Stan Renyolds Collection being crushed

[longjon]

If you havn't been to Wetaskiwin to see the yard of old aircraft bits you had better go soon as everyting left is being crushed. All the combines and cars except the Kaisers are gone the crusher guys are in the field pulling up the plows and other steel stuff right now.
There's a few Anson cockpits and a few have the wing sets with 2 engines still. All the other engines go to the Society so they wont be melted down. Still a good walk around to see whats left of a GIGANTIC collection of STUFF.

[Beefitarian]

This is ridiculous. The reason there is anything there is due to Stan having the fore site to buy things people thought should go to a crusher to begin with.

The Alberta Government is too terrible to know they should be ashamed.

[Dash-Ate]

Any pictures floating around? Had this guy not heard of Kijiji to get rid of his stuff?

[Beefitarian]

Stan has passed away. The collection is now obviously wrongly entrusted to the Alberta Governmet who is now appearently selling artifacts for scrap instead of offering it for sale.

[Bones]

Good old AvCanada.

From an insider (me):
All aviation and military items are safe. The collection has been gradually sold off over the last few years with the vast majority of items having gone to other museums, collectors, and enthusiasts. What remains is basically old farm equipment (of which there is no shortage), so yes, if you're in the market for an old rusted plough, I guess you'd better hurry.

To whoever's spreading these rumours implying the indiscriminate destruction of priceless artifacts, I'd like to politely ask you to stop it, as this is the 2nd time in as many days that I've had to correct you. Everything of value either has or is in the process of going to a good home. The same family that collected this stuff in the first place is very much involved in redistributing it now, so rest assured that anything of value is being taken care of with the interests of preserving Alberta's history being at the forefront.

Please, put the pitchforks away.

Thanks in advance.

[Tom H]

Thanks for the post Bones

Wish I had caught this sooner, I can support everything Bones is saying.

As a person on the front lines of the Heritage World in Alberta I know that the Reynolds family would care take Stan Reynolds collection of treasurers with the utmost respect and can say that the family has provided many treasures to RAM since Stan Reynolds passing.

I can also attest that the staff of the Reynolds Alberta Museum are extremely professional as to the preservation and storage of the many irreplaceable artifacts provided by the Reynolds family and other donors.

If things are being scrapped it is because all that is useable is gone, used in a restoration or stored for an ongoing project.

Tom Hinderks
Executive Director
Alberta Aviation Museum

[Beefitarian]

Sowwy. In addition to using the wrong spelling for sight. I really like old tractors and stuff like Stan.

I supose there are not a ton of museums in the market for some of the implements at this time but I promise that eventually they will become somewhat more atractive to people with a desire to see history after they are nearly all gone.

Consider the war planes and the Bison. There used to be so many that people thought they could never run out. Now one of the two variety of Bison only lives on as a half breed with the other. They used to intentionally destroy D.H. Mosquitoes to make movies. Now there's only one airworthy example and it probably has very few actual original parts on it.

[Bones]

Thanks for the kind words, Tom.

You've been a huge asset to the Alberta aviation community and your enthusiasm and dedication for what you do is something I think we can all admire.

This is enough AvCanada for me for the next few months I think.

[Tom H]

Thanks in return Bones

Sowwy. In addition to using the wrong spelling for sight. I really like old tractors and stuff like Stan.

I supose there are not a ton of museums in the market for some of the implements at this time but I promise that eventually they will become somewhat more atractive to people with a desire to see history after they are nearly all gone.

Consider the war planes and the Bison. There used to be so many that people thought they could never run out. Now one of the two variety of Bison only lives on as a half breed with the other. They used to intentionally destroy D.H. Mosquitoes to make movies. Now there's only one airworthy example and it probably has very few actual original parts on it.

Hey Beef

Generally I agree with what you are saying in the above quote, seen too many cars from the 20s-30s-40s-50s get crushed back in the 80s. But in this case I can safely say that the Reynolds family would have made sure everything useable for the future would have been recovered.

They are still doing ongoing restorations which will wind up in the RAM and the family member I know personally is like me, can't stand to see anything that might, maybe, possibly, kinda ever be needed go to waste. (you should see my garage lol).

As to the Yagen/AVspecs Mossie, you are right in a large way. All the wooden structure is new as I have read and been told by a person close to the project. But all the metal bits and those mighty Merlins are the right stuff.

And frankly if it going to be flown regularly that is the only way to do it and be safe in my opinion.
There are still originals around that will be protected, preserved and not flown that will carry the real thing into the future (DH Museum in England has 5 as I recall, 1 in the USAF Museum, 1 in the Canadian National Museum, the Calgary Mossie, ours and a couple others).

But to see a real one flying and living without risking the others is a dream come true...hope I get to see it.

Tom H

[CpnCrunch]

Anyone in Alberta really should go and see this museum if you haven't already, it really is an amazing experience. You can even fly in.

[longjon]

Tom could you tell me what that fuselage is as seen from the road in the military/aviation compound that is off limits to the public. At first glance I thought it was a ST27 but probably a Heron. Whats the story to that one?

[Tom H]

Tom could you tell me what that fuselage is as seen from the road in the military/aviation compound that is off limits to the public. At first glance I thought it was a ST27 but probably a Heron. Whats the story to that one?

Off hand I don't recall (head full is dealing with the projects in our Museum) but I do know that the recent aviation focus at RAM has been on prototypes and innovations/inovators so it wouldn't surprise me that it is a a ST-27 or one of the early prototype conversions.

Tom H

[Bones]

He's likely asking about the DH Dove that I'd like to point out is also not being crushed.

[Moose47]

A crushing rebuttal Bones to those who insist on freely spreading bovine fertilizer.

Cheers...Chris

[longjon]

We only saw the fuse from a drive by in a car but it looks like a DH Heron and not Dove. To many windows and lack of the bulb on the cockpit. If I knew the reg I could look it up on the TC historical site.

[Bones]

longjon, you're killing me.

It has 2 Gipsy Queen engines. It's a Dove. I grew up there and I work there whenever I'm back in town. I literally have a key to the building that's housing the rest of the parts for it.

I honestly don't know what else I can say to you about this whole subject.

Respectfully,
Ted Reynolds

[longjon]

OK thanks Ted. Maybe one day I'll get a chance to poke around that machine, I have an interest in those airframes as I spent several yrs on the ST27s.

[Bones]

No problem.
If I'm in town I'll happily take you through there myself, just get in touch.
Cheers,
T

[Flybabe]

I was just at their sale yard about a month and a half ago, looking for some treasures. Spent quite a while looking around, didn't come home with anything. All the good salvageable stuff is gone (or in the main storage facility), all that's left is rusty, not salvageable, or wayyy too big for someone like me to bring home (threshing machines, rakes, etc.).

I was told everything is up for grabs except "aviation and military" artifacts.

The sale yard is behind Peavey Mart in Wetaskiwin.

[wetair]

Boosh and/or Ke Kow. Nice work Ted.

[Flybabe]

wetair - do you have one of the vintage machines on the field? Not sure where your hangar is, but saw something in the area.

[Taiser]

Still be nice to see some pictures of this stuff....

[Flybabe]

Yes, it WOULD be nice. I'm not sure what I did with my pics

[bronson]

You happen to remember the registration of the Dove Bones?

[Beefitarian]

Anyone in Alberta really should go and see this museum if you haven't already, it really is an amazing experience. You can even fly in.

I guess I'm some sort of weirdo because I have been in love with this place since the first time I saw it. They had one of the biggest collections of old farm machinery I am aware of but that's not all. There are some truly incredible restored artifacts of an impressive variety.

Wonderful cars, motorcycles, airplanes, household objects, industrial equipment, the list goes on.

I'll trust bones and Tom H when they say the things being scrapped are not prime artifacts. I am still concerned that even a rusty old plough could find a home in another museum. I guess if I could afford it I'd offer to relocate things. I can't so that's how it has to be.

In no way do I feel the loss of what most people feel is "scrap" will harm what in my opinion is Alberta's best museum.

Sorry if I upset anyone by being upset seeing the thread.