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Re: Mustangs v Apache

Posted by Tim Savage on Sat Mar 09, 2002 12:29:59 PM

In reply top Re: Mustangs v Apache posted by david J burke on Sat Mar 09, 2002 11:10:50 AM

: It's very public spirited of him to convert it to a 'B' in
: order to commemorate a wartime hero. Mostly in the U.K we
: paint an aircraft up to represent the period or person we
: seek to represent i.e The Fighter Collection with their S
: pitfire XIV painted as JE-J - as has happened in the U.S w
: ith a couple of Spitfire's in recent years. I don't go wit
: h the arguement that you need to do structural changes
: in order for the public to appreciate something.

I don't necessarily like it either. My point was that you are making an assumption that John Paul is doing it for money...and I don't think you know that.

: Your second point is that the arn't many original pa
: rts in any 'New' Mustang. As far as I am aware the are no
: 'New' Mustangs in production - the are repairs /rebuilds
: but essentially you need to have at least an identity.

I meant new restorations, and I think you know what I meant.

: I did have the opportunity to look at the TFC P-51B
: about a year ago and it's surprising how much of that mach
: ine started out in 1944 not 1982 so I guess it just depend
: s on who does the restoration.

That is surprising. My understanding is that the only thing that is really a B on that airplane was the mainplane and the rest was restored from D components by Pete Regina in the early '80s. Can anyone provide further info to enlighten me if I am mistaken?


: The point of warbird owners putting more money into
: them than they are worth is often the case with many types
: of aircraft. I have restored aircraft to fly which have c
: ost to restore at least twice what you could buy one on th
: e open market. The reason for this is that most of us cann
: ot just take out the money from the bank to buy an airwort
: hy Hurricane or P-40 for example but can afford a restorat
: ion on a 'drip feed'.
: The point most enthusiast make is that they want to
: know what they are looking at and appreciate it when an ow
: ner goes to lengths to ensure the accuracy of the item.
: Whether you are actually interested in something being wha
: t it really is or are happy to accept that it was once som
: ething entirely different is up to you - I am a great beli
: ever in 'why fix something if it isn't broke'
: The 'armchair enthusiasts' as you put it have been r
: esponsible many times for alerting engineers and owners to
: aircraft at risk or indeed discovering aircraft which pre
: viously wern't discovered. If you find the comments
: 'tedious' you can always do something else - this forum is
: n't compulsary and before you ask ,yes I have used some sp
: anners on an aircraft today.

I have nothing against enthusiasts. I am one, and was long before I gathered the funds to start warbird restorations. I do have a problem with anyone making accusastions and telling someone else how they should spend their money.

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