We all have our own points of views on replicas and we all know there are really good replicas, and some really poor examples that should not dare to use the name of the real thing.
I will never put anyone down for building a plane, whatever type it is, especially if it gives them immense pleasure and pride in the build and later in the flying of. Fair play to them, even those who are think their ultralight resembles a fighter, etc.
However I do think that the proper replicas (those made to exactly look like the real thing, and hopefully sound and act the same) would be much more useful and valuable to the world at large if they were representing real rarities or bringing the extinct back to life.
Realistic replicas of Spitfires serve a purpose, but they’ll will never do against the real thing. They will be compared and the replica will always be second best. But create a replica of something that no longer flies, and your’s will come to represent the type if done well.
If all that money and effort is to be put into something I’d rather see unique types built.
The likes of the Southern Cross replica, the DH88 replicas, the Me262’s and Fw190’s, the Gebe racers, etc are all types that bring back to life the very rare or extinct types as far as flying goes. This is what replica builders should strive for imho.
I’d love to see other very rare or extinct types reborn this way, like some of the Japanese bombers such as the Betty or Sally, etc. And a Ju88 or a Hampden, A Battle and Defiant, and a Wellington all in the air. Even these projects woul be hugely expensive of course so we’ll never see them, and we;ll never see the bigger types still like the Stirling, Halifax or Lancaster either. But there is such a huge scope for recreating a piece of long gone history. If you’re going to do it, do it right, Rather than individuals building halfbaked replicas in their sheds I’d rather see them pool their money and expertise and form group projects to get a realistic type going. Don’t make half scale things with the wrong engine profile and oerblown canopies. Make it like the real thing. You’ll get more pleasure from the satisfaction, you’ll be trully creating history as well as recreating it, and you’ll be teaching the next generation about the aircraft of past generations much more effectively.
Still, it is up to the individual and if you want half a Stirling that looks all wrong, go for it. I’d still turn out to see it fly.
Dave, I agree with you in the large, I would much rather see a full size Connie restored and flying over here, and if I ever won the lottery…..
But at the same time I was just cogitating over ‘what if’ and ‘could you’, all a bit of fun, inspired by the large scale model ships that I have seen on TV. I believe that there is a Bulk Carrier Harbour Pilot school that uses scaled down Bulk carriers on a lake for mooring training……
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