Time to ask a rare opinion ...

[L-4Pilot]

War always takes a toll either physical or mental and some of our soldiers pay a terrible price. That is why my Wife and I have willed our entire estate to Veterans groups when we pass on, especially Wounded Warriors since we have no children.

I believe restored military aircraft serve as living history and a reminder of our obligation to those who have put it all on the line for us.

We need more people in our society like Gary Sinise.

[Mark Allen M]

That is why my Wife and I have willed our entire estate to Veterans groups when we pass on, especially Wounded Warriors.

Fantastic!!!! ...

[Randy Haskin]

Fantastic sentiment.

I know amongst the guys I was on active duty with, there was a lot of criticism of the Wounded Warrior Foundation with respect to the percentage of their money that actually goes toward charitable causes.

[Lon Moer]

"........A freshly restored warbird, resplendent in its polished aluminum and Iron, represents a glorious past that existed only in the minds of those who were never there. What are the chances of a dirty, grimy, bloody, shot up, and patched together warbird receiving a Lindy? What are the chances the owner would be asked to move his old girl off Wittman Field... "

This is what caught my attention.
Its been a long long time since I've been to Oshkosh, since "Pope Paul"(Bob Love's name for him ) ran the show.

Has it become a "Concourse of the Over Restored" the way Pebble Beach and Amelia Island have become for classic cars?
The jewels of today's restorations not only don't represent the planes as they were during the war, they don't represent what the planes were like comming of the assembly lines.

[Mark Allen M]

"........A freshly restored warbird, resplendent in its polished aluminum and Iron, represents a glorious past that existed only in the minds of those who were never there. What are the chances of a dirty, grimy, bloody, shot up, and patched together warbird receiving a Lindy? What are the chances the owner would be asked to move his old girl off Wittman Field... "

This is what caught my attention.
Its been a long long time since I've been to Oshkosh, since "Pope Paul"(Bob Love's name for him ) ran the show.

Has it become a "Concourse of the Over Restored" the way Pebble Beach and Amelia Island have become for classic cars?
The jewels of today's restorations not only don't represent the planes as they were during the war, they don't represent what the planes were like comming of the assembly lines.

Nicely stated. My original thoughts as well.

[John Dupre]

For myself my early interest in warbirds was fueled only by the aircraft themselves especially when I realized how this entire class of piston engine propeller driven aircraft was cut off at the height of its development. That aspect just fascinated me. There was no long drawn out denouement it all just ended basically in the span of 5 or 10 years. Then I began to learn about the men who flew and fought these aircraft, fighter aces of course were an early fascination but eventually anyone who flew or worked on any of the aircraft of the war era brought out a genuine respect and appreciation in me. Soon there will be none of these men around. The aircraft will remain for another decade or so and then there will be no active tangible way of understanding how life was lived and lost and the impact it had. When you have listened to a man tell you how it was for him it is far different than reading about it. Eventually all we will have of that era will be the objects and hopefully they will continue to inspire people to learn about those who used them in the greatest single conflict this world has ever known.

[p51]

I know amongst the guys I was on active duty with, there was a lot of criticism of the Wounded Warrior Foundation with respect to the percentage of their money that actually goes toward charitable causes.

Yeah, I was surprised at the %s of donations that go to the actual vets.
They're actively against 2nd amendment issues, too, which I don't like (you don't have to take my word for it, look it up). They are against vets owning guns because of the suicide rate with them among many vets...

[quemerford]

They're actively against 2nd amendment issues, too, which I don't like (you don't have to take my word for it, look it up). They are against vets owning guns because of the suicide rate with them among many vets...

Seems a sensible idea to me. Did I miss something?

[p51]

Seems a sensible idea to me. Did I miss something?

I'm not big on any group who is actively against anything in the constitution.
To me, that's like saying that vets should have curtailed freedom of speech because grumpy old vets can sometimes sound like real jerks of nuts jobs when they talk or post online...

[Saville]

The war came. Had to be fought. Those men and women stepped up and did their jobs. All of them paid a huge price - some the ultimate.

Warbird restorations are not about glorification of war. It's about celebrating those men and women, and thanking them.

It's also about really hot, good looking airplanes

I used to be a re-enactor. Re-enactors get into it for various reasons. Some do glorify war but that's their reason. Others love that period of time/history. Still others are helping us to not forget what they did. A zillion different reasons.

So to try and group re-enacting all into one war-mongering category is ignorance at it's finest.

[p51]

So to try and group re-enacting all into one war-mongering category is ignorance at it's finest.

I agree but I have met plenty of people who don't see it that way.
I had a feeling that my encounters with people who think anything acknowledging military history being war mongering would be largely ignored. I've had unfortunate encounters with plenty of them over the years.

[4RG.I.'S]

What are the chances of a dirty, grimy, bloody, shot up, and patched together warbird receiving a Lindy? What are the chances the owner would be asked to move his old girl off Wittman Field... "[/i]

A very fascinating and interesting post and I thank him for posting it.

I would love to see a warbird rough and tattered as it was when our heroes were using them as designed. That being said, those aircraft were there for a purpose and weren't expected to last very long at all. Today's warbird needs to pass modern inspections and be maintained to specific standards. They are also a bit costly and with today's prices and values, need to be serviceable to last for who knows how long. I believe seeing these machines at all is a tribute not only to those that flew and maintained them but those that built them as well as all of their families and friends that supported them. To see one restored to the condition it was as it left the factory, or represented as it (or a model like it) served in combat can be equally supportive and memorable of those that it represents.

[Mark Allen M]

I would love to see a warbird rough and tattered as it was when our heroes were using them as designed.

There's a "birdcage" Corsair coming to an airshow in the not too distant future that will set a new bar for "authentic" restorations. It will look like it just returned from a VMF airstrip in the S Pacific during the war. Dirty, oil stains, wear on the paint, original in every way possible etc. yet immaculate in every way possible. It will be tricky to incorporate both ideas, but it can be done. We shall see soon.

And yes, it's a combat vet ...

[kalamazookid]

I would love to see a warbird rough and tattered as it was when our heroes were using them as designed.

There's a "birdcage" Corsair coming to an airshow in the not too distant future that will set a new bar for "authentic" restorations. It will look like it just returned from a VMF airstrip in the S Pacific during the war. Dirty, oil stains, wear on the paint, original in every way possible etc. yet immaculate in every way possible. It will be tricky to incorporate both ideas, but it can be done. We shall see soon.

And yes, it's a combat vet ...

It's a cool idea, but I really hope this doesn't come out as poorly as some of "weathering" techniques modelers use. Looking forward to seeing how something like that turns out on a real warbird.

[4RG.I.'S]

There's a "birdcage" Corsair coming to an airshow in the not too distant future that will set a new bar for "authentic" restorations. It will look like it just returned from a VMF airstrip in the S Pacific during the war. Dirty, oil stains, wear on the paint, original in every way possible etc. yet immaculate in every way possible. It will be tricky to incorporate both ideas, but it can be done. We shall see soon.

And yes, it's a combat vet ...

This ^ sounds awesome!
I greatly appreciate the research, detail and effort given these days to provide these aircraft for us to observe and experience first hand. While a picture can say a thousand words (keep posting them Mark! ), to see, hear, smell and feel them keeps history alive.
To have one (hopefully the first of many) restored to something that equals a combat ship from WWII passed through a time machine into today's warbird community is very exciting indeed. If only there was someone that is fluent in posting pictures and also has an "in" with such an endeavor...