Warbird Information Exchange

I just have to get this off my chest. I have not spent an enormous amount of time at MAF working on Ol' 927, but the time I have spent I cherish very much. So now I'm spending the week working on the few minor squawks to make sure she's ready for Airsho. What burns me is the fact that I'm seeing evidence of a total disrespect for the history of, especially to me, a very important airplane. She came back from tour with a yoke cap broken off in a theft attempt, among other things. It reminds me of when I take my 2 year old to the store, I have to stop before we go in and say "Remember, we look with our eyes, not our hands". I expect to do that with a 2 year old, mainly because I want him to grow up with respect for other people and other people's things, but I really don't think there are many 2 year olds in the world who would have the need for a piece of a B24A. Well, there's my rant, I feel better now, and will move forward in my quest to fix the problem, and make Ol' 927 all better again. James

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If I were doing any better, I'd have to be twins.

Preaching to the choir.
Unfortunately a large portion of the population has no respect or common sense. I read the airshow stories from others on this and other aviation sites and both laugh and cringe because I know they are all true.
A good friend uses this line at airshows regarding the touching of aircraft. They remind people that the aircraft while amazingly tough in the air, where it is designed to be, can be amazingly fragile on the ground.

My 2 cents..
The "cap" incident" with Ol' 927 was nothing less than an attempt at theft of a rare artifact, not the work of some vandal, but the attempt by a dishonest & ultimately disrespectful "enthusiast". A thief is a thief.

This is why on the CAF R4D the Radio kit is gutted, the Nav station equipment is bolted in place, and there is a net across the cockpit entrance so that you can look, but can't reach anything within. There have been several attempts in the past to retrieve "artifacts" from up front, even with CAF members and volunteers in the airplane giving tours. Some people just aren't courteous and as a result, you have to watch at all times.

At the Lancaster, Ohio show, my sons and I were the first ones aboard after she flew. We were up front looking at the cockpit when some guy tried to push (gently) past us to get in. I told him I didn't think the public was allowed in there, and he kind of grunted.

As we left, a CAF person was coming through the bomb bay. We let him pass. As I took my first step into the bomb bay, i heard behind me 'sir please don't go in th...SIR!'

I shoulda stayed there 'til someone got in, I reckon.

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"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999

Both caps on the Yankee Lady are replicas. Same reason. By the end of airshow season, any of the easily accessible .50 cal shells in the ammo belts are usually gone too.

With the caps, you can bet the person that swiped them knew exactly what they wanted. WIX oughtta keep an eye on ebay for that sort of stuff, not that it would do any good.

When we open the B-25 for tours at airshows, we block off the rear ladder with a piece of plywood, painted bright red and bungie corded in place, that covers the steps. We place a very short step ladder back there so you can poke your head in and look. People still climb up in the back, usually after being told not to.

Sad to say, but that's life. Some people don't respect property, and some don't care either way. Trying to change human nature is like trying to keep the ocean back with a broom.

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Phil K.
Yankee Air Museum
Systems Admin / Ramp Crew / Professional Photo Ruiner

fotobass,

Don't beat yourself up about not sticking around--there are always unscrupulous and unintelligent individuals around and you can't babysit everyone. When I saw the broken cap a couple of weeks ago it really torqued me off--I presume the individual that damaged it was an "amateur collector" who merely wanted to see what it would bring on ebay. It's a sad commentary on people in general, but there seems to be someone in every large gathering that is "entitled" to go where they feel like going and take what they want.

Thanks for going through the airplane and supporting the effort.

Scott

Well, I'll add to some of this disappointment we came across while checking out Ol' 927 after she returned from her tour. The right waistgunner's gun has had the ammo door ripped from it and is surely on someone's mantle as we speak. What's interesting is that it's the same piece that has the plaque with some of the WIXer's names on it that donated money to pay for those guns. So surely it wasn't a WIXer that took it, but I wonder if the thief took the plaque off or if he/she decided to keep it on so that they could see how many people they're disappointing?

Additionally, many of the stupid broken items that came back with the airplane were either done by or were the fault of our own folks! Okay....deeeeeep breaths.....Count to ten now, Gary...........I love my job, I love my job, I love my job............

Gary

Thanks? Nay, sir...not necessary at all.

Wanted these two to see it (note their newly-purchased neckware).






"Boys, right behind you is a place where Daddy WILL shoot from one day!" (Bold statement...get it?)

On a side note....I had a garbage day shooting. I was a great dad photographer...tons of good stuff of the kids, but must of my ground-to-air stuff was Teh Poop.

I guess I must concentrate on shooting more than I realized, because I sure wasn't a very good split-attention photographer.

That's okay, though. I'd rather lose a shot than lose the boys in a crowd.

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"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999