Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Downtown on August 11, 1999, 10:13:00 PM
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Me a P-40C. (even if I had to have it built.)
and a 67 427SC. (Shelby Fan here.)
And a Harley WLA.
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"I could feel the 20MM Cannon impacting behind me so I made myself small behind the pilot armor" Charlie Bond AVG
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Mosquitto.
I would then give it to our local Warbirds center (Canadian Warplane Heritage) and work with them to get it airworthy.
I would then paint it in the colours of 633RAF, in tribute to the work they did.
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S/L Corvet, 416 RCAF
FLY CANUCK!
416rcaf.org (http://416rcaf.org)
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10 Mill?
I guess you could actually get several for that amount.
For me;
Start with a A6M3
Add a 109 (probably F)
Need something to carry the windsurfers, so a B25 would do ok.
That will do for now. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Carrot
RNZAF
"Outta my way!! Lawndart in Progress."
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I would immediately contact 'Butch' Schroeder at Midwest Aviation Museum and agree on a price for the FG-1D Corsair he has in storage awaiting restoration. It is one of the VERY rare F4U examples that has never had a full restoration and it is COMPLETE right down to the ultra rare stuff like ammo chutes, original wiring and hydraulic routings. Next I would contact Pacific Fighters in Idaho and contract them to restore the plane over a 3 year period into perfect stock configuration with all modern radios, etc strategicaly hidden so as not to spoil the detail of originality. Most likely I would finish off the plane in one of the original paint schemes that particular aircraft wore during its service years, thus making it the perfect original restoration. During that time I would set out to accumulate roughly 150 hours in primary training, 500 hours of AT-6 time, and 100 hours of P-51 time. Following this, I would take stock in my skills and follow up with extra training if necessary. Once my Corsair restoration was completed I would create a foundation or museum to represent ownership of the plane (mainly for the tax breaks) and immediately begin using some of my surplus funds to gather as many F4U spare parts cashes as I could locate. Probably a cool $750,000 would go to Howard Pardue in return for the two hangars full of F4U extras left over from trades with the Honduras Air Force.
As a finishing touch, during the three year waiting period I would purchase 500 acres in South West Colorado and build my own personal aviation ranch complete with a 4000' grass strip groomed to golf course perfection. I would locate my abode near a major thoroughfare as to validate my new 'museum' with the occasional visitor. After a reassesment of my finances (probably $6 million left) I would most likely add a refurbished F4U-4 to my collection (Jerry Beck's example kept in storage). If I was lucky enough to catch it on the market, I might also jump at the chance to either aquire THE ONLY F4U-1 'birdcage' Corsair or possibly works some kind of trade deal for the FG-1A on display in the Royal Thailand Air Force Museum in Bangkok. The latter two planes would be kept in their present condition pending returns on other investments made with the surplus $4 million or so left from the original $10 million. At this point I would do my best to live a relatively conservative lifestyle, enjoy delving into vintage engineering, and keep a sharp eye on the stock market and my other investments to ensure that I always might have a little cash to keep my toys properly maintained, insured, and filled to the tabs. (http://www.hawkmodels.com/ubb/smile.gif)
(http://member.aol.com/skychrgr/TK5.jpg)
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Windle
*Future* Aces High VF-17 'Jolly Rogers' 8X
[This message has been edited by Windle (edited 08-12-1999).]
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Wow! Well Windle has pretty much the same ideas as I do.
Except for
1) Buy the biggest whoopinest computer to handle the games (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
2) Buy a 1967 GT-350 Shelby Mustang Convertible and a new Suburban.
3) Go shotgun shopping.
4) AFter getting the necessary experience I would buy a P-51D. Then I would have to decide wether to paint it like a 487th Bluenoser or paint it like my Grandfather's from the 384th FS/364th FG/8th AF. Then it would have blue and white horizontal stripped nose, white spinner, 5Y*W- and "DOT" (my Grandmother's name) on the nose.
5) I would also look into buying a flying boat of some type.
6) I would buy my "air ranch" in either Montana, Texas, or Arizona. If I was in AZ I could have the people at Champlain Fighter Museum restore my Pony for me.
7) The rest of the money would be given to my girlfriend (whom I would gladly marry) so I could enjoy my toys in peace.
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
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487th F.S. "Lil' Bastards"
Flying Tigers
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Well , for starters that would be $20 mill in local currency :-)
First purchase would be the MKB35 mossie for sale in Canada ( price slashed to $985,000 ) http://www.adrenalin.bc.ca/zalesky/mossi.html (http://www.adrenalin.bc.ca/zalesky/mossi.html)
It could be finished up in a coupla years & flying without to many problems with mostly local companies working on it.
Attaining pilots Licences etc would be high on the agenda as would telling the boss where his job .... nuff said :-)
Eventual goal would be to attain a musem of flyable warbirds , which enhanced my local "musem of flyable warbirds" which is in Wanaka NZ & includes SpitXVI,Hurri 1,F4u-1 "Birdcage" Corsair, P40e,Yak3, P51D ,Ki43,polikarpov I16(6),Polikarpov I153 etc,etc,
I spose Mrs KZ could have her own car or somthing if she liked too (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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kzcole
RNZAF
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Interactive Magic, Inc. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
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Vadr, Kommandeur
Stab/JG27
http://jg27.org (http://jg27.org)
vadr@jg27.org
"Potential is interesting. Performance...counts."
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well, id contact:
Texas Airplane Factory...and get one of their rebuilt Ki-43... talk about a fun airplane to just go up and do some acrobatics in...approx price $900,000
FlugWerk GMBH... and get one of thier new FW-190 A8s...lookout all you cessnas...Approx Price $500,000
there i still have over 8 mil left and can BNZ or TNB at my leisure
-bigred
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Big red I believe those FW190's are actually selling closer to $2M US (http://www.thewormhole.net/UBB/wink.gif)
......but hey your a millionare! you'll still have plenty left over (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
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Windle
*Future* Aces High VF-17 'Jolly Rogers' 8X
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actually in pretty sure about the $500,000 figure , i got it off of a Nevada Airshow(i think) online review where FlugWerk was showing off one of the FW-190 airframes during MAY.
they were quoting 400,000 for the airframe +80,000-100,000 for the engine, shipping, and final assembly in the USA.
Actually the price seems abount right as the FW-190s are replicas and not actual vintage warbirds (which do often go for 1mil+ USD)
in any case, im sure the extra 8mil would quickly be sucked away by dual full hull coverage insurance policies... (ouch, those rates have just gotta be sky-high!!!)
-bigred, (hey with the extra 7-8 mil, ill get 2 sets for when you guys come visit!!!!)
now where is that lotto ticket?????
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Bigred's right, $500,000 is all you need.
That s what I'd buy.
Next: 1. Sunseeker Yacht
2. 32 Ford Deuce Coupe (as seen in American Graffitti)
3. Dataprotect Mega-Car (MB SL 600 with $150.000 worth of computer equipment built in: Go online while doing 250 km/h on the Autobahn)
http://www.kimble.org/megacar/ (http://www.kimble.org/megacar/)
Oh yeah..and most of all: contact Mauser, buy four 151/20s to fit to my new FW 190 and strafe the houses of some "friends" of mine. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Sascha
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Man, that sheds a whole new light on the Flug Werk planes for me. That is really a terrific price for those planes. The idea that those guys started from scratch and created exact reproductions of Fock Wulf 190's using the same manufaturing methods as the real factory is a fantastic accomplishment. I cant believe they arent in way over their heads at just $500,000 a copy. Each plane also incorperates some original 190 assemblies (landing gear, instruments, etc.). I'll tell ya, for that price I can't believe they aren't all sold by now. Hell, a T-28 goes for about half that and it's just a cold war trainer.
Anyone know what one Deutchmark amounts to in $US? I know they've been advertised for DM900000 but I'm foreign currency illiterate. (http://www.halcyon.com/msbinder/images/tsk.gif)
Amazing stuff bigred. Thanks for the inside line!
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Windle
*Future* Aces High VF-17 'Jolly Rogers' 8X
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$1 is roughly 1,85 Deutsche Mark windle.
I ve had a brief email "conversation" with Flug Werk BTW and it looks like they ll show the first completed 190 to the public this fall. I live only about 100 miles from their factory and can t wait to see this baby. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
Sascha
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One. Pay all the bills (less than $100,000).
Two. Buy a somewhat bigger house in a suburb with good schools (about $200,000 max).
Three. My wife gets to quit her job and stay home with the Crown Prince; plus, we go ahead and have Baby Number Two. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) Dad likes his job right now so he stays at it for a while.
Four. Get a 20'-25' sailboat now for plonking around Lake Erie (prices are good round here, so about $5,000 max plus around $1,000 per year for summer slip & winter storage). Total: About $320,000.
Five. Acquire shed space somewhere, hire George Buehler to redraw his *Olga* double-ender for schooner or brigantine rig, and commence to building. Probably around $60,000 when all's said and done. Nice cruising boat for the golden years. Total up to about $380,000.
Six. Consider getting pilot's license (used to want to pretty badly, but I held off due to poor depth perception and fell in love with sailing in the meantime anyway). If I get one, get myself a nice little biplane, maybe a Stearman or something. Research is needed. Figure $150,000 max, though I have no real idea. Total about $530,000.
Seven. Sock away about $250,000 or so for the kids' college. $780,000.
Eight. Sock away about $2 million (invested) to retire on. Total about $3 million, to make a nice round number.
Nine. Endow about $1 million to a start a foundation designed to increase the public's level of understanding of science, espcially in relation to nutrition and agriculture. Scientific agriculture means that poor people get affordable cheap food too; a lot of folks don't realize that. We're up to about $4 million.
Ten. Decide which business to start: a boatyard (specializing in wooden boat construction, restoration and salvage), or, in the event IMagic folds, buying Dawn of Aces.
Actually, if my investments went well enough, I'd probably run the boatyard as a biz. I'd hire 1-2 programmers on a contract basis out of investment income, fund the server resources the same way, and put out DoA for a flat rate with the goal of paying for *itself*--just the server and programming resources needed to keep it running, incremental improvements, new planes and arenas, etc--not having to feed my family or pay for my T-28 or meet quarterly P&L targets or whatever. I just want a refuge for people who want the best WWI flight sim, free from the ravages of Quake Dweeb/Duke Sopwith types and hackers.
This got kind of OT, but I want HTC to concentrate on building an insanely great WWII sim, without having to think about the guys like me clamoring for an equally insanely great WWI sim. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Not as ambitious a plan as some of the others here, perhaps, but in the words of Frank Miller, "This will be a good life...good enough."
Flathat
[This message has been edited by Flathat (edited 08-13-1999).]
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I'd buy 10,000,000 lottery scratch tickets and win a fortune (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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I'd start a game company.
HiTech
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Not to make you guys feel bad...... (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
There is a great article in the July Air & Space about the Kissimmee Mustang gathering. The article mentions a guy who, in 1957, bought six Mustangs at an Air Material Auction....For $1,000.00 a piece.
*Drool*
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487th F.S. "Lil' Bastards"
Flying Tigers
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Looks like somebody has to play the Spit Dweeb around here so I guess it might as well be me.
First thing I would do is quit my job and move OUT of Ontario. I would find a nice piece of land in Nova Scotia, not too far from Halifax, though Quebec city has a certain appeal. There I would set up a building and restoration workshop in an old barn. The first thing I would build would be a wooden sailboat, for you see, I am a sailor at heart. Soon enough I would get around to restoration or replication of WW2 aircraft. It would take years of course, to learn the necessary wood and metal working skills, but I would need the time to learn how to fly as well. Luckily I already have the engineering degree.
Being a Canadian, Empire planes hold a special place in my heart, and of them, the Spitfire and Mosquito are my most prized. Soon enough I would be flying over the bay of Fundy, pretending like it's the English channel, and raiding the Americans in Maine (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif). Just imagine flying low over the Nova Scotia highlands, with the canopy open and the breeze washing over your face, while the Rolls Royce Merlin sings it's unforgetable song. I get shivers just thinking about it.
Of course I would make the rounds with my aircraft, visiting all the airshows and talking with other enthusiastic admirers of WW2 warbirds. Who knows, I might even see some of you there. I would like to be able to share both my time and hard won knowledge to help others preserve or restore these classic airplanes and ensure that they continue to fly for years to come.
Over the years I would also learn how to write and, maybe someday, I would have a book published. As someone once said, 'everyone has at least one bad book in them'; I would like to see if that's true.
Of course I would have to spend a considerable amount of time learning how to properly manage my new found fortune in order to ensure that it is not entirely sqwandered. Proper investing and management a la Warren Buffet, would insure finanicial security and prevent me from becoming spend happy.
Above all familly and friends would have to come first. If none of the rest should ever come to pass I would still die a happy man knowing I've done right by those I care for.
Quixotic
PS: I forgot to mention fly fishing for salmon and trout in the beautiful maritime rivers as well as my cabin beside a lake in northern Quebec.
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Yeah Dune, you'd be suprised how 'worthless' warbirds were even up until the late '60s / early '70s. I know of at least one Corsair that was scrapped as late as the mid '70s by the city of Olathe, Kansas after vandals made the plane too ugly for display. (http://www.thewormhole.net/UBB/ohmygod.gif)
I remember during the late 1980's when a Corsair restored to original stock condition was selling for $200,000. Today the same plane in the same condition would fetch $800,000. Quite a 10 year investment I'd say - and unlike stocks & bonds you can fly it for fun while you own it. Hell, you could burn 10 years worth of gas, oil, and maintenance and still break even on the investment value (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Windle
*Future* Aces High VF-17 'Jolly Rogers' 8X
[This message has been edited by Windle (edited 08-15-1999).]
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Hehe... Gotta chime in - my uncle is a big warbirds (the real ones) buff. In the early 70's, a guy approached him selling an airworthy P-38J. With 4 (or 6?) spare allisons (both left and right side types). He wanted $75,000. That's seventy-five thousand US dollars.
He didn't buy it. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/frown.gif)
For me;
1) Call around and get myself a Beretta 682 (old style silver receiver) with new 31" barrels in 12 ga, sporting configuration. Also 31" 20 ga barrels, and another set of 12 ga 30" barrels with Kolar Ultralight skeet tubes.
2) Ford F-150 pickup.
3) Call up music stores and set myself up with a Hamer T-51, original Fender 59 Bassman, and an original Fender 65 Deluxe reverb. Effects to taste
4) Pay off all bills including house, car, visa, and alimony if applicable. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
5) Find someone who has or would fabricate a P-51B/C, paint it up in my grandpa's numbers as a 364th FG/384th FS/8 AF Mustang and go wing with Dune looking for "fake" 190's. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Flip-Top
-fltp- <4th FG, 334 SQ>
[This message has been edited by fltp (edited 08-16-1999).]
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I gotta chime in... if for nothing other than to be silly. What would I buy?
$10,000,000 worth of 10 penny nails, or
$10,000,000 worth of Hubba Bubba. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Brick
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With the first million I'd buy Hitech's soul for a year, (just to get advance notice on what's coming next in AH while the rest of you suffer and debate while I "leak" info =)
Put 5 million in the bank or invest in blue chips, (to live of the interest which should nett about 400k-600k a year)
The remaining 4M would be spent frivolously on :
A house, ($5-600k max), which my wife would choose, (I get to make the major decisions in the house, like our stance on Global Warming, Nukes and the state of the economy, she decides on the house, car, social events, etc).
Get a car. Just the one coz I haven't yet worked out why people buy 3 cars, when they only have one butt to put in the drivers seat! Hell I might even get my drivers licence at 30 years of age =)
Get that Kickass Games PC with a video projector hooked into the mother of all stereo systems! And then put it in a soundproof bunker under the house so I don't disturb the neighbours. I might even buy a couple of spares for inviting the lads over to play on.
Sponsor the next convention, (ie. you pay the airfare and bring your PC and I'll buy the hotel/LAN for a week). A week to 9 days would be enough time wouldn't it?
Put a million away in trust for the next generation of my family, (and they get the shares of the $5M above).
Leaves about $2M spare change for the future I guess. Might organise a LAN party for the squad every 3 months and fly them up to my house.
I better go get that lottery ticket now.
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hey windle...
more FlugWerk info....
according to various online reports (if you search hard enough youll find them) All the 12 FW-190 A8s are sold and why the hell not at that GREAT PRICE....
BUT,,,,
they are now ramping up for thier next project: a set of 12 exacting replicas of a BF-109 (exact model unknown) followed by a batch of 12 JU-87 Stukas (exact model unknown)
after these sets are done or earlier if demand is high enough they will make more sets of the various aircraft.
Their goal seems to be to repopluate the worlds airshows with plenty of Luftwaffe planes (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
anyhow, they said that they are able to keep costs down by subcontracting various airframe subassemblies out to several eastern-block companies...
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That sounds great! I had heard the statements regarding the Bf-109's, but Stukas to boot? To say "I can hardly wait" is a HUGE understatement. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
I think its wonderful that WWII vintage iron has become so popular that we're finally reproducing the rarest of the rare so that we can keep their legacy airworthy. Ten years ago I felt that the warbirds flying days might be numbered. This turn of events only proves the opposite is true. I'll cherish the day I see flying examples of Me-262's, FW-190's, Stukas, Me-109's and Ki-43's all sharing the same ramp. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif) (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
Keep the updates posted bigred...and thanks (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Windle
*Future* Aces High VF-17 'Jolly Rogers' 8X
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Fix my car.
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As stated above I would get a P-40C, perhaps I would have to have one (0r a couple) built so I could fly it.
I would go to college until I was Doctor/Doctor/Doctor/Doctor/ Etc...
I would spend my summers flying in Airshows. Some in an AT6 Could pretend to be IJA and Buzz me. I would race out to my P-40 on my WLA (The Harely Davidson Army Bike) and take off after the AT6. Then we could mock dogfight over the airshow. Whoo Hoo. And the P-40 would do better against a AT6 than the much lighter more agile Ki-43s.
During the winter I would clean and polish the Bike, Plane, and Car when I wasn't in class.
I might occasionally take the 67 Cobra SC out on the Woodward Cruise (Detroit), but not likely.
I would buy property on a nice lake in Montana or Colorado. Somewhere where they stocked trout, samlmon, Pickerel, and Muskies. I would have a dock with a boat house. I would sit on the end of the dock with an unbaited hook and drink beer and fish the proper way when I decided to retire.
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"I could feel the 20MM Cannon impacting behind me so I made myself small behind the pilot armor" Charlie Bond AVG
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Quixotic (whom I was all set to like until he SHOWED HIS TRUE NATURE (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)) wrote:
Being a Canadian, Empire planes hold a special place in my heart, and of them, the Spitfire and Mosquito are my most prized. Soon enough I would be flying over the bay of Fundy, pretending like it's the English channel, and raiding the Americans in Maine (the smiley didn't paste)
Hey! Hey! Hey! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif) You jest be careful there, sporto (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)...it'd be a darn shame to spread all that plywood across the Rockland waterfront. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
In all seriousness, neat ideas. You read *WoodenBoat* magazine, Quixotic? If not, I recommend it heartily. Wood sailboats are where it's at, although I'm heretical enough that I would go with ply and epoxy over carvel (too much maintenance, too many things to go wrong for my skill level, sigh).
Flathat (reminding himself to ask Buehler whether a Bofors would be acceptable topweight on an *Olga,* or should I go with Oerlikons instead... (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif))
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1- Pay off the house, and every house in my family
1a- Nuke all the bills
2- Wife gets a brand spanking new 4Runner
3- I get a new Expedition
4- Baby gets a school fund (Private school)
5- Raise the house and get a basement
6- 2 car garage
7- Hire a landscaper to do a number on my property (Playground for sure)
And Finally!
8- Build a Spitfire simulator (For whatever game I use)
Then I stay home, raise the kids, and play with the computers.