Warbird Information Exchange

As a collector of over $120,000 of rare books, maps, flying gear, aircraft parts and photos i can say that unless collections do get broken up there is no way currently nowdays that people can have stuff suriving into future.

Sad but true.

No one currently now days has ability to buy enmasse someone unique life long items unless rich or have the space for them.
I know space is critical as i have run out of it 4years ago but i still collect..

If someone sells a flight helmet on ebay - depending on what it is it may sell for between $100-$12,500.

If you throw in say a pilots helmet, oxygen mask, suit, maps , book, etc into the same deal the price at end will most times drop off dramatically and thus be cheaper for people to afford...but then your stuck with alot of gear you may not want tho?

People dont want whole collections... but trade off is you acquire and sell again what you dont want and you easily recover your costs you spent.

Museums i deal with are same space is issue.. they love donated items but where will they store it is the key issues.

At moment im planning to sell off some of my collection as i wish to focus on building the world biggest USAF and RAAF Korean and Vietnam display sets ever seen in Australia.... it will happen.

Sadly for me im yet to decide if i want to publicly open my collection to people or keep it private. There are trade off .. people get to learn about history but opening it up leave open to nastier things.

I have just brought from Jack Cook some WW2 photos so they will go to my collection as well along with around 30 other rare official Korean and Vietnam photos.

Take for example recently ive seen many USN and USAF sets on ebay whole pilots flying kits from their service times sold for only a few hundred $$ when individually sets are $ thousands..

One key critical pieice of US history sold recently ---- a first generation 1946-1948 jet helmet with a tank helmet as a basis was sold.

This is first time anything like that was seen by any one into pilot gear. Most likely used by an F-80 pilot from 71st FIS at March Field California in 1948 and was intact. This should belong in USAFM museum of all places but it wont i can bet.

Same with anything connected to flying.. there stuffis out there that in time will amaze us all when it appears.

Ebay has cheap warbirds but if a owner just lists it as " old war plane" you can bet no one will see or find it. Ive found stuff cheap because owners bad title it and no one see it ....and hence low bids