Australian Be2A

Indeed and it must be said that the latest generation of replica’s /reproductions/late production aircraft have certainly set new standards of perfection! So whether its Be2’s -American built D.H 4 ‘s -Sopwith Snipe’s or whatever else we are in a time where what seemed difficult or impossible is achievable with imagination and owners who are prepared to spend large sums of
money .

Anyone quibbling over dictionary definitions is missing what a lovely job that is. Can’t wait to see it finished.

a BE2a built to the original specification will teach you about the techniques used at the time, it’s fragility will remind you how brave the people that flew these aeroplanes (and won the odd Victoria Cross in them) were.

Well said…Thats the most important thing….

Whilst they are not called that the whole basis of production is replication.

Precisely so; every one after the first one of the batch / mod / mark is a replica, nothing derogatory about it.

I agree with David, terminology can get a bit tiresome. If a bit less effort was spent in discussing what a replica is then ‘we’ might find enough time and effort to actually replicate/reproduce/facsimilie something we would all like to see. How about that Siskin?…..

The bottom line is: Is it accurate? To me WW1 ‘replicas’ with ‘modern’ engines are interesting but they do not teach you anything about the operation of World War One aeroplanes; Plastic Spitfires and wooden flying ones will only ever be lookalikes, but on the other hand a BE2a built to the original specification will teach you about the techniques used at the time, it’s fragility will remind you how brave the people that flew these aeroplanes (and won the odd Victoria Cross in them) were. I am very proud to have been involved with the Memorial Flight Association from it’s beginnings. We have made aeroplanes that are as accurate as we can make them, we have flown them and we have learned. You can call them replicas, rebuilds (when used as a French term it means ‘to build again’) facsimlies. ‘late production’, it doesn’t matter. They are as near as you are going to see in this day and age.

Keeping the history of World War One alive can no longer include the survivors. But the techniques and skills learned then CAN be kept alive and I am pleased to see what is being done with the BE2. You can call it a replica, you can call it a reproduction, you can call it Desdemona if you wish, I do not care.

That is a very nice Be2a

I don’t really perceive that the term ‘replica’ can be deemed as derogatory. Whilst the term replica has been applied to many aircraft over the years that do not accurately reflect the original -the true definition is of something that is a perfect copy. So going into your point of the license built or subcontracted production -yes they are effectively replica’s as they do replicate the original item. Whilst they are not called that the whole basis of production is replication.

My pocket Oxford (yes I still have those old things called “Books”) give the meaning of replica as “Exact REPRODUCTION”.
With reference to post 5 , if the criteria is that only the original production line and workers can produce the authentic and real aeroplane, then all the aircraft not produced on the original line by the original worker are “Replicas”.
SO… a Westland built Spitfire, a Castle Bromich built Lancaster, a Morris motors built Tiger, a London Transport built Halifax etc etc ad nauseum are all replicas???? I think not.
An aircraft built to the original (or photocopied/microfilmed etc) drawings and specifications are post or re PRODUCTIONS. I would also temper this a little in that some of the old material spec materials are no longer available but have been superseded with modern available approved substitutes. eg Finnish birch / English birch, epoxy glue/casien glue, SAE1045/S6 steel.
Personally, I find application of “Replica” somewhat offensive (not withstanding and bearing in mind the Oxford definition) and after 57 years in the reproduction game I think I can have this point of view. I have discussed this topic at length with many people around the world over the years and the best and least derogatory term is Reproduction or at worst Post Production.
To end, I heartily concur with line 3 of post#1

Interview with Andrew Wilcox, and various other people involved in similar projects in this Plane Crazy Down Under podcast episode.

http://www.planecrazydownunder.com/2012/02/29/pcdu-episode-83-replicate-this/

Replica is what it is! It exactly replicates the original machine. Unless you have opened up the old production line -re-employed the original workers its not ‘late production’ !

Wow! Thanks for sharing 🙂 love little projects like this. Superb work

That is stunning. I hope he can finish it in time as they would look stunning together and a very fitting tribute.

CORRECT!CORRECT! CORRECT! Reproduction is the word you want. The term “replica” is bandied about by some who seem to think they know what they are talking about but in most cases they are those who are the armchair experts. There are those of us who DO and those of us who dream and postulate. BAH HUMBUG.
There that’s vented my spleen.