Fatal Warbird Crash Rebuild Question & Poll

[ZRX61]

Why just about warbirds? How about the thousands of buildings restored after WWII bombing where 1000's died? Or old cars & motorcycles etc? ships? USS Iowa in Long Beach harbor springs to mind.

[RobC]

If it makes you squeamish, just jack it up and put a new dataplate on*. That doesn't seem to bother many people.



*preferably one with some BOB combat history

[Jack Cook]

My opinion is not worth much but if a family is involved best thread lightly.
If the Corsair my cousin is emtombed in is every pulled up from its watery
grave after 70 years I'd go to war with anyone who tried to make it fly again.
Other than that go fly the piss outa them!

[bdk]

Is it any less sacrilegious to restore the aircraft in question to static display vs. flight? What is the difference? How is one situation more honorable than another?

[bdk]

In the legal sense, who owns the deceased body of the military dead? Could the family recover the body of a loved one from their "war grave" without military or other government approval?

[Jack Cook]

Emotions aren't logical just ask Spock!

[Sgt13Echo]

Would you buy a car someone died in?

[_evan]

Would you buy a car someone died in?

Yes.

My friend bought a 100 dollar datsun with a bullet hole in the roof from the previous owner. That car to date has had 2 fatalities in it. He doesn't care its an intimate object. people die everywhere every single second of every day so why treat it like its ruined after?

[bdk]

Would you buy a car someone died in?

How about a house?

Would you stay in a motel where someone died?

Queen Mary?

[Jack Cook]

Would you buy a car someone died in?

Would you stay in a motel where someone died?

It would depend I guess on how big a goul you are................

How about a house?

Natural causes or a hatchet murder?

[JohnB]

Would you stay in a motel where someone died?

Ever stay in a hospital room? Not only has someone probably dies there, you might be in the same bed!

Don't worry, they probably changed the sheets.

[lmritger]

There's a fair bit of thoughtful commentary here- mixed with more than the usual amount of reductio ad absurdum- but on the whole, it's a valid question and as the decades roll on, I suspect we'll start to see something of a changing tide on this topic. WWII is still within living history for millions of people around the world, and for those directly impacted by the loss of a loved one during the war, the recovery of the vehicle in which their loved one perished may be distressing at the very least. But with the continual advancement of technology which will allow the discovery and recovery of such aircraft, coupled with the inevitable passing of the immediate family members most directly impacted by such losses during the war, and the curiosity of current and future generations about their own family history, I would expect that there will be less resistance from direct descendants to such recoveries in the future, provided the family's approval is sought and proper tribute paid to the original pilot/crew of the aircraft.

And although I'm sure this is a losing battle right from the start, anyone considering such a recovery should ensure that the resulting restoration is finished in the markings worn by the aircraft when it crashed, as a proper tribute. Yeah, yeah, I know- their money, their airplane, etc. But the family has a stake in that aircraft in well, paid in blood, and any prospective owner needs to bear that in mind.

Lynn

[JimH]

There seems to be two kinds of warbird owners, those that look toward provenance and those that are enthusiasts and have the means to enjoy these machines (paint jobs prove point 2). If someone were to find the dataplate to Preddys CAMIII Mustang I would be willing to bet the farm it would be riveted to an airframe and flown. JR's "old crow" is a fine example of the restorers art and an airplane that was involved in an accident (not in its original scheme). Harry Tope's Mustang is flying again, Korean War Hero, By Request...the list is long. If someone scours the planet for wrecks and spends their money to have it re-built then so be it. Rarely does a machine fail the person. Personally, I'd fly it.

Just my .02c

jim

[Sgt13Echo]

Would you buy a car someone died in?

How about a house?

Would you stay in a motel where someone died?

Queen Mary?

No!

But, I would restore it and sell it to someone who didn't care!

[george]

I agree with JimH. Would like to see them in the air.