Whilst it has always been a commercial world there have always been different degrees of commercialism: Vampires for a nominal fee (£1 I believe); the American airframes on loan; Vulcans £5,000 delivered etc.
The clever part of aircraft preservation is knowing what a good price is and when to buy – not always an easy decision, but it is something you can develop with experience. Sometimes you also have to sit tight, keep your wallet closed and wait for changing circumstances.
In recent years there has been an increase in prices, largely driven by MoD’s need to balance the books and get the best price. That said other factors are starting to come into play, notably relating to recycling targets and the recovery of certain items from airframes. Who knows, as these costs increase perhaps it might be cheaper to keep airframes in tact and put more into preservation! 😉
Glad to see the SWWAPS airframes saved from the scrapman!! 🙂
Sign In
