Warbird Information Exchange

I have over the years chipped in a few dollars to good causes that I felt personally were good causes. I know that there are much more important causes in the world than donating funds to repair a broken Spitfire, (and a Spifire owned by a person I have never met) but my personal opinion is that if you do not have a connection, some sort of personal bond, you'll feel unfulfilled in your donation, and possibly future donations. IMHO. ... Ever have that feeling after a donation that your well intended funds somehow didn't reach it's intended destination? ... I've been ripped off a couple of times. Not a good feeling. I have seen the photos of Bill's Spitfire upended and I have read his posts. Yesterdays tragedy at the Kentucky Derby wasn't a personal loss either, but I felt terrible about that poor animal being put down. I feel the same way about Bill's Spitfire. (and LSFM's Hurricane) It's heartbreaking to see those photos and not feel some sort of personal connection to what happened. As I stated before, if you own a Spit, you can probably afford a Spit, but in reading a few of Bill's posts, maybe this isn't necessarily the case. If it weren't for Bill Greenwood consistantly contributing (for better or for worse, usually for better) to this forum, I probably wouldn't have as much of an interest in his Spit's repairs. So all that said, when I think of contributing to a good cause, I need to know a few things to make my decision as to what direction I personally want to take.

1. I know it's too early to tell, but just how much does Bill or anyone else estimate the cost will be for repairs? In donating, it's always nice to know the end amount, just so to feel as if there is light at the end of the tunnel.

2. How do I, or we, on WIX want to handle any and all donations? Should we set up a savings account or trust? So we all can see what funds are being collected?

3. Could we acquire a list, when ready, of all parts required to repair the aircraft, we then could possibly "adopt and finance a part or parts" (similar to the model aircraft list for the CAF hanger a while back) I would feel better having a more personal connection to the repairs. I then could see Bill's Spit at some airshow and brag about the fact that I helped in a small way purchasing that spinner or something like that. ... (My Ego ...lolol)

Lastly, I have always felt better if I had something, anything to direct my personal feelings towards in donating to a good cause. That's just me though. Of course there's always the idea that someday soon, we'll see Bill's Spitfire flying again. That would give me a personal connection as well.

No disrespect, but for me it's never been about the pilot who fly's the Warbird, but the Warbird that the pilot fly's.

So if Bill is willing, there seems to be several here that are willing and able.

Mark the humbled

I Agree. I also would like to go and help Bill by volunteering any labor that I could. I love seeing a plane that I had my hands dirty on when it gets rolled out for display, or shows up at an airshow.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Hi Mark,

You raise some very good points. It is interesting to think that I would be more than willing to help Bill out with getting his Spit back in the air, but have less of an interest in helping the other spit that had an accident recently. It certainly has to do with Bill's contributions on WIX which has led me to feel like we are friends.

Obviously it is hard to say what the cost is going to be to fix the Spit. And up to this point, I don't recall a post from Bill saying he would accept offers of help (please correct me if I'm wrong).

If Bill will accept our support, I really like your idea of contributing to a specific part of the airplane that needed replacing.

It is very true that donors fell much better about parting with money when they know exactly where that money went.

Let the conversation continue.

Cheers,

David

I would make the same offer to anyone here. Now that things are a litle different in my life, I want to take advantage of some me time to go and get behind the scenes at some places and help. I work a schedule that is one week on and one week off, so I want to do some of the things I couldn't do before. There are no strings attached. I don't want anything for it. I'm too much of a big guy to go in the Spit for a ride, so I am not after that at all. Just want to help. I wouldn't mind helping out the B-25 people in the other thread if they were going to do anything. I just want to be of some use to some people and get a chance to do my little part.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

although I doubt very much that he remembers. (air show Salt Lake City, I was with Lefty Gardner's P-38;) He seemed like a pretty good guy to me and I for one would gladly donate to the cause of fixing up the spit, Its not a P-51 but it is a war bird (or so the brits claim!) (oh and this should be a sticky so every piece of news about this would be under a single thread.!)

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EVERYTHING that CAN fly should be ALLOWED to FLY!
IWO JIMA'S best narative..."GOD ISN'T HERE"
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P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S: Took hammer away from midget.

How about donating our stimulus checks to the cause?

Bill would love that Dubya helped put his bird back in the air!

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-Al Sauer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spookythecat

Maybe you should wait to see if Bill needs any help .He just might not want any donations.

Hi all,there are frequent references to another Spit incident in the U.S.Can anyone enlighten me pls?With regard to Bill & TE308,hope once all the dust settles with the insurance companies & such he thinks seriously about continuing on.He has been involved with the aircraft for so long,it must almost be a family member & when the $$ start being handed out for the repairs I'll be contributing,best wishes for all involved in this,Pete

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Give me a Centaurus over a Merlin any day

For now we'll have to wait and see where he is going. But It might behove us to start our own wheels in motion--not just in our own penny ante donations, but to consider how we can help him raise real money--it's obviously not going to be cheap no matter how slight the damage. Any ideas about fund raising? I have never done this before...I wonder if we could dun the RAF for a spot of help?

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

We ARE waiting, but thanks for your insight .... We'll let you know if we need your help ...

I used to think that it was cool to pay the bill for dinners etc., always ... I found out the hard way that there are others who are more than willing to pay some of the bill as well. I'm not the only one who gets satisfaction in paying for things. It's not just about Bill here, it's about several good folks who really have a very serious interest in seeing Bill's Spitfire in the air again soon. I wish I had such problems in life. We care about Bill as a human being here on wIx, that's a given, but we also care very much about his Spitfire for many personal reasons. We don't have to explain ourselves here, we just want to help ... for many personal reasons ... that are our business only. No need to explain. So Bill, you decide what you want to do, but I have to tell you, you'd be insane not to accept our offer and gratitude. I know I would accept any offer and feel darn good about it ...

This should show you just how important and valuable you and your Spitfire are to many of us here on WIX. IMHO ....

LOL!

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Not in the US OFfan, Dutch colored Tr 9 Spitfire, H*98 based out of Duxford suffered a gear collapse
last week. A thread titled, "A bad month for 2seat Sptfires" is a the top of WIX page2 with photos.

Unless I missed a report of another US spitty troubles?

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
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DBF

You did

...Annnd????

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF