Gooday All

Great news, if my memory serves me correctly, the original Boomerang went from an idea to a flying machine in a very short period of time (was it 13 weeks?) Nowdays the bean counters wouldn’t haven’t raised the job numbers to book the costs to in less than a year.

We really have problems with speed of decision making these days.

Looks like Mathew at the controls in thet piccy of the Boomerang taxiing

cheers

fuel burn during the display is the cheapest part.

I have done a number of displays at air shows and the issues that are needed to consider are:

* Ferry time there and back; – say 45 minutes each way (90 minutes total)
* Transit/holding time waiting clearance to do display run; and – say 20 minutes
* actual display time. – say 10 minutes

It is common to hold for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer if an airshow is running late)

Its not just a simple time-over-target equasion. So to simply increase the display time doesn’t generate a similar increase in costs.

In the case above total flying time is 120 minutes for a 10 minute display.

cheers

Proctor VH-AHY.

Personally, I do not in any way disagree with your notion that restoring these warbirds to flight is anything other than a “good” thing. However, that is a long way removed from your notion that, at the same time, the mortal remains of those who died and the proper memorialisation/recovery/burial of those individuals doesn’t matter. In my view it matters greatly. I suspect your view is very much in the minority. But, as you say, you are entitled to that view.

I don’t remember saying to treat the remains with disrespect. I did say they could be just a pile of crumbling bones.

Lets stick to what was actually said in the various postings. I DID make the point that in a practical sense that a living ongoing memory invoked by seeing and flying the restored aeroplane is BETTER than having a deteriorating wreak buried in the jungle of New Guinea or on some Pacific island – one that is never or only very very occasionally visited.

I did say that within the next not-so-many years that anyone who knew the deceased would also be deceased, and likely the next generation as well.

I pose the question, when did you last visit the grave of your great-great-grandfather and be honest with your answers.

I have noticed a tendency on this forum for people to make long-winded answers and to attribute attitudes and inferences that in fact weren’t made.

Please read and assimilate what was actually said. I am not talking about Tangmere 1940 here

Paul – its just a statement of fact – they are “old Bones” it is the context and the memories associated with the bones that are important. My view is that the restored aeroplane serves as the focus for the memory. Here is a suggestion – get some of the personal effects and build them into the restored aeroplane as a on-going tribute to the original crew. Don’t think it has been done but it really make the connection between the past the contemporary

regards

Mark

Obviously you are a fully-paid up member of the human race as well and have your views – good for you. In regards to this they are different to mine, thankfully we don’t all have the same view.

With regards to my friends, they are dead – that is it – dead. I am sure that if aeroplanes that they died in were able to be rebuilt and to fly again, then that would have been an acceptable outcome for them. I will tempt fate, that also applies to me. By the way I have a son in the military and am sensitive to these issues.

There is too much political correctness comming into this issue. The people concerned died over 60 years ago in tragic circumstances in another 40 years anyone who ever knew them will be well and truely dead.

Nothing will remain but a memory (and maybe a few old bones), the memory will not be of smiles, laughter and personal contact, rather just a bit of writing somewhere, maybe a name and some details in some history book.

Sorry not enough for me, give me a live breathing aeroplane and all the feelings that envokes. I sometimes sit in the seat of my Tiger Moth (RAAF A17-300) and dream of who has sat there before, what did they do during WW2 – that is a living memory and I am sure that those in the future who sit in that same seat will have similar day-dreamings.

cheers

When its all said and done, Air Shows are entertainment for the masses (bread and circuses), the commentary is part of the package.

Sure for the purist, its a lot more and I do like the sound of some aeroplane engines, but when I do go to an airshow, its about getting sunburnt, walking miles and looking at a wide range of aeroplanes and other interesting things.

Having the echo of music and comentary is just part of the experience as is squinting looking into the sun at some aeroplane up in the blue.

cheers