[KevinT]

Never a dull monent here in Florida. The Naval museum in Deland was raided this week and an F14 cockpit was hauled off. The museum has an F14 on display, but they also bought a cockpit section for display. The Navy suspected the cockpit wasn't demilled correctly so they took it. The museum paid $3000.00 for it but now all they have is a receipt from the Navy. OUCH !!
KevinT.

 

[ArizonaBeagle]

seizes cockpit

I Don't know why but that reminded me of Bob Zany's joke about a dyslexic pilot reporting "There's cock in the smokepit"

 

[47lincsled]

more government theft!

This ticks me off when they have to get stupid about things like this, they sold the thing to them, they should be held accountable for it's demilling, if it wasn't done right then some one in the military who allowed the thing to be sold should be held accountable, they set up a precident with crap like this, pretty soon they will want to go back and steal all the WW2 equipement that collectors have been restoring for the last 60 years because it wasn't demilled correctly, and to steal stuff from a museum, it's not like they are going to restore it to flight condition, I hope the museum fights them on this.

 

[Pvt.Joker]

It doesn't surprise me in the least, coming from the Navy. Unlike every other branch of military aviation, THEY are well known for going in and even laying claim to recovered partial airframe salvage brought out of Pacific jungles, etc. It's almost surprising that anyone even wants to bother with trying to restore or collect anything Naval aviation related under those circumstances. You would think that a branch that makes such an issue over honoring traditions and history would appreciate places and people who put forth the money and effort to try and preserve some of that history so that it might be around to inspire tomorrow's youth to consider enlisting, but nope. Even museums are not safe, it seems.

 

[GS-Patton]

maybe they left some important computer parts in there or something. Though I agree its BS. you have to realize that the Iranians have a fleet of F-14s that dont work cuz we stopped giving them parts.. maybe a piece that would be important to the Iranians was left in there and thats what they were thinking...... hopefully they return it once its demilled or they should compensate the museum

 

[KevinT]

I read an article on salvaging old planes that stated the Navy never abandons anything. It doesn't matter if it's on dry land or a mile down in the ocean it is still their's. I worked with a guy who was stationed in Sanford Florida during the sixties. He told me that when the shut the base down, they dug trenches and pushed equipment in them. I mean jeeps, helicopters, tool boxes full of tools just about anything they didn't want to move. Also in the article I read on salvage there was the story of a man who worked his ass off restoring an A7 Corsair jet. He'd searched the globe finding parts for it spent years getting it flyable only to have the Navy come in and say it was there's and they'd be taking it. Several years ago there was talk of WWII vehicles being seized from civilians, even seizing M1's from the Honor Guards at the VFW's !! The logic makes me crazy, they don't want you to have a Cobra gunship because it is a "gun platform" but you can have an H1 Huey. Uh guns were on Huey's too. It makes no sense. KevinT

 

[Ouchman]

There are several VERY DANGEROUS parts in the cockpit like exploding bolts and rocket motors.
It was the aviation hobbyists who put the ca-bash on the Vehicles being seized. The MVPA did little to nothing to prevent it other than spread the word.
Evidently the plane jockeys have deeper pockets!

 

[wilit]

They must be afraid Iranian terrorists are going to come in and steal it so they can get 1 of their decaying F-14's off the ground.

 

[bullseye]

I work for a city that owns an airport the government came and took a demilled f14 that the scrap company bought from a TV based company who got it from the government for movies etc. The word that I heard from the guys when they came and seized it was that they where afraid that some parts could be used by the Iranians. The other wild thing was that they found it not by a paper trail but because it was at an airport there satelites found it.
In response to what some one had said it did look fairly complete definetely no engine I might have a picture of it somewhere.

 

[franks71vw]

I work for a city that owns an airport the government came and took a demilled f14 that the scrap company bought from a TV based company who got it from the government for movies etc. The word that I heard from the guys when they came and seized it was that they where afraid that some parts could be used by the Iranians. The other wild thing was that they found it not by a paper trail but because it was at an airport there satelites found it.

Time for the tin foil hats to be put on....

 

[Pvt.Joker]

Well, if their satelites can find an F-14 demilled carcass sitting on the ramp in pieces at an American airport, why can we not just do the same over Iran, and IF we raid/attack them between now and the election, simply target them with cruise missles, and eliminate the problem at its real root, instead of running around here taking demilled stuff out of US museums?

 

[hagar]

If Iran wants a nuclear weapon so bad I think we should give them one to study but it must be strictly for informational purposes only. It should be accompanied by a complete set of instructions. You have 30 minutes to deactivate before detonation.

 

[Pvt.Joker]

You have 30 minutes to deactivate before detonation.

ONLY if we can make them take a ticket and wait in line at the local department of motor vehicles to pick it up...

 

[47lincsled]

Dmv!!!!

I'm sure that would break some geneva convention rules about inhumane treatment.

 

[hagar]

I'm sure that would break some geneva convention rules about inhumane treatment.

You must admit we did give them a fair chance. Thirty minutes warning is a lot more than others have given us in times passed.

 

[comanderfritz]

You must admit we did give them a fair chance. Thirty minutes warning is a lot more than others have given us in times passed.

i think he meant the DMV waiting would be the inhuman treatment... which he would then indeed be correct.

 

[47lincsled]

Dmv

I don't know if caliprunia DMV is the worst in the country but it's got to be right up there, I'm sure thats the reason illegal aliens don't get licenses, they can't afford to spend all day in lines! I'm amazed no one has ever gone postal at one of those places. I know I was tempted!