daveymac82c wrote:
My issue with this situation is the price the airframe was sold to VW of C for. $1 is not an appropriate price for that airplane, even before any work was done on the airframe it was worth far more that $1.
The Ministry of Defence ( Spit owner) has not revealed the price. There is no hard evidence of what was paid for the a/c ..just rumours)
daveymac82c wrote:
there any documentation as to how it could be sold for nothing? Sounds like total and absolute corruption if you ask me.
Wrong...this is pretty much a standard museum transaction. If a Museum can no longer support the restoration or storage of an artifact., it has an obligation to find an new home for the item. In this case they were able to attract a very capable organization that can do the restoration justice. Sorry but a cold hard fact: VWC is the most capable group inside Canada at this time. That is a bold statement but sorry it is a fact
daveymac82c wrote:
being said, I can definitely still sympathize with the volunteers who are irrate.
They had pictured this airplane remaining in Comox and being the jewel of their museum. In retrospect, if they were told, "Here, work on this airplane, donate your own time and money to it, and then we'll sell it away for less than the price of a bad cup of coffee" the volunteers would probably have just said "Scr*w You."
At no time were the volunteers involved in any kind contract. Volunteering is just that. You give of your time freely and with no expectation of reward etc. If you do expect reward ...well thats not in the spirit of the act.
The volunteers had one expectation but the owners control the outcome.
Once the owners felt it was no longer a viable project , they did exactly what they should do . Found the a/c the best possible environment to be restored in. ( name a more capable organization)
daveymac82c wrote:
the military should have done is sold the Spitfire at market value, and maybe even given something back to the Comox museum as some kind of thank you. Whatever the amount, it would be a whole lot better than the cold shoulder they received. Heck, even if the military got $1,000,000 for the Spitfire and then spread that money out across all the military museums in Canada, that would be great for everyone!
Davey think about it, putting on the market could have resulted to it leaving Canada. it would have also open up more controversy like the Mossie/ hurricane issue in Alberta.
In it's present state the project is not even worth 1 mil and VWC will have to spend 2-3 mil to get in airworthy.
As for a cold shoulder , well if you read between the lines it seems like there were issues between the volunteers and the Military
daveymac82c wrote:
fact that the project was slowing down and not being restored at the pace that a fully staffed and paid workshop would produce is a bad reason for taking it away. Restorations take time, some longer than others, but I think the length of a project should not determine its demise.
At the present rate it would have taken 20 years. IF they could find people to continue. 20 yrs was well beyond the lifetime of the active volunteers.
It is my understanding that it was not a fully staffed workshop but one paid mechanic (Armed Forces) and a group of volunteers
Also well past the lifetime of the remaining veterans that would love to see a Spitfire fly out west ( VWC plans to do this)
In reality the owner, M of D found the project no longer a feasible one and did the best thing for the a/c. This is more important that hurting the feelings of a few volunteers.
daveymac82c wrote:
final note: VW of C is getting a ripper of a deal on this one. Imagine how happy you'd be to get a $3,000,000 airplane for half price!
Again the a/c is NOT worth 3mil in it's present state. VWC will spend millions to get it flying.
In the end you must look beyond the feelings of a few people. I too sympathize is some ways however this is not about them it's about whats good for the a/c. There are no negatives sides to where it is going and many many positives.
AsI have said in other Forums. Lets be thankful that a Canadian organisation has come along and will bring her back to flying condition.
And lets all look forward to the days she flys in Canada as a tribute to all the veterans past and present.
Long may she fly
Mod edit: quotes tidied up, so they work. JDK.