Hi

Iv’e been lurking on this thread…

The Kiwi experiance is a global trend and I personally blame Maggie Thatcher and Ronald Regan – Thats when it started – All this Thatcherite penny pinching at the expensive of proper goods and services delivered by government being outsourced to Private enterprise etc – Ok to a point but it went way too far and has continued. It will come back to bite one day when that part of the world that didn’t go along with it comes after some of these governments. Look at the US military – has to sacrafice most of the bomber force and a lot of the front line fighter component as well as the transport fleet and not is streched to near breaking point by a smallish war in Iraq – how would it ever cope with a serious series of conflicts. Is there a growing reliance on the unmentionable aresnal as a way of future solution. I don’t know but it gets you thinking.

The Kiwis are not alone – we are here and will help but we are always being cut back too – I would have thought Sept 11 was a wake up call but not so – why are we scrapping the F111s early and then waiting 5 more years before / perhaps a replacement droips in ?

How long before we start using points Cook as the “ready reserve ‘ Bring back the Bostons I say!!!

Regards
John P

Hi

You big bullies leave poor Ozplane alone – he’s entitled to his opinion – lots of people disagree with aspects of Duxford – like the rather Bizare unsympathetic architecture being deployed there in the major building projects etc – This doesn’t mean we don’t like the place – it should be construed as constructive feedback and taken positively – anyway nobody is going to listen to us anyway.

Regards
John P

Hi Dave and thanks for the clarification.

Thats a good policy but one thats hard to justify given their resources and I would have thought that well restored static classics on display beats stored wrecks any day. Don’t get me wrong – it is a great museum and I had a ball there it should be an example to a lot of higher profile museums on how to do it but I do think it’s a bit rich wanting everything being to airworthy standards when youve got lots that could be achieved on less lofty standards.

Just my opinion

Regards
John P

Hi Dave M

Thanks for the info

I guess I was using ANZ as an example- sponsored restorations are fairly common as you would know and it would be worth looking to corporate sponsorship to do this one as it has a more civilian feel about it which would appeal to corporates – more warm and fuzzy and being large they get a big “thing’ to show off.

I also guess that the costs of restoration on a Cat – especially when a fair bit of work has been done would be less. It is also static so standards and materials are different. Really on the restoration scale the Hurricane and Cat are at opposite ends of the spectrum – The cat is in the $NZ1-200,000.00 Category not millions – more has been raised before for far less deserving causes…

Anyway just tyre kicking I am sure my opinion matters little to RNAFM…..

Regards
John P