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Barn Treasures

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dsnaproll

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Eric Ashman said:
Dale.
You say you find barn treasures all the time.
Me' for example...if there is an unexpected road closure I have trouble finding my way to the office :))) Of course, this is around Atlanta!
Let us know what winged relics you brushed the dust off over the years?

Finding airplanes or even airplane parts tucked away somewhere in the US is always met with excitement and a strong desire to know the history of how it got there.

I have found that there are "Laws of Barn Treasures".

Law #1. When flying or traveling, don't have access to immediate cash and you will find Charles Lindburg's airplane he learned to fly in.

Law #2. Have access to immediate cash and you will hear...."I just sold that yesterday".

Law #3. Do not actively look and you will find all the "Barn Treasures". Law #1 applies to this also.

Law #4. And when the first three Laws' do not apply...You find the "Barn Treasures" and you have access to immediate cash...When you show-up to close the deal, The IRS is there looking at all the guy's stuff for there seizure.

Law #5. The guy "WILL NOT SELL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES"!!!

Law #6. Sometimes you get it.

Here are a few examples of my finds and what Law applied to me.
*Landed in an old grass strip, way in the boonies. Found a complete ready to fly, Curtis biplane (Alum fuselage) in an old wood T hanger...dirt floor... with 6" dia trees growing two feet in front of the wings thru the roof of the hanger. Law #1.

*Ferried a friends Cessna 170 and on a pee break, found a Tri Motor Ford tucked away for 40 years. Law #1.

*By word of mouth...Found 1 Manasco powered Great Lakes, 1 Warner radial powered Great Lakes and 1 Tricycle Cabin Waco. All of these were complete and needed recovering. Law #4

*My son and I were at a my very good friend Dad's place. He was moving some parts around with his Backhoe so he could get to my part (Law #6). He told us to make ourselves at home and look around. We looked thru the window of one of his buildings that was 40'x 100'. And as far as you could see and there was no walking room in there ether, Radials stacked on their sides like Domino's. We went in another building and I just stood there and counted 23 Stearmans, 3 Skybolts, 2 Cubs, 1 Luscomb and it went on and on. He had at-least 6 more buildings I did not look in. This guy has never sold anything the past 40 years and he never will. And I know I guy very well. Law #5.

There are many others I could tell and many I have gotten where the Law #6 applied.
**If the Law # 5 guy ever begins to sell, I will post it on this forum.**

 

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