[Milsurplus] Re: Collings Foundation

[David Stinson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <flood at Krohne.com>

> They were more than happy to have me help on other stuff but had no
> interest, at that time at least, on old working radio gear.  The weight of
> the gear was heavy and weight = fuel consumption and as we all know
> especially now, fuel=$$$...

That's a straw-man argument
lesser "restoration" groups have used for years.
The weight of an authentic radio set-up is so small a percentage
of the total mass of the aircraft as to make any additional fuel
costs a silly joke.  Besides- do they want to recreate the
authentic aircraft, or, like the politicallyCorrect Air Farce, do they
want to build a "Cessna-in-a-warbird-skin" to hawk around the
country like a thrill ride in a travelling carnival show?
The aircraft could not have done what it did without the period
technology that made it possible.  Some old systems might not
be legal to use.  Some must be augmented.  The authentic radios
ain't one of those systems.  As far as I'm concerned, any
"restoration" outfit who has no respect for the radios has
no respect for the history of the aircraft.  If they're going to
do a "half-ass" job on that system, what about the other
systems in the aircraft?  What other corners are they cutting?

I have this vision of Judgement Day,
the day when the Almighty settles all accounts:
All the brave radio men
who died at their posts in burning bombers,
pointing their fingers at "restoration" groups and saying:
"We don't count?  Our deaths didn't matter?"

73 D.S.