Excellent points gentlemen

Maple01

I understand we can connect virtyually any aircraft to our local through it’s combat history, or with commercial aircraft, the fact that it transited through Edmotnon. Heck we could justify Wiley Post’s Lockheed Vega or a Martin B-10

But we have limited room and resources so must represent “significant” types.

If you will:

If our location represents a “Chapter” or Canadian history, we only have room for aircraft that wrote a “paragrapgh” in the chapter. Other aircraft end up being represented by models, dioramas, photographs or rotating exhibits.

Edmonton’s history is almost and equal split between Civil and Military aviation and our collection is close to being split that way (bias Civil right now).

We can never display all the types that touched Edmonton, no financially possible, so we must concentrate on significant types to tell the story. Even then we end up with composites, replicas and in some cases remarking to display the relevant history.

We would NEVER alter an aircraft with a significant individual history. If it did not fit the collection we would reffer it to an appropriate home.

Example…a couple of years ago we were forced to turn down a P-51. You can imagine how bad I wanted a P-51. But there is NO connection that was valid in placing it in the collection (d*mn). The aircraft was reffered to other museums with a mandate that included the aircraft and now has a wonderful home, if we don’t take it we make sure it gets a suitable home.

Of all the Spitfires (oh yes another soft spot), there is only (1) with a relevant history to our City, it is in private ownership and far beyond our means to acquire.

A Hurricane on the other hand and a P-39 or P-63 (US or Soviet marked) are must haves.

But back on topic.

Tom H

Eddie

You may find this a bit of a surprise, but I tend to agree with you on the Lancasters.

They played a huge role post war in Canada and unfortunately the history generally remains untold.

Our Museum will never have a Lanc as they have a very limited history here and it would be a huge stretch of the collections policy, but if we did it would have to be in Postwar colours as it did not have a significant wartime history here.

It seems so hard to find a proper balance.

Tom H

Annek

I understand your point of view completely and appreciate it.

But how can a museum such as ours, with a specific mandate, then cover the history?

Thats a question not a comment or criticism.

BTW as a general comment, many of our aircraft are the composite of scavanged parts, being not for profit means we often work with what others pass on.

Tom H