When I was in my teens the spotters at Southend with any interest in historic aircraft regarded the barn at Heavitree as the place they would most want to visit, largely because it was supposed to be almost impossible to access with, or without, permission from the owner.
Bertram Arden does deserve credit for saving the aircraft but it is a great shame that few from his collection have ever been restored to fly again particularly as it appears that the main stumbling block now is probably the perceived value of the airframes.
The fact that the Swallow which was rescued and restored years ago is now said to be languishing in storage suggests that these aircraft are only desirable to a small section of the aviation community which, in turn, suggests that they are not hugely valuable. I am sure no one would want to see the current owners ripped off but equally few can afford or are prepared to pay way over market value for restoration projects particularly in the current economic climate.
There have been instances in the past where stored aircraft have been burnt or scrapped because the owner decided they would rather destroy them than accept an offer which was below their expectations so we can’t regard these aircraft as being safeguarded for the future.
Let’s hope they remain in safe storage until a time comes when circumstances allow them to be released for rebuild by someone who has the skills and dedication to get them flying again.