MMMmmmiles
Hi Boris,
Your friend and I are like-minded. We are but the temporary custodians of these fine machines and I do agree that it is our duty to preserve them for future generations.
I remember in the 80's a colleague was given a 'time-warp' Healey Tickford. It had belonged to a vicar. It was lovely and just needed some skilled sympathetic restoration. I was so envious!He had persuaded the vicars widow that he would restore it to its former glory and put it back on the road. He stripped it out, 'rubbed' it down with an orbital sander (Oops! went through the ally body in a few places..) but then realised what he had taken on and hadn't got the money, the space or the skills. It sat in his front garden over the winter and his wife persuaded him to get the scrappy to collect it eventually....
In the case of aircraft - the industry is riddled with dishonesty as well as dreamers.
There are those who tout for artefacts - Miles Aircraft parts specifically in the case of a regular advertiser - by posing as enthusiasts yet are just in it for the money. They hope to find something really juicy for tuppence, safe in the knowledge that a real enthusiast will pay a lot more.
Case in point - 1 Magister fuselage with a wonderful racing history and a perfect basis for another flyer - sold with a raft of original/ rare bits to somebody for a 'few hundred pounds' on the promise that he would restore it to fly.
This bloke did a really good job because he had joined The Miles Collection, even went to a few pub meets with the 'inner sanctum' and generally got well 'in the know', lying his way into the Maggie project, bought it and was never heard of again.
That was until he claimed 'hard times' recently and offered it to me for £8000. It was then bought (for less than it was offered to me but still a handsome profit was made) by somebody intent on selling it to a Museum - to form the basis of a static exhibit (groan..)
I suspect that the volunteers couldn't raise the enormous price requested.
The new owner then contacted me, claimed 'hard times' (a familiar ploy?!) and offered it to me for a ridiculous sum of money.
These people are effectively working against the preservation movement because they hoard vital parts in the expectation of a profit.
In the case of the Maggie - a potential flyer - they didn't care a stuff who bought it or what happened to it as long as there was a profit in it.
I tackled the original purchaser of the Maggie fuz. He fired off a 'you'r an ars@h@le' E'Mail at me!!
Well that's one way of explaining how you feel I suppose...!
I had exposed him. He didn't like it.
I then see him featured recently in a Southern Hemisphere magazine. Read the article and you would shake his hand warmly for his 'contribution to the preservation of old aircraft in England. '
They don't know him 'Down Under' yet! Watch this space....
HP