World War II era military planes are not exactly plentiful anymore. Some are exceedingly rate. For example, while there are a handful of B-29s in museums, Fifi is the only airworthy B-29 still in existence.
Out of 17,000 T-6 Texan trainers built, there are an estimated 350 still in airworthy condition with a handful undergoing restoration. The going price for one ranges from the low $100,00s to over $300,000.
Given that, it is hard to understand what the Defense Logistics Agency did to one located in Japan. It had been lent to the Japanese Self Defense Forces for training and then had been a display piece until 1998.
When the JSDF returned the T-6 Texan to US control, this is what the Defense Logistics Agency did to the plane.
The DLA is now advertising that the scrap metal is now available for sale. They seem rather proud of their actions as they published an article detailing the destruction in their news center.
A T-6 Texan had an empty weight of about 4,100 lbs. Let's assume that they got a very generous 50 cents per pound. That would come to around $2,050. Conversely, let's assume that they sold the plane to a collector for restoration. Doesn't it seem reasonable that some collector would pay many times that to get a decent specimen with what looks to be a good body and airframe?
Of course it does.
Gah... That is just criminal...
ReplyDeleteThe destruction was done in Japan; there's a chance their "no export of military weapons" laws played a part in this travesty.
ReplyDeletewhoever said the government did anything right or smart way?
ReplyDeleteGot some really dumb asses in Washington DC and not just the congress and senate....
HGA -- The Japanese no export law wouldn;t apply.
ReplyDeleteThe aircraft in question had NEVER been a "Japanese" one -- it was on loan. It was returned to its owner. Its owner (who is allowed to move military weapons it wons in and out of Japan rather freely, up to and including 1092' long, 4 1/2 acre, nuclear powered aircraft carriers with full air wings) decided to scrap it on site. Just as they have decided to spend money to destroy fired brass from firing ranges in order to sell the shreds to China (about the only place that WANTS the shredded brass) at major losses to the taxpayers.
This is ENTIRELY about the Commander in Chief doing everything he can to prevent the possibility of American citizens getting their hands on military equipment.