Newbie Questions!

[ZuluEcho]

Helloo everybody!

After registering, the past few days have been spent going thru the 97 odd pages of the different threads everyone has already posted and WOW.. so much info to take in.. but now i have a few questions:

1)where is the old forum? is it accessible still?

2)how are the warbirds rated? why are some warbirds more popular than others (other than age) Is there such a thing as a collectors list of popular birds?

3)why can't companies make full size 1:1 ratio replicas of warbirds instead of making 2/3 or 3/4 size ones?

4)is there such an org that allows people to contribute and be part of a worldwide search for missing warbirds?

apologises if these questions have already been answered.. but i did try searching for a newbie thread.

Thanks

[Scott Rose]

1)where is the old forum? is it accessible still?

This one I can answer, the old forum is in the process of being converted to a n HTML based archive. This is being done to make it accessible to everyone as well as google spiders (search engine bots) which eventually will allow its contents to show up in google searches. There will be an announcement when it goes live but a date has not been set.

[Paul Krumrei]

#2 could be a couple of things.

1. Availability of airframes, parts and the ability to rebuild the aircraft/condition.

2. Money

3. Personal preference.

[Paul Krumrei]

Another one on the 1:1 ratio, is probably, the exsiting FAA rules and copyrights of the airframes of the exsisting design.

Again, COSTS I do know of one company, cant think of it right off hand, a P-51 full scale reproduction.

[ZuluEcho]

Thanks Guys..

[Swiss Mustangs]

Welcome ZuluEcho - take the load off your feet and join the party !

having said that, I can't help it but:



as to #3:

aren't many "rebuilds / restorations" actually 1:1 replicas nowadays ?



don't want to hijack this thread - just got carried away (after all: TGIF !!!)


~dons full body armor~

Martin

[ZuluEcho]

Swiss Mustang .. what i meant was brand new reproductions of the originals.. not restored.. and no original parts.. every bit reproduced to the old specs etc. I've read of quite a few that reproduce various parts but not one that could/would make a plane from scratch..

[Scott Rose]

Swiss Mustang .. what i meant was brand new reproductions of the originals.. not restored.. and no original parts.. every bit reproduced to the old specs etc. I've read of quite a few that reproduce various parts but not one that could/would make a plane from scratch..

Actually Zulu, what Swiss Mustangs is refering too is a difference of opinion on what constitutes a replica or a restoration, a well debated subject here. He also likes running up to bee hives and whacking them with a stick

What your referring too is something like the Me 262 Project or the FLUGWERK FW 190 project

[Mudge]

Yo..."newbie"...Question #2 can easily start a whole new forum. ie.
"Round engines are better than pointy ones."
"The P-51 was the best WWII fighter."
"You're full of it. The Hellcat was best."
"You're both wrong. The P-38/Spit/FW190/Corsair/etc. was best."
"Well why did the B-17 have round engines if pointy ones were better, huh?"
"Then what about the Lanc? It had pointy engines."

See where this could go?

Personal preference my friend.

Mudge the prescient

ps. Everyone knows the P-38 was best.

[ZuluEcho]

Thanks Scott for the links.. thats the kinda people i was researching.

Paul Great website.. i'll be trawling thru it soon!

Mudge.. I agree it is alot to do with personal preference and memories.. but like cars.. some just stand out and will always remain icons.. like the Mustang GT500.. even after decades.

another question: any guide to laws of recovery from overseas to the EU including USAF (not USN) aircrafts abandoned / crashed abroad?

[ZuluEcho]

Swiss Mustang! Thanks for the welcome!!

[Bill Greenwood]

For Zulu; Good question on ratings. No hard and fast rules, but general aggreement on factors such as: Rarity, historical significance, how does it fly, performance, all add to value. Original Japanese Zero,very rare, historic, flys great so expensive. Fw-190,if real not a copy same except more performance not as easy to fly. Spitfire, especially the early Merlin models; fairly rare, amoung the most historic, easy and great to fly, beautiful lines, later models very high performance, dual control version popular. P-51' not as rare, still historic, high peformance. 51 has the advantage of utility,i.e. back seat, long range, parts & service support, so high value. T-6, not at all rare, not high performance, but the acme of combat trainers, useful, durable, servicable. Bearcat, rare, not historic, no combat, easy to fly,very high performance. Most planes have some negatives,i.e. Spit usually modest fuel range unless added; P-51 hot inside, low speed handling accidents,; Bearcat,Skyraider,hard to kep clean; most radial fightrers hot inside; Some modern or generic brands, T-34, L-39 easy to fly, useful range baggege, parts, but no history aura or rarity. B-17 has it all, but requires big crew and lots of service.Best policy is to buy 1 of each and you'll have lot's of new best friends! Also see Jeff Ethel's book on evaluating Warbirds. Hope this brief opinion helps

[Paul Krumrei]

Paul Great website.. i'll be trawling thru it soon!

Thanks,

Great to have you here!

[ZuluEcho]

thanks Bill... I guess I'll have to make do with the crop dusters for the moment.. check out my new post on the T-6 vs T-28.. Appreciate the info you posted.