Calling Kurt!

[Dr H]

Hey Kurt, as you're a man of leisure now and probably twiddling your thumbs a bit, I wondering if you'd be prepared to service this if I buy it:

 

http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!hurricane-r4118/c23ag

 

If it goes well I might get this too:

 

http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!p-38-n505mh/c693

 

Trouble is I can't guarantee you the work soon as it might take me a little while to save up!

 

Loads of other nice stuff on that site.

 

If I won the Euro millions I would very very seriously consider buying an old warbird. I wonder what yearly costs would be?

[KurtB]

Man of leisure you say? Haha, I wish I had time off from this full time job! The conditions are fine but the pay is under the minimum wage, so I may ask my boss for a raise. I think she might tell me to sling my hook...

 

I did offer some advice to the owner of the Hurricane (Peter Vacher, lovely chap) when it had issues with its flaps. It's a totally beautiful example, in its proper colours and a proper restoration incorporating lots of genuine parts at Peter's insistence. Regardless of what else comes up on the market, that is THE Hurricane to have.

The P-38 might be a different proposition, but it's one I have no experience of! It looks like it's stored in a museum, so may have been dormant for a while.

 

Annual running costs depend on lots of factors, but keeping them in frequent use is most important. There are lots of systems in use on aircraft and with frequent use, they'll remain in good order. Irregular use leads to premature failure.

Annual insurance for a two seat Spitfire in 2009 was around £54,000.

In the event of a big lottery win, my first significant purchase would be warbird shaped, probably a Mustang. I'd have it in RAF markings, and I'd never clean the exterior, but it'd be mint inside!

 

Kurt