath magazine Vol 5 No. 4 (19
: 94) from Bob Livingstone. Bob was employed by Doug Arnold
: to prepare the Bf109 for shiopping to the UK.
:
: The 109 arrived in Oz immediately post war and was first d
: isplayed by the Australian War Memorial in 1955. In 1963 t
: he AWM decided that it was taking up too much space, and s
: old it to Brian Wetless, who sold it to Sid Marshall. When
: Sid died, Jack Davidson sold it to Doug Arnold. Doug also
: purchased Mustang VH-BOZ. Both were to be shipped togethe
: r.
:
: The Mustang was granted an export certificate. As an aircr
: aft on the Australian register, it needed one. The 109 was
: not classified as an aircraft for export, and on the expo
: rt certificate it was classified as 'aircraft parts', bein
: g the normal discription for a dismantled derelict aircraf
: t. It was never classified as an aircraft in Australia. It
: had never been registered or flown in Australia. You coul
: d not have legally flown the aircraft in Australia at that
: time (1979) because ex-military aircraft could not be leg
: ally flown. There was no 'warbird' movement as such. The A
: ustralian government had disposed of the 109 as scrap. The
: legal owner was Doug Arnold.
:
: The 109 was moved to a panel beaters shop where the transp
: ort jigs were being made. There it was sprayed with a rubb
: erised solution impregnated with silver in order to protec
: t the metal from moisture and UV.
:
: Then the Australian Customs Bureau moved in and confiscate
: d the aircraft, claiming that the 109 was being disguised
: as the Mustang in order to be smuggled out of the country.
: Both the Mustang and 109 were seized.
:
: The AWM has the aircraft back. Doug Arnold received no com
: pensation.
:
: That was the story put forward from the 'Doug Arnold' side
: of the arguement. The Australian government side paint Do
: ug Arnold as a criminal and smuggler of precious historica
: l treasures.
:
: I doubt whether any side has sole rights to the moral high
: ground on this issue. It is interesting to note that the
: legislation which followed this incident, designed to prev
: ent the export of historical artifacts (The Heritage Act)
: bans exportation of aircraft and components that were used
: by Australians prior to 1945, and aircraft built and used
: in Australia prior to 1960. The 109 does not fit this def
: inition, so could possibly be exported today.


Here's my first submission to the group.

ISTM that Doug Arnold liked to be known as a Warbird Collector whereas all the evidence points to him being purely a Warbird Dealer. Indeed, AIUI, alongside his warbird 'collecting' activities he did also deal openly in much lesser types: IIRC, a quantity of ex-Indian AF Tiger Moths come to mind.

He certainly did amass a very large number of good quality (in high profile sense) warbirds from all parts of the world, but very few indeed of them had major restorations (only his Lysander is coming to mind), very few of them ever made it into the air (and then only very briefly), and very few of these were ever seen in public. However, a large quantity of his 'collection' did 'transit' through UK enroute elsewhere - predominantly USA. The whole operation had a silly 'cloak and dagger' image, and that still continues to this day, several yrs after his death: AIUI, several aircraft from his collection are still in UK, but little is heard about them except when they briefly emerge from their hangars on their way to export.

If somebody wants to be a warbird dealer, that's fine by me, but please admit to it - I'm not pertial to BS from anyone.

As far as I'm aware, nearly all of the contemporary UK wardbird population arrived independently of his activities. He's dead now, and what's his lasting memorial? "By your deeds shall ye be known" !

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