The Walton family still own them I believe. One can be seen in the ARCo hanger at Duxford (or at least it was back in July). There doesn’t appear to me much work going on with it as it has looked to be in the same state for at least 4 years. G-ETME was up there for a while so natually would sneak a peak now and again. I think it was offered for sale a few years ago but I think the money was very top heavy – just my opinon (of the value), I would obviously be delighted to be proved wrong!!

Currently I believe there is a French aircraft which is for sale and one other in the USA up for grabs. Would be nice if they came to the UK but I don’t have any inside info on that…

Yes, its at Booker, looked after by PPS and owned by a very nice chap by the name of Tom Harris. It gets flown on a regular basis and it’s in really good shape, although I know Tom has no real plans to put her on the display circuit…

I agree that the best years are long gone.

I believe a combination of regulations (with relation to rebuilding these aircraft in the UK at least) and the liability issues created when displaying them will eventually take its toll. Heaven forbid we have a major prang at an airshow which involves a big payout for an insurance company and the rates will go up again. The insurance company is not a warbird fan, they are in business and they will charge accordingly.

This is a major cost to the airshow organisers, who frankly I think are crazy (although I take my hat off to them). Think for a moment, in commercial terms, what they do. They pick a date a year in advance, book airshow performers who as long as they show up get paid. They then gamble on the British weather to see how many spectators show up!! Does anyone know what the different gate numbers are for say Duxford on a wet and miserable day compared to a warm and sunny one? I would be interested to know that. I don’t think anyone is making big money from airshows. I may be wrong.

Then is the significance of these fine aircraft being diluted with each generation that passes. Current owners perhaps had a father who flew them during the war but who will be the buyer of a £1m (or whatever it will be by then) Spit in 50 years time? These guys do not make money out of these aircraft, not even close. Hull insurance is typically 5% of the capital value. If you are lucky enough to own some of the serious tin then it is very much a case of “if you have to ask then you can’t afford it”. My point is that there won’t ever be any commercial operators of warbirds who are just in it for profit.

Another source of income for these aircraft, and the very reason some of them were (re)built in the first place, is the TV / Film world. We are already seeing computer generated aircraft which are good but not quite 100%. Well give it another 5 years and you won’t be able to tell the difference. The film company prefer it, they can have any plane they want in whatever qty they want, no pilots not doing what the director wants, no shoots held up for tech problems or weather and best of all, here it comes again, no health and safety or liability issues.

Plus I look along the crowd line at shows and I just don’t see many young people. I don’t mean the under 12’s who have been dragged along by Dad I mean the 18 to 30. So who will be the owners and who will be in the crowd in 30 years?

(I’ll post a poll, it might be interesting to see what the average age of the Forum is..)

Sure the Airforce will always be obligated to show the taxpayer what they get for their money so they will be displaying. But in 30 years will there even be maned fighting aircraft? Can’t imagine us all standing out in the cold watching a drone..

DOOM GLOOM DOOM GLOOM – all I need to do is talk the market on Spits down to about £20k and then I’m in!!!

🙂

No no, no tricks – all he’ll need to do is bring a passport with his name clearly visable as “Mr Daz DaMan” and shortly after we’ll be off into the wild blue yonder..

🙂

Originally posted by DazDaMan
The Me108 at White Waltham? I know it’s not strictly ‘new’, but I know it has been having problems of late.

I for one would pay admission to see that alone! 🙂

DazDaMan – OK are you taking the pi s s s s s?

🙂

Thankfully our problems are all over (until the next problem at least). Lots of work has been done on her over the past 10 months, she’s up and flying again (visited Popham yesterday!!) and she feels like a solid aircraft. All the little nags and niggles are gone.

So what would you guys (and gals) like to see next year?

Our options are:-

1. Solo display.

2. Solo display with LOTS of pyro’s. Big bangs, flames and smoke (not from the plane I hope). Mock airfield attack (yes pretending to be a 109 – I know…) ending with being shot down by ground fire.

3. Same as above but teamed up with a Spit / Hurri / Mustang to help out with the shooting down bit.

4. Teamed up with Tiger Moth / Jungman / Harvard showing the training planes of both sides.

5. Keep it in the hanger and not bother.

Let me know what you think you would enjoy most..

Taifun:)