Warbird Information Exchange

I've seen this kind of thing before. In fact, I recall reading it in a WIX thread. This is a potential liability issue. If someone releases to the public any photos or textual descriptions regarding how some certain repair or restoration work was done, and that work or something related to it fails at some point and causes injury or death or even just property damage, then that information could potentially be fuel for the legal firestorm that would inevitably follow. Was the work being done by properly licensed and trained personnel? Were these personnel using the correct methods, procedures, tools, and parts? Was the work properly documented? Was the finished work inspected and signed off by properly licensed and trained inspectors? I can easily understand why the organization would want to approve any such information before it's posted. Think about the company that YOU work for. How would they feel if you plastered your Facebook wall with pictures and descriptions of something you were working on at your job? I'm betting you'd be fired immediately. Cut Jeremy some slack, fellas. He's following orders, exactly as he should, and it's for the protection of the entire organization. Of course we'd all love to see more, but in this age of rampant litigation, we need to understand and respect the organization's wishes.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Hang in there,J.

Dean, I did not and do not fault Jeremy one iota for having to take the pictures down. My comment and feelings about the lack of current photos and info on Doc's restoration efforts were/are aimed at the people managing the restoration. I hope Jeremy doesn't suffer any negative consequences from his posting of the pictures. He sounds like a very dedicated and hard working volunteer.


P.S. Even though I disagreed with Jeremy having to take the photos down, I did not send any correspondence to Doc's management.

If asked by your team, you are doing the right thing by not posting any more pictures. We would love for you to hang around here and give us written updates, if allowed.

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I'm Batman

Seconded

Jeremy, We (when I say we I think I speak for most of us DOC blogers) do not want you to do any thing to lose your volunteer status. We think you are a good friend that knows what we are looking for and trys to get it for us. I personaly am looking forward to meeting you next year in Punta Gorda, Fl At the 2015 air show as A flight crew member. It is a shame you had to take the pictures down' but -- it happens. We can live with out them. We like the informative updates just the same. Maybe you could keep taking the pictures and show them to us after "DOC" is Unveiled at. OSHKOSH. We as a group would not throw you under the bus or even a B29 for that matter.

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KEEP 'EM' FLYING
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I don't remember WW II
I remember those who lived it
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B-29 Watcher

I agree 100%

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Chris Grogg

"What kind of plane is it?"

"Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol."

My Avatar: CDR William Harold Cole, Naval Aviator 14774, Naval Helicopter Pilot 1869 VC-6, VBF-152, VR-23 (Korea), DFC, Air Medal

Thank you for posting the pictures, even if it were for a short while. I'm more likely to donate to a project or purchase things from them when I get to see regular pictures and updates, not just the stuff released for publicity purposes (somewhat sparse).

Best of luck with your teams restoration and hope that you can still provide us with updates of some kind!

After 8 hours at work to mull it over, I've decided not to leave just yet (at least, not so long as nothing comes of it). I understand that no one here WANTS anything bad to happen to me. Your support in this thread as well as in private messages means a lot, thank you for your support and thank you for your interest in our restoration project.

Sorry for the explosion, guys

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-Jeremy
Restoration Team
Boeing B-29-70-BW 44-69972 "Doc"
Wichita, Kansas

"That's a B-29, bub... there's no escaping what comes next."

Please continue to take pictures, if you can’t post them today; hopefully someday.



Thanks,
Phil

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A man's got to know his limitations.

That literally sounds like the worst marketing team in the history of the universe. Hey our job is to promote this plane but uh just don't post and pictures or information about it.

People start acting goofy when you are taking pictures. I can understand if an organization has a policy to keep things secret but I have experienced some people snapping at me for odd reasons.

I was helping a friend retrieve parts from a late 80s Dodge truck in a junkyard (A well known chain of salvage yards). We were removing a sensor so I was taking some pictures with my phone for reference on how everything came apart and goes together (I always do this). Next thing I know some guy on a huge piece equipment drives up screaming at me. I can't hear him over the sound of his equipment, then a guy from the front office rolls up on a golf cart and is borderline physical demanding that I hand over my camera. They were demanding to know who sent me there and accusing me of stealing commercial secrets from them. I told them that I was working for my friend getting truck parts and some other obscenities. They finally went away and luckily we got our the parts and left soon after.

Another time I was sitting in traffic in the Smokey Mountains and had a great view of the mountains, so I was taking some pictures of the scenery with my DSLR while we sat there. Some semi truck driver in the lane next to us began threatening me saying that I can't take pictures of the mountains. This guy was practically frothing at the mouth. Traffic began to move so I didn't have to sit next to this clown for too long.

I'm sure the marketing team has some legitimate reason. Perhaps the new owners want to keep some things under wraps until the final restoration can be unveiled? You say that the marketing team hired another photographer, perhaps they signed a contract with them to be the only ones to release pictures? It sucks for all of us WIXers who want to see updates, but definitely not worth Jeremy jeopardizing his status as a volunteer.

The pictures that Jeremy posted were far better that any others that I have seen in the history of this project. It is in my opinion that they should make him the official volunteer photographer on this project, even if he can't release the pictures right now maybe later on we would be able to see them. He had some excellent photos!

Thanks Jeremy! Your praise means a lot, but the sad fact is, the vast majority of the photos I posted were taken with my camera phone (a samsung galaxy note 3) and not my professional rig (Canon 7D)

I've been read in a little bit as to the "why" of everything... 1st, as you said, they have someone they're paying to be the official photographer, so they really would prefer if it were his stuff that made the headlines (I can understand that, from what I've seen he does good work), because there could be concern that I'm profiting financially off of the photos that I take (I'm not) leads me to think that you're right and that they have some kind of exclusive arrangement. Us volunteers don't get all the details sometimes.

Secondly, its an issue of liability... as has been said, all it takes is one photo of us not doing something "the right way" and it could lead to any number of issues. This was something I hadn't considered before. People are lawsuit happy these days and it doesn't take much to establish a precedent, no matter how thin or stupid it might be.

As I've said, I don't think this bars me from EVER posting a photo of our work, but rather I have to run it up through the chain for approval first before I can publish it. Likewise, I don't think I'm barred from sharing photos in private, they just can't be published in a public forum without approval (as I understand it).

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-Jeremy
Restoration Team
Boeing B-29-70-BW 44-69972 "Doc"
Wichita, Kansas

"That's a B-29, bub... there's no escaping what comes next."

Seeing as how they have only been around for the last year of the restoration that seems unlikely. The United States Aviation Museum was the controlling interest for the first 12 years and they've not said anything about such a project

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-Jeremy
Restoration Team
Boeing B-29-70-BW 44-69972 "Doc"
Wichita, Kansas

"That's a B-29, bub... there's no escaping what comes next."

I was under the impression that the difference between the availability of photos of AvSpecs projects is primarily down to differing policies of the projects' owners. e.g. Jerry Yagen is a lot more open than other Mossie owners!