Fw 190

[pikas]

‪FHC Luftwaffe Day - Focke Wulf 190 A-5 and Messerschmitt Bf-109E-3 Emil‬‏ - YouTube

[bogdan]

I have to agree with the "Keep 'em flying" folks. I feel that looking at a non-flying "restored" warbird in a museum is just looking at warbird shaped paint. If it don't fly it ain't a "bird" !!! Well, maybe a DODO ! There is at least one company here in the states that makes fiberglass replicas from molds of the originals for museum display as gate guards, e.g. P40 Tomahawk on a post in Riverside, CA. The Planes of Fame Mus. here has a He-100D-1, an Me-163 Komet and a Ba-349 Natter all of wood made by an aviation enthusiast/woodworker. I don't know the actual construction of this Natter but it could be argued that it's close to being an actual aircraft like the original. At the majority of Museums you're only looking at warbird shaped paint and, depending on the vintage of the aircraft, not even paint of that era. I had been to the Yank's Air Museum here in CA many years ago when they were restoring an MYK-7 Ohka and they had just gotten the wing back from a woodworking shop. It was unpainted and mind boggling beautiful just like a refinished antique oak wood floor. The museum manager was there and I suggested to him that this would be the way to leave the Ohka display because NOWHERE ELSE could you see this aircraft this way and actually what went into it's construction.
To sum up, if it ain't flying and you're not looking at the as pulled from the bottom of the lake with original everything then it might as well be made of wood or fiberglass and painted with simulated colors and markings like a BIG model.
Regards,
Bill

[noelh]

As a pilot maybe I'm biased but aeroplanes are meant to fly. Not sitting in a museum incontinently leaking oil onto a drip tray. Certainly if the aircraft is unique or has a particular history. Then there's a case for it. Other Fw190s exist but none fly. This one is unique in that. Aircraft only come alive when in the air. There is nothing quite like seeing and hearing a warbird in the air. Or standing behind a Spitfire as it starts up feeling and smelling it coming to live.

Let it fly.