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Re: Mustangs v Apache

Posted by Tim Savage on Sat Mar 09, 2002 08:54:04 AM

In reply top Mustangs v Apache posted by david J burke on Sat Mar 09, 2002 03:05:09 AM

: James - The secret to this is that you have heard of a Mus
: tang but not a A-36 Apache ! The motivating factor to do
: the conversion is money not historical accuracy.
: It's highly unlikely that once these machines is c
: onverted into a Mustang that it will ever be converted bac
: k - and who's going to do it???
: The more an aircraft is modified from original the
: more pieces are lost from what was the starting point.
: Seldom are parts retained from these hybrid's and
: often the component's are just thrown away.
: Regarding the conversion of 'Stilletto' back to a TF-51 -
: arn't we missing the point in that it wasn't a TF to start
: with !

How do you know the motivating factor is money? Have you talked to the owner? Can you read his mind?

From my understanding John Paul is restoring it as a B-model to commerate Idaho's home town hero, Duane Beeson.

As for originality, there aren't many original airframe parts in any new Mustang anymore. They are generally resparred and have new longeron's installed, not to mention the reskinning that takes place.

Reading all the pontifications from "armchair" warbird enthusiasts is getting tedious. Lets stop being so critical of those who are putting their hard earned money into warbird projects. Many times those who restore warbirds put much more money into them than they are worth, and they certainly don't do it because they care what you think.

I have read on here a couple of times where it has been said that the enthusiasts are the paying customers that keep the warbirds flying. That is completely false. Airshows do very little to support the operating costs of these airplanes and certainly will never offset the restoration costs.

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