opinions wanted on museum displays

[Nathan]

Quick question:

Would there be such an interest if warbird parts were on display at a museum? I see warbird parts just as interesting as whole aircraft. And I think they should be display as well.

Seconds question:

Is there much interest to see aircraft on display, "as is"? Lets say someone had an aircraft in their museum that came straight from the boneyard. Yes, it would be run down, and missing parts. But it would still have the original markings and paint on it. Thus preserving the originality of it?

What do y'all think?

-Nathan

[tom d. friedman]

i agree 100% nathan. bone yards are "psuedo" museums any way, & it's just as interesting looking at an old hack to really find it's origins & history.

[TAdan]

I think you are asking a biased audience. Most of us here like all things Warbird, so of course I'd like to see aircraft displayed as-is and of course I find the parts almost as interesting as the whole.

With regard to the parts, I think it helps if they are from an airframe with some provenance, like the pieces of the Lady Be Good at the NMUSAF, or have unique artwork like the CAF's nose art collection.

[the65dartguy]

For me it would depend on the particular airframe/ provenance/ rarity. Some deserve to be preserved "in situ" while others are great candidates for flying restorations. My vote is a case-by-case basis.

[jspott]

I think 99.9 % of the population could care less about random airframe parts they would have to tell a story about how the part functions a cutaway engine or a display explaining how radar works would be interesting random engine or radar parts would be of no interest. Even parts of the rarest aircraft wouldn't interest most people. A turret from a martin Baltimore would attract interest a cowling or wing by its self would only be of interest to a extremely small # of people [every one reading this forum] but almost no one else.

[ProudKerman]

Definitely agree 100% however yes it really does depend on each case. Most wrecks these days are highly corroded and would be better off in as found condition. I love seeing both restored and unrestored. I would rather see an unrestored wreck in a museum though where it is still looked after as opposed to in situ where it will fade to nothing. However I think most people outside of the warbird community would rather see a restored bird or atleast a pretty complete wreck.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Totally agree. For years I wanted NEAM to display the fuselage of the only surviving F6U Pirate, but the curatorial committee didn't like the idea of an un-restored, incomplete aircraft on display. I thought it was fascinating as is, even without the missing wings. NASM has done that in the past re: the unrestored Berliner-Joyce helicopter made with a Neuiport fuselage and engine back in the mid-late 70's.

[JohnB]

Agree with TAdan...we are hardly the group to ask.
We'd like just about anything...the less aviation inclined would be bored to tears by stuff we find fascinating...
which is why Hodden Warbirds hasn't outsold The Da Vinci Code or U.S. Military Aircraft since 1908 hasn't been made into a Brad Pitt film.

[APG85]

It depends on the museum type and their goals. The old control tower at Parham/Framlingham Airfiled is full of bits and pieces of aircraft recovered from fields, etc.

http://www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/AboutUs.html

[JohnB]

It depends on the museum type and their goals. The old control tower at Parham/Framlingham Airfiled is full of bits and pieces of aircraft recovered from fields, etc.

I've been there and several other WWII airfields in the UK. many only have fragments. The Norfolk & Suffolk museum at Bungay had hundreds of pieces, including a walkway lined with WWII radials dredged up from the North Sea, you almost trip over the blasted things they have so many.
Yes, fragments can tell part of the overall story, but to maintain the interest of non-aviation people and kids, you need something more.

Heck, I've seen kids more interested in horsing around and trying to impress a female classmate (while NOT trying to look like they like the female classmate...the way school kids are apt to do) than al actually looking at very significant artifacts at the NASM.
Gaining and keeping visitor's attention is a tough thing to do....

[Nathan]

Some examples:

This SNB-5 is very fascinating as is. It's a time capsule. I wouldn't see anything wrong with leaving it as is for display.


This is my f-86 drop tank. Now if this was on display and then put next to it history about the F-86, it might make it more relevant for display?


heck, maybe a new museum could cater toward a lot of boneyard subject. Aviation boneyard museum or something like that. LOL

[phil65]

Totally agree. For years I wanted NEAM to display the fuselage of the only surviving F6U Pirate, but the curatorial committee didn't like the idea of an un-restored, incomplete aircraft on display. I thought it was fascinating as is, even without the missing wings. NASM has done that in the past re: the unrestored Berliner-Joyce helicopter made with a Neuiport fuselage and engine back in the mid-late 70's.

I've always liked the shot-up A-20 props on display at the NEAM.

Phil

[Jerry O'Neill]

Those A-20 Hamilton Standards are one of my favorite items on display! They were used on a war bond tour by HS. I actually took this pic of them last Tuesday!