Warbird Information Exchange

I had an idea a while back for a warbird restoration exchange type program. After noting that the U.S. has essentially derelict warbirds sitting around other countries in bad condition I figured that maybe we should offer to help restore the planes for them. They receive a aircraft looking good as new with a restoration done right, and the United States would recieve a better showing - not to mention we get to stop worrying about whether it is being taken care of. I was originally going to post this in the Beijing P-61 thread seeing as it is a good candidate, but then I decided the topic should better receive its own thread. Another example would be the American aircraft at Monino. The big problem, as always, would be money; politics would obviously also be an issue. For those who doubt it is possible, there is somewhat of a precedent if you look into the history of the restorations of U-505 at MSI and the Do 335 at NASM - both had Germans helping to bring their work back to its former glory. With enough time, effort and finagling I believe a program could be started.

Think it could work?

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

Whoa! Thanks for the insight. To be completely clear, I am nowhere near being actually able to pull this off. I wanted to note that in case, as is the impression I got from reading your post (based on the level of detail you went into), you or anyone else thought I was. Especially since I don't want you to waste too much time giving a very in-depth breakdown for something that isn't going to happen (at least by me in the near future). Either way, I still very much enjoy your post, it was very insightful and eye-opening.

This was just an idea I had a while ago and was only now prompted to write about because of the P-61 thread. The ironic aspect that I only fully realized after reading your post was that I think I had originally come up with the idea with the partially unwitting notion that it would be something carried out by a government museum (e.g. NMUSAF or NASM). It's ironic because this would be the one entity that would not have funding problems and half of the problem of carrying out such a plan would be funding it.

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

I think that government museums have a much bigger funding problem than you think. The majority (I think) are run as foundations and are not supported by tax dollars directly.

.[/quote]I think that government museums have a much bigger funding problem than you think. The majority (I think) are run as foundations and are not supported by tax dollars directly.[/quote]

exactly look at how well the government milks us to run the failed USPS. if you ran a business the way the federal government runs their business(es), they'd put you under the jail

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Yeah, I had second thoughts about the veracity of my statement that government museums wouldn't have a funding problem. I considered including some caveats to that effect when I was writing the post, but I decided against it. Looks like I was wrong.

That being said, I'd rather not turn this into a political argument - so I would appreciate it if it stayed out of that territory.

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Tri-State Warbird Museum Collections Manager & Museum Attendant

Warbird Philosophy Webmaster

you got it man, I was just sayin"

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

The NASM has loaned out aircraft needing restoration to museums willing to undertake such a project at their expense; ie.the XP-55 at the Air Zoo and the VF-173 Flying Pancake at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas. The museum in question can then display the aircraft for 10 or 15 years at which point the aircraft is returned to the NASM. In regards to the 2 aforementioned aircraft, this plan has worked well and perhaps we will see more of this kind of activity in the future.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!