When do current display aircraft become historic in their own right

Interesting question. I suspect the liklihood is that many of these aircraft (especially a Spitfire or Hurricane) will end up representing the breed’s wartime heritage – which in a sense is what they are doing right now on the display circuit.

You raise a valid point that many aircraft’s airshow history is also important. But what of the other airshow types? Your point is surely as valid for say the Rothman’s Aerobatic Team’s Pitts.

I saw a Pitts Special at the Science Museum recently – it certainly felt right in there. It had earned its place, as do many other airshow performers.

Allan

Bruce

that is entirely my point, for example lefty’s p38 has huge history in it’s own right. Someday I hope red bull or future owners acknowledge this with preservation plans when fuel, spares or insurance become a limiting factor

from my own limited perspective the kind of aircraft that fall into this category are

MH434
White lightning
BBMF Lanc and hurri ( last of the few)
just jane ( pioneer of aircraft preservation)

This question has a wider point.

For aircraft currently on the display circuit, which are already well represented in museums, such as Hunters, Vampire, Venoms, JP and so on – what will happen to them when they are retired from flying?

Some may go the Bruntingthorpe route – how many more will be scrapped; and will we be scrapping good aircraft and keeping less good ones in our museums…..

In the case of MH434, it has been flying on the display circuit for longer than it had an operational history – as have most of the currently flying Spitfires, so it is an important part of its history, and when it is eventually retired, it is incumbent on whomsoever displays it to make sure that is well represented.

Bruce

Well I, for one, can’t think of a better way to spend lottery money…

Personally I think the social history becomes truely historic, when it involves something that transcends normal human life (sounds very grand i know).

The actual warbirds that flew during combat (even if they didn’t see combat) represent something very fine and brave in humans (whatever side they flew from). The ability to put their lives on the line, for what they belived was right, or for their friends flying with them.

Non-combat history is made, when the people involved likewise make a sacrifice for their dreams. Something others can asipre to.

In short; a historic aircraft represent something we can aspire to. Be that personal bravery, or fullfilling the dream of digging an old aircraft out from under 270 feet of ice.

That’s exactly my point, when fuel and insurance get’s too expensive don’t these aircraft deserve a place in a museum in their own right!

When does the social history of an aircraft become so signifcant that it becomes important in it’s own right. BBMF lanc is a great example of no combat history as an airframe but significant social history as the one that kept the memory alive, the one who undertook all the rememberance flights etc

Hopefully people will continue to have an interest in historic aircraft and keep spending their money on restoring/keeping them.

The problem is that we will continue to get more historic aircraft as time passes. 100 years from now, there will be our current historic aircraft, plus the aircraft that we now use in military service (some of them at least). Will there be private economic support for all those aircraft?

Once BBMF has flown its last “sortie” I don’t think the UK government would be spending money on them. We can only hope that a private enterprise will take over and preserve them as static display – I think its worth it for their history.

The Vulcan might be a different story. It takes a well running group to maintain and run such an undertaking and it might not be possible to find such a group, should the current no longer be able to undertake the job (hopefully they will for many years).

I don’t think restoration and airshow flying is enough to make an aircraft historic (as you seem to be asking). Although there are aircraft that could be considered historic for their post-service life alone. One such aircraft would be “Glacier Girl”, because her story is so unusual. Kee Bird could have been another. They both represent a huge and unusual undertaking, that should inspire people both inside and outside the historic aviation community.

I guess thats how warbirds end their life. One day there are no longer anyone to pay the bills and they decline.

In the case of PA474 at least, hell yes!