Worth saving?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Fat Controller, Jun 10, 2013.

  1. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    I've just had a browse of the BBC website, and see that the project to lift the Dornier bomber from the sea bed has gone ahead today, and the WWII machine has seen daylight for the first time in more than 70 years.

    Now, whilst I love to see old/vintage/classic stuff being restored or kept in good order for historical purposes, I can't help but think that this particular plane is a bit too far gone to be worth saving?

    The article states that this is "believed to be the only intact example of its kind in the world" - only, its not, is it? Intact that is?

    Surely by the time it is 'restored' to a suitable level to be displayed in a museum, it will mostly comprise of new parts (assuming of course that they are going to restore it to look as it did back in the day)?
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      I think far too often restoration of all kinds is taken too far, and in this particular example I tend to agree, there is not much point.
       
    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I don't think there's ever much point to restoring something that's had it. Its like when people spend thousands of pounds and thousands of hours restoring a battered old classic car just to stick it on the back of a trailer from time to time to take it to a classic car rally or show. For the thousands they spend, they could just get a something brand new, which would be technically superior in every way.

      Or why do some organisations spend millions on making old castles and things safe for the public to come in and have a look round? We don't need those old buildings, we've got better new ones.

      The only point to any of it is that some will find it fun, and some will find it interesting, and some might find it artistic or a testament to engineering skill etc. Absolutely no practical value whatsoever, but for various reasons, some people like that sort of thing, and that's surely reason enough.
       
    • Sheal

      Sheal Total Gardener

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      Clueless, it's our history and I for one are proud of these things. :) There are a lot of countries in this world of ours that would love what we have here. I'd rather have a restored castle than the dreadful 'thrown together' buildings we have now that won't last fifty years.

      An American friend that visited my family some years back was in awe when I told her that a particular castle here was 12th century, she just couldn't relate to something being that old.
       
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      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        I agree with you Sheal, that was my point:)
         
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        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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          I agree that it is part of our history, and it is important to save/preserve our history wherever possible - however, my point in this case was that there is very little left of the plane to start with, so after restoration it is simply going to be a replica? Therefore, would it not have made more sense to put the money spent on recovering it into the cost of building a replica?
           
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          • lazydog

            lazydog Know nothing but willing to learn

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            £340,000 to raise it but what happens if the budget runs out before they finish rebuilding it or preserving what is left.I understand its the last one but I honestly think its gone past the line and should have been left.
            I am all for saving the past for future generations to enjoy but this one will take a lot of imagination sadly.
             
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            • clueless1

              clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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              But a replica would have no soul. I remember when when I was a kid, it was possibly to buy a Laborghini replica as a kit car. I sort of knew (friend of my dad's mate type thing) a chap that bought and built one. It looked like one. It sounded like one, but we all knew it wasn't one.
               
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              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                And that is exactly my point - there is so little of this one left that the end result is surely only going to be a replica? Kinda defeats the purpose to me.

                £340k just to raise the wreckage is a hell of a lot of money, that surely would have been better ploughed into keeping the last Vulcan bomber in flight? That project seems to be on a knife edge for funding, yet is a prime candidate for investment for historical reasons as it is actually intact and still working.
                 
              • Jack McHammocklashing

                Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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                It would have been better to do what they have done with the Spitfire Sentinels at RAF entrances, Replica fibre glass planes
                Or even a new build negative engines (I am sure they have the plans somewhere)

                Jack McH
                 
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                • strongylodon

                  strongylodon Old Member

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                  I made a few Airfix model planes in the 60's, one was the Dornier 217.
                  Must admit it looks too far gone for restoration although I am surprised a German company didn't go for it, the last one of it's kind would mean more to them.
                   
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