Thread: USS Constitution

There will always be someone who has a barn full of parts...

Originally Posted by tbm3fan

There will always be someone who has a barn full of parts...

Yeah, and how many priceless airframes are lost each year because of private mishaps. This year alone we have a B-17, P51, Spitfire lost.

Unless commercial viability exists, or it can be looked after by a Museum - then ultimately the loss is more heartbreaking than the nostalgia of keeping it in the first instance.

Originally Posted by bigross86

The problem with that, however, is that as technology advances, old technology dies out. Ask gunnut about how he restores his old computers. Can you imagine finding a 5.25 floppy drive today? The 5.25 inch floppy died out during then 1980's, 30 years ago, and are almost impossible to find. Think about how hard it is to find original parts for a Ford model T. Now take a piece of machinery far more complex, like an F-22 or an M1A1 and try running it on increasingly sparing parts in 200 years from now

I had a flashback when I was aboard the USS Wisconsin about 3 years ago and looked through a porthole to where they programmed the Tomahawks....and I looked at a bunch of TRS-80s!!!! Scary

In the case of aircraft, at least, we produce these in quantity. Rather than turn them into soda cans, put 5 of them aside. Between all five, we'd have parts to keep one example airborne for generations.

Failing that, at least maintain some vehicles in a condition where restoration isn't an impossible task, just a difficult one. In other words, don't empty out the guts of the vehicle and turn it into a painted shell. And obviously we don't need it to be able to actually engage in combat and shoot missiles... just get it moving, through the air, water, or ground, for displays, parades, and ceremonies, for civic pride.