Airplanes have been designed to fly. Not sit on the ground, or stuck on a pole.
I love looking at "old" airplanes. One of the coolest was a really old Cessna 140. Notice the N-number? It was before the USA made an agreement with foreign gov'ts to who could use what letters and numbers. NC means this airplane is original from the day it was airworthy, before the agreement.
Photos taken on Orcas Island, WA, part of the San Juan Islands, far mountains in the distance: Canada
Talking with the owners was a great learning experience, they were the third owners, how far they had traveled to use it as a camp vehicle for Memorial Day weekend 2017. Original never been restored from the 1940's.
They flew it half way across the country! Part of the agreement with the second owner was to use it.
Here in Kenai, get to see everyday:
C-46 Commando (best part is hearing it)
DC-4 Fuel hauler like the C-46
DC-6 Fish hauler that stops in two/three times a week (have several "big" fish processors locally)
DC-3 from Anchorage stops by once in awhile. My mechanic did the annual on it this year, right after finishing mine on the 2nd of March.
The sound of these old birds is incredible! The C-46 with its twin P-47 engines wins! When they do a short field take off, the sound is incredible!
Can't hear that in a museum!
I love going to museums, my favorite plane is the SR-71 or M21 Blackbirds. Sure miss seeing them in the air!
The owners of these older aircraft spend tens of thousands+ to maintain them. They have to find items that are gone from existence.
Then by mandate they have to have their airplane inspected by an AP/IA every year. They find stuff wrong by thoroughly checking the engine, prop, frame, everything, they also check another thing called an AD, the plane can be grounded until the item on the AD is correctly complied with per the AD, if it hasn't already been fixed per the AD.
I feel if the owners want to fly them, they should! Those warbirds take million$ to buy, more million$ to upkeep. In June here in Kenai the BT-13 will return and give rides around the airport.
Best regards,
Mike Bauer