Did somebody mention the DH Comet?

To Fly or Not to Fly. That is the question!
Wether it is nobler for the aeroplane to suffer grounding or to say “FLY MY BEAUTY, FLY and in so doing show your true love of the air and the freedom of a summer sky”.
As a “Collector and restorer” I have a reasonably rare assortment. (figures are approx at time of writing). I fly them all whenever possible, and share the delight with as many as possible.
Dragon – 1 of 4
Canadian Fox Moth – 1 of 2
Moth Minor – 1 of 4
Proctor V – only 1
On rebuild – Miles Gemini and Messenger, DH 60 M3. (More on that little teaser later).Also all rather rare.
OK some historic aircraft have “Gone West” but in the meantime have thrilled many a true aviation heart.Mossie and Bulldog as an example.

To Fly or Not to Fly. That is the question!
Wether it is nobler for the aeroplane to suffer grounding or to say “FLY MY BEAUTY, FLY and in so doing show your true love of the air and the freedom of a summer sky”.
As a “Collector and restorer” I have a reasonably rare assortment. (figures are approx at time of writing). I fly them all whenever possible, and share the delight with as many as possible.
Dragon – 1 of 4
Canadian Fox Moth – 1 of 2
Moth Minor – 1 of 4
Proctor V – only 1
On rebuild – Miles Gemini and Messenger, DH 60 M3. (More on that little teaser later).Also all rather rare.
OK some historic aircraft have “Gone West” but in the meantime have thrilled many a true aviation heart.Mossie and Bulldog as an example.

Thanks on the history of the Gee Bee. I was only aware that it was no longer flying.

Thanks on the history of the Gee Bee. I was only aware that it was no longer flying.

slightly (well maybe more so) off topic, but…
Delmar did not ground the Gee Bee because of any flight issues, or for that matter a “scare” he had almost 1000 hours on it when he parked it.
Simply an opportunity to sell it and realise a good price came up, (Kermit Weeks)
A Gee Bee is not an airplane which one sells in a day, or even a year, the number of serious buyers can probably be counted on one hand, and when you find one, you sell. Simple.
(Since the sale Kermit Weeks has chosen not to fly the aircraft for personal reasons, the aircraft was fully airworthy on delivery)

To segway back to topic the same could be said of the Comet, while we would all love to see it fly, and for that matter give it a go, how many would want to own one?

slightly (well maybe more so) off topic, but…
Delmar did not ground the Gee Bee because of any flight issues, or for that matter a “scare” he had almost 1000 hours on it when he parked it.
Simply an opportunity to sell it and realise a good price came up, (Kermit Weeks)
A Gee Bee is not an airplane which one sells in a day, or even a year, the number of serious buyers can probably be counted on one hand, and when you find one, you sell. Simple.
(Since the sale Kermit Weeks has chosen not to fly the aircraft for personal reasons, the aircraft was fully airworthy on delivery)

To segway back to topic the same could be said of the Comet, while we would all love to see it fly, and for that matter give it a go, how many would want to own one?

Yes I am aware that replicas have been built/flown and crashed I was just pointing out that should they wish to build one then it wouldnt be as expensive as say another comet or name your own particular favorite aircraft.

Yes I am aware that replicas have been built/flown and crashed I was just pointing out that should they wish to build one then it wouldnt be as expensive as say another comet or name your own particular favorite aircraft.

Someone did build and fly a replica of the Wright Flyer and this is what happened http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123170874

Someone did build and fly a replica of the Wright Flyer and this is what happened http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123170874

In terms of risk I dont think they would dare fly the Wright Flyer again.

I think we would both agree it is probably quite right that they dont fly the Wright Flyer anyhow. And it is probably considerably less expensive to build a replica of this aircraft should they ever wish to and fly that than to build a replica of some of the aircraft we have been talking about on here.

In terms of risk I dont think they would dare fly the Wright Flyer again.

I think we would both agree it is probably quite right that they dont fly the Wright Flyer anyhow. And it is probably considerably less expensive to build a replica of this aircraft should they ever wish to and fly that than to build a replica of some of the aircraft we have been talking about on here.

The Comet in the U.S has some washout at the tip which might help at low speed. In terms of risk I dont think they would dare fly the Wright Flyer again -however modern reproductions are probably no less risky in terms of flying behaviour – its just a matter of weighing up risking priceless V’s replaceable in terms of machinery.

The Comet in the U.S has some washout at the tip which might help at low speed. In terms of risk I dont think they would dare fly the Wright Flyer again -however modern reproductions are probably no less risky in terms of flying behaviour – its just a matter of weighing up risking priceless V’s replaceable in terms of machinery.

There are plenty of other examples of sole surviving examples of aircraft being destroyed -its about risk. If something is benign maybe its worth risking -however if it has a reputation for being a handful sometimes what a pressure your putting on the pilot to bring it back in one piece!

So one would say to even build a replica of such an aircraft and fly it would be equally risky. So why fly any at all.

If this was so then Delmar Benjamin should never have built his Gee Bee racer and should have never have flown it.

I think he may have grounded this aircraft due to the risk involved and the fact that it gave him a scare but in your argument this aircraft should never have been built and flown.

There are plenty of other examples of sole surviving examples of aircraft being destroyed -its about risk. If something is benign maybe its worth risking -however if it has a reputation for being a handful sometimes what a pressure your putting on the pilot to bring it back in one piece!

So one would say to even build a replica of such an aircraft and fly it would be equally risky. So why fly any at all.

If this was so then Delmar Benjamin should never have built his Gee Bee racer and should have never have flown it.

I think he may have grounded this aircraft due to the risk involved and the fact that it gave him a scare but in your argument this aircraft should never have been built and flown.

At #32

Well said Robbo thats what I was trying to get at but couldnt quite say it in the excellent way you have put it.

At #32

Well said Robbo thats what I was trying to get at but couldnt quite say it in the excellent way you have put it.

Pagen – I have worked on most marks of RAF Harrier and the GR Tornados. None of these will likely get in warbird owners hands . Similarily in the helicopter world been on Wessex -Apache -Black Hawk and Chinook -most will never get in the hands of private operators .

A few people are trying though and one day they might succeed.

You never know whats round the corner.

Do you think they RAF might form a heritage flight rather than a BBMF and keep a Tornado (add your own favorite aircraft here) flying.

It is a nice idea but somehow I think I already know the answer.

So someday private hands might very well fly a vintage jet.

Pagen – I have worked on most marks of RAF Harrier and the GR Tornados. None of these will likely get in warbird owners hands . Similarily in the helicopter world been on Wessex -Apache -Black Hawk and Chinook -most will never get in the hands of private operators .

A few people are trying though and one day they might succeed.

You never know whats round the corner.

Do you think they RAF might form a heritage flight rather than a BBMF and keep a Tornado (add your own favorite aircraft here) flying.

It is a nice idea but somehow I think I already know the answer.

So someday private hands might very well fly a vintage jet.