As to competitive fly-offs being done these days.. Forget about that. These aircraft are extremely rare and valuable. The cost of rebuilding an engine can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. No warbird owner wants his aircraft flogged that hard. The best data already exists, just read it.
$14,000,000 is the cost to produce one episode of
ER. These planes are rare but it might be worth asking what kind of revenue could be generated from such a show, and how much could be put up to cover the cost of repairs/ losses. Some planes might be priceless, to collectors if original, but aren't many warbirds re-manufactured? just saying.
