[ARC5] Fwd: [Milsurplus] More Moron-ities. This Will Turn

[David Stinson]

OK... I've been biting my tongue but it's way past time 
someone challenged this "conventional wisdom."
Thank you for writing, Dave, but the idea of stripping out the 
equipment to "save weight" is very much like the 1950s 
idea that we had to "de-TVI" the radio gear; this guy said it 
was a good idea, so his buddy said it was a good idea
so their buddies said etc. etc.  Next thing you know 
everyone is saying:  "Let's strip it because it's a good idea."
and it's become "fact by default."

Well, the de-TVI idea was nonsense and so is this one,
and one need not be an aeronautical engineer to 
see that; it's simple math.
What is the gross take-off weight of a stock WWII C-47 
minus cargo?  What is the weight of the "guts" you've
pulled-out of the irreplaceable equipment you've
destroyed?  You will find you've committed historic
vandalism to save a tiny fraction of a single percent
of gross weight- less effect than if you have a mild 
crosswind on take-off.  An insignificant difference
purchased by the destruction of relics.  
And please don't give me that "one extra pound could 
kill us all" sillyness.  The pilots don't hesitate to pack
an extra cooler or an extra young lady or two
or a few extra suitcases when they want them and 
I don't seen anyone running around wringing their hands
about how this "extra weight" is going to kill them. 
Pure nonsense.  The aircraft was designed to fly safely
with tons of cargo or empty.  50 extra pounds is nothing.

For me, there is no moral difference in you destroying
the avionics that made the C-47's mission possible
and me destroying your precious engines that made
the C-47's mission possible.  In the moral sense,
they are identically needless and identically inexcuseable.

73 DE Dave AB5S