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Posted

I also have a Lightning and Buccaneer (you can see Sea Vixen FAW.2, Mig 21 PFM and Hunter F.4 L-R).

 

Cost - like all collectables - depends on rarity, condition and when you acquired. Also size as smaller cockpits are more desirable for storage in the average garage. Hunters in good condition go for about £5,000 at the moment. The other two, less. Happily most of the collection came together back when prices were lower. I think that metal prices have increased scrap value.

 

Other home truths: cockpits in pieces will always be worth more than together, as collectors can buy the bits. E.g .ejection seats, instruments, grips go for big money on eBay. Same goes for cockpits versus whole aircraft. Easier to store and protect, so there is a constant movement to cutting these things up which is sad.

 

Also cost is much more than acquisition: think about transportation, storage etc. which can easily exceed the actual cost of buying the thing in the first place. Then there's restoration.

 

Would love to get a Phantom but they're like hen's teeth in this country.

Posted

very nice, how can I get one? :grin:

 

It kind of depends on the demil policy of the country where you live. Some countries like the US seem to mandate that everything is destroyed. See this link for an auction for 3 Phantoms from Davis Monthan. Click on Special Terms; "Purchaser must completely destroy material using a shredder that will effectively destroy the item to prevent reuse, recognition or reconstruction of the item to the satisfaction of the government appointed verifier"... "No parts removal. Harvesting of parts is forbidden. The use of precision torch fixtures, precision cutting saws or precision tools of any kind to minimize demilitarization is forbidden."

 

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?id=5086415

 

 

Others like the UK sell off surplus planes practically intact, which allows the preservation of parts. I'm not sure what the Israeli policy is, but given the large amount of US hardware, the US often insists on total scrapping in the purchase contract. Hence not many Phantom survivors in the UK for example.

 

Buying overseas is expensive due to transport but does happen (normally short distances like UK - continental Europe).

 

I'm surprised no one has asked whether I've tried converting one to a sim...

Posted

Well........have you ??

 

Short answer is no. I don't think real cockpits are suited to sims, as you're basically sticking a screen on the front outside the canopy, linking the controls to a joystick and maybe the throttles. The gauges don't move, and you have to have a separate panel on the screen which is not good for immersion. Much better to build a dedicated sim cockpit from scratch or out of the shell of a real one. How about this one (bit pricey though)?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAF-Panavia-Tornado-ADV-Fighter-Aircraft-Cockpit-Section-Ideal-Simulator-Project-/130619898695?pt=UK_CPV_Aviation_SM&hash=item1e698d7b47

 

Awesome, just awesome. Wish the Minister of Finance would let me do something like that. :sad:

 

An understanding spouse is important :grin:

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