Warbird Information Exchange

I had a great time at Midland. Obviously I would have loved to have flown on Sunday but the weather is the only thing you can't control. After the show was canxd on Sunday I went around and took pictures of the tramp stamps. Some look better than others but I don't think they are that big of a deal.

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Brad

OK...I'll display my ignorance once again. Why are they called "Tramp Stamps"?

Mudge the educable

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Land of the free because of the brave

Seems the branding is working, you noticed all of the CAF aircraft. Be thankful they are still around because of what that logo represents.

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Taylor Stevenson

Branding notwithstanding...I've found that it's kinda' hard to miss an airplane with or without a "brand".

Mudge the alert

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Land of the free because of the brave

I don't like it at all - looks cheap.

But as they say, what colour is your warbird?????

PS - I'll take the blonde....

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..defeat is never an option!

Mudge,
The point of the branding is not whether you notice the airplane, it is that you notice the organization it belongs to. Remember guys, I don't like 'em too much either, but this campaign is mainly focused on Joe Shmoe airshow attendee and the general public, not this board of authenticity nuts ( and I consider myself one).

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Taylor Stevenson

Mudge,
By the way "Tramp Stamp" is a derogatory name for a lower back tattoo on girls. I see a lot of them in college, hopefully the lower half
The term is meant to insult the logo.

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Taylor Stevenson

Not a big fan, but I think the ones on the tail are less detracting. The one on the Zero for example. Now if we could just move it below the horizontal, we may have a winner. Now the one on the B-29, I wonder how much additional fuel it will cost to haul that one around

Chunks

Here's one that's certainly more disturbing... looks like Midland got it one of them thar tattoo parlers...

... and yep, that's something you can't unsee gents...

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

I do really like the "full color" one on some of the L-birds and trainers. I think it fits in with their scheme better.

I still haven't gotten an answer as to whether the R4D got a paint job while it was in Sherman. The pictures of the tail from Brad certainly lend credence to it being done because the lettering and logo is MUCH crisper than I remember....maybe it's just the "dreary" weather hiding her "patina".

Exactly my point all this time. It isn't the airplane they give a hoot about at the corporate offices, it's the "brand". The airplane is just a mobile billboard to sell the marketing scheme. This is the last I'll ever say about those stickers.

Scott the former "Colonel"

DOH!!! Ryan, how could you do that to us?

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

I don't think they are all that bad, but for those of you who do, just send your support to that other museum with the airworthy Helldiver and hopefully soon to be airworthy B-29..oh...wait, there is no other museum that have those!
Seriously, while not a big fan of the CAF, they do have to make money as anyone else does these days. As I have said before, if someone really does not like them, there is a simple solution. Call CAF headquarters and ask how much revenue is received from those "tramp stamps", or how much advertising would cost to make up for the lack of the stamps, and then whip out the old checkbook, write a check to cover one or more of the birds you don't want to see it on, and send it to them under the condition that the stamp is removed. Wasn't that easy?

Hi Brad:

I think bikini's trump tramp stamps by 1000%, but nice pictures oof the planes!

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"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!" R.R.

Welcome to the USSA! One Nanny State Under the Messiah, Indivisible with Tyranny, Higher Taxes, Socialism, Radical Environmentalism and a Loss of Income for all. Boy I'm proud to be a part of the USSA, what can I do to raise taxes, oh boy oh boy!

I not only think that comment is unfair, it is just plain uninformed. You cannot possibly believe that HQ does not care about the aircraft. The point is to form a brand so there are the funds to keep these historic aircraft in the air for years to come. I get really annoyed when people infer that HQ just cares about making money to go into coffer in Midland that doesn't benefit the aircraft.

Scott please tell me where you think the money from the marketing scheme goes?

AIRSHO, AIRCRAFT, INSURANCE, KEEPING THE HANGAR LIGHTS ON, YOUTH PROGRAMS, DISPATCH, ETC. ?

I am assuming you had a bad experience with the CAF, but please don't let that lead to false accusations.

Most 501(c)3 organizations are struggling in these tough economic times, and the CAF is no exception. We don't have the luxury of having deep enough pockets (like many private collections) to make every aircraft 100% original and free of trademark, if we did we would.

Rant over.

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Taylor Stevenson