Warbird Information Exchange

You can't compare something's cost today v/s what it cost in the past. You have to adjust in % of mean incomes. For example, if someone old complains about how a Coke cost a nickel in the 1940s, you only have to remind them that a decent annual income in the late 1940s was just over $1000 dollars!
People can only think of the 'good old days' prices without considering you didn't make the amount then that you make now.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

I remember reading somewhere that Col. Hess commander told him that if he crashed the F-51 it would go his service record as he was still active then, so another pilot did the chore for him.

That's why I pointed out that the $1800 to get checked out in the P-51 and fly solo might as well have been a million dollars, given what I was making in the early 70's.

Here's a link for a inflation calculator. Plug in some numbers. But things were different back in the day,most families could live on one income.
https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm/

But you can compare wage vs cost.

I think it was 1968 or 69 my dad could have bought a base model no thrills Camaro for 2300. I know it was around 71 he was making around $7 per hour. So I use $6 Wage in 69, divide 2300 by 6 and
it would be around 383 hours to pay that off.
Now I'm guessing said car is around $60,000. now and use a $45. per hour pay check that would be 1333. hours to pay it off so like how many times more is the cost now?

Who cares what a dollar was worth then compared to now? It how much less your WAGE IS WORTH NOW.