“It is a quite incredible time capsule, the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun’s Tomb.”
Complete BS. We know everything about these planes: how they were made, when they were made, who made them, who flew them, why they flew them, what they cost, etc. No one need learn a dead language - like Egyptian hieroglyphics - to know all about this plane.
Agree. Back in the early 60's my father was doing his weekend reserve duty at Willow Grove NAS. There was a rusted P-40 on static display near the main gate. Somebody cut a deal with the Smithsonian to get the aircraft restored & displayed there.
Long story short, a call came to the parachute loft where the poker game was going on. Duty officer asked "Anybody know how to disassemble a P-40?" A couple of "Super Chiefs" (who began as USAAF) actually knew. They dragooned a few of the younger guys, my father among them, to help. Wasn't too hard.