WIX Archives
Re: What I've seen...
Posted by bdk on Tue Jan 01, 2002 04:38:00 PM
In reply top Could someone please explain? posted by Karen on Tue Jan 01, 2002 12:12:40 PM
Karen,
It is quite common for museums in the UK to display artifacts found at crash sites in their as recovered condition. These displays make an excellent tribute to the pilot that flew that particular aircraft, and to bring to light the hazards inherent in war.
There have also been a number of fatal accident aircraft that have been restored to fly. I'm not sure of the condition of the P-51 components in question, a thorough inspection would need to be performed to determine if any parts are still airworthy (or can be made so). That being said, there is a Navy F6F Hellcat flying right now that contains the vertical stabilizer (and other parts) recovered from a mountain crash site.
Personally, I wold like to see these components incorporated into the restoration of a flying aircraft, and would have no reservations about flying in it. If only I had a Mustang project to put these parts on!
I know a museum on the west coast that might be interested in displaying these items (a tax deductible donation at that). E-mail for further details and I can get you in touch with the curator of the west coast museum. I'm not if a sure if a suitable museum is located in your local area.
Brandon
: I have read, several posts, discussing recovered airc
: raft being given to a museum, or to someone who would do s
: omething positive with it. It has been, both my, and my Da
: d's wish that some part of the plane be placed in a museum
: . We have not been aware of any way that this could be don
: e. Are there any museum's that would be interested in the
: pieces? If it is feasable, my Dad and I would be willing t
: o purchase some of the pieces from Mr. Wisler.
:
: We have been told that it is possible, if a very weal
: thy investor could be found, that Dean's serial # could fl
: y again. Granted, only a piece of it would actually be Dea
: n's plane, but at least it is something. After all, the di
: e cast P-51 models I have on my desk are not real, but the
: y still give me great pleasure, and they serve as a remind
: er of something that once was.
:
: So, after all that, my question is this: Is there any
: one out there who would want the pieces of my Uncle's plan
: e? Or am I terribly naive? Please be totally honest, I nee
: d to know. If the pitiful amount of remains that were reco
: vered is of sentimental value only, then so be it. But it
: bothers me that the remains of a plane, with so much histo
: ry, will lie in a warehouse for an untold amount of time.
: As I am sure is quite obvious, my feelings for this
: plane, are mostly, sentimental! I first viewed the wreckag
: e on the back of a flatbed truck, at the Citrus Tower, in
: Florida. I can not adequately describe, the powerful emoti
: ons seeing that twisted metal evoked. As I stated before,
: Dean died before I was born, but to see what was the very
: last thing he saw in this life, was intense. To hold one o
: f the rudder pedals that I know his foot once touched,left
: me speechless.
:
: My desire, is to see not only each and every plane pr
: eserved, but the story of her pilot's, when possible, pres
: erved as well. I value each and every opinion on this, and
: I thank you for allowing me to voice my concerns! Thank y
: ou.
: Karen