Well, if they care not for the living, nor for the dead, then maybe they should allow people who still do care, to seek out those still missing from WWII.

I seem to have lost track on the different catagories of wreck sites.

It seem inportant to people, what catagory the site belongs to, so just in case I’m not the only one, I have produced the following list:

1: Unknown/untouched accident sites, possibly containing human remains.

2: Known and investigated sites, where airmen lost their lives.

3. Known and investigated sites, without loss of life.

4. Known sites that have been “cleared”, looking for that forgotten bit.

5. Any site not classified above.

Does anyone have other catagories?

PS In the case of Merkles Meteor, it is not a rare aircraft, there are no human remains, there is no untold story, no-one except for him is ever likely to dig it up so really who gives a rats what happens to it – it can either slowly corrode and disappear underground or he can dig it up polish up a few bits and sell the rest for scrap if he wants to as far as I am concerned. Obviously no one else has cared two hoots about it in the last 50 years!

I fully agree on the “rats” bit, when it comes to such aircraft. In any other sphere, it would be seen as cleaning the environment.

Slightly related to Tangmere1940’s post.

I don’t think anyone has anything against collectors buying and selling artifacts of any kind.

What I see as the problem is, that some people might be digging for profit. I don’t really think it happens a lot, but I’m pretty sure it happens.

Most small aircraft parts (with no numbers, or other identification) has no actual value. However, once they become a stable on places like Ebay, somebody, with no aviation interest at heart, will see how a few scraps of metal can easily be sold, and people will try to make a small secondary income from this (try to look for autographed items and you will find the biggest bogus marked anywhere).

I know there are people combing the beaches of Normandy purely to find sellable items. Thats the attitude I would hope not to see in aviation.

In actual archaeology people have been known to destroy pre-colombian (and other) artifacts, because smaller items are easier to sell.

Now imagine that Throttle quardrant that was for sale recently, being dismantled and sold in 100 pieces. Same would go for AC instruments, which originally belonged to the same AC.

Anyway, thats the danger i sense regarding these sales.

Regarding the airfield Aviation Archaeology/investigation, I personally find this a big part of aviation history and well worthy of “Archaeology”.

Some friends and I (we are not a group as such) are planning to photo-document a former RDAF airbase, which has WWII connection as a Luftwaffe training Fligerhost. The site is not undocumented, but we feel a well made photo-database could assist researchers in the future. This is our main aim – to get the pictures before its gone forever (soon according to the development plans for the area).

This site was also used by the RAF disarmanent wing, for the destruction of a few hundred Luftwaffe aircraft. We hope to uncover a few bits from that area. Not for any real archaeological reason, but more to get a sense of history.

Although i have not yet taken part in an aviation related dig, I hope to get my fingers dirty this summer.

Very few digs actually result in anything of general historical interest and as i see it, most so called aviation “archaeology” is basically trophy hunting.

Some people like to collect items related to something that have their interest. Digging after a few scraps of aircraft structure, or some mechanical part, is just a way to find such items.

As long as sites, where the airman/airmen involved perished, are treated with the proper respect, I find nothing wrong with collectors picking through the aircraft remains (not to be confused with the remains of airmen).

I think it brings the history to live, at least for the persons digging.

Saying all that, it must be pointed out, that actual historic sites, where there is still some important information to be gained, should, like actual archaeological sites, be left untouched by amateurs.