Nutty, I most certainly do think that these aircraft have a relevance today. In every theatre around the world they defeated tyranny and assured the liberty that we all enjoy today, whether taken for granted or not. But sooner or later time has to be called on their continued operation. Again, I fully accept your assurances about the technical excellence of them being restored to even higher standards than when they emerged from the factory. Though if Castle Bromwich was still churning out Spits to the same specs as in the war what chance they would get a CofA for the civil register? Nil I'd suggest, restored vintage ones being allowed on it as special cases.
I suggest that the main difficulties lie with the larger ME types. There are immediately handling issues that the SE types aren't affected by. Add to that pilots who have to learn the arcane challenges of tail draggers and of course the enormous operating costs (not the least of which is insurance) when the sheer necessity of paying passengers becomes very apparent.
Another anecdote springs to mind. The OC BBMF (as was) emphasised the importance of feedback from visiting veterans. Recalling the trouble they were having in trying to three point the Lanc in a crosswind, one of them said, "Why try? Just wheel it on, keep straight with the rudders until effectiveness falls off with decreasing speed, and only then lower the tail and the (locked) tailwheel. That's what we did". To which I might add, so did we on the Hastings! Somehow though the corporate memory had forgotten it over the intervening years.
The Royal Navy very sensibly doesn't sail Victory or Warrior any more, glorious though that sight would be. They are too venerable, not seaworthy, and the skillsets needed to do that are very much reduced. I would suggest that we are approaching that same state with ME vintage WWII military aircraft. We will have to start thinking of enjoying them on the ground, static or taxying, but not airborne. They are only airworthy because they are said to be, but are they really?
SE types will no doubt suffer many more restrictions for display and operating purposes but should manage to keep flying for longer. Eventually their time will come as well though. Nothing is for ever...