Are these questions you might direct at The Smithsonian???

Roger Smith.

Am I missing something? Why did not the DM article question why that single piece was found on the island – what happened to the rest of the aircraft???

Roger Smith.

………….. Does it really cost that much?

I expect the airframes have to be made safe removing most of the internal services – fuel tanks and lines, hydraulics and other oils, probably electrical cables. Anything that might damage ‘the environment’

Roger Smith.

[QUOTE=JohnTerrell;2129729]Wes Stricker has had the Seafire Mk.XV on static display at each of the annual “Salute to Veterans” air shows held at Columbia Regional Airport (Missouri), where his aircraft are hangared – so if you get to that show, you’ll be sure to see it. I think he has another Spitfire Mk.XV project and a Mustang which is a 353rd FG vet with possible ‘kills’ to its credit – “Kansas City Kitty III” – which they’ve been re-restoring and, last I heard, trying to get it back into its original WWII markings if possible.

Here’s a great page of photos of the Seafire Mk.XV from the “Salute to Veterans” web site: http://www.salute.org/Seafire.html……QUOTE]

I was welcomed into the hangar late this morning (I think my British accent might have helped) and was talking to Scott and Jim. What an Aladdin’s Cave! Seafire, P-51 complete, P-51 under restoration, TBM Avenger under restoration, Goose(?) under restoration, stripped Citation, stripped Cessna, several Savia Marchetti SM1019 being worked on, a black helicopter and two sizeable biz-jets. Didn’t see any sign of a Spitfire though. The way conversation went suggested doubt on the Seafire (or others from this hangar) being on display at the “Salute To Veterans” weekend on 24th/25th May despite several of them appearing on the website.
http://www.salute.org/
Isn’t it typical been in Missouri for three months virtually starved of aeronautical activity and that event is on 8 days after we fly home!! 🙁

Took a fair number of photos and will attempt to post one or two (and some more scribe) over the next couple of days.

Roger Smith.

I did not hear the report originally I only saw the photo on a screen and did not know of its use banner towing.

Same here – my first thought was Rapide. Only after looking several times I realized the fuselage was steel tube.

Thankfully the pilot “stepped out”

Roger Smith.