Warbird Information Exchange

OK I hate posting this one, but here it goes.

I do not want to start the old debate again, but here it goes.

The other day I visited the Memphis Belle restoration center.

http://www.memphisbelle.com/

I had a great visit, and they where more than nice to all the question I have.

They had to move the AC out of there so disassembling it was the only way to go.

My grunt however is that such a rare AC ( It has been declared a national treasure ) should NOT be the subject of such an extensive restoration.

Those old skins did go to combat.

I understand that if the AC is not structurally sound and you want to preserve it for the next 100 years you need to fix it and that is OK by me.

However, this AC is in remarkable condition in my book. OK I am no expert

I would rather just preserve the old than fix it with new in this case.

I personally would not have dismantled it to that level and would have made a general preserve, stop and inhibit the corrosion, total clean and minimum fix type restoration in this case.

I do whish that she stays in Memphis. That bird belongs there.

So flame me away if you think I deserve so.

I'm not sure what they are doing to it overall but it was abused for many many years. It sat outside most of its post war years. I've heard that it was stripped by locals looking for parts they mostly throw away a year or two later. I think something should be done to preserve it but as you said as little as possible to keep the a/c as much as original as possible.

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Hate to gnat's-ass this one, Rob, but it's "Bock's Car". Sort of like calling the Mempbis Belle (a woman) the Memphis Bell (something hanging up in a church tower).

I think the plane was broken down in the manner that it was to address the corrosion issues. This plane has basically sat outdoors almost its entire life. While the plane looks like its in good shape, its more illusory than reality. It would be like seeing a 50+ year old pickup in a farmers field and throwing a new coat of paint on the truck. It might look really good, but you didn't address the underlying corrosion. Only a true frame-up restoration will give you a satisfactory final product, otherwise its still going to rust away. Even if the skin is different, the soul is still there.

I once wrote an editorial to Air Classics (which they published), siding with Col Rohr on how the Memphis Belle should either go to the NASM or the USAFM rather than continue to deteriorate out on Mud Island. I actually got a fair amount of responses from it, both in support of my position and against it.

One of those e-mails detailed that a genuine effort was being made by the folks in Memphis to save the plane. It seemed that when the that the Memphis Belle was about to be taken away, the people of Memphis stepped up to save "their" plane. Even though I wrote the editorial to the contrary, I think conditions have now changed and the people in Memphis ought to be given the opportunity to see this project through.