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NAVY THREATENS TO SINK CORSAIR PROJECT
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SeaWolf
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Mar 11, 2005 08:32 PST
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A year ago it seemed that a warbird restorer who recovered a 60-year-old
Brewster F3A-1 Corsair from the mud of a North Carolina swamp would get to
keep the airplane. The Navy had threatened Lex Cralley, 50, of Princeton,
Minnesota, with legal action, claiming that the plane was Navy property.
But Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) introduced an amendment in the defense
spending bill that conveyed title of the aircraft to Cralley. That was only
a first step, as it turns out. Navy concerns about liability mean Cralley's
proposed "gift of deed" comes with restrictions, requiring him to buy a $2
million liability policy for the aircraft and naming the Navy as an insured
party. It forbids him from flying the aircraft for seven years. Cralley
says that would set a bad precedent for other warbird restorers, so the
matter may yet go to trial. Unfortunately, the defense spending bill that
gave Cralley the airplane also contained! a section reinforcing the premise
that the Navy owns all sunken or buried military aircraft. Jones continues
to work on the issue with further negotiations planned for this week.
Department of Justice spokesman Charles Miller said a "scheduling
conference" set for March 16 could tentatively set a trial date. Cralley
wants to continue the fight but doesn't want to become a burden on Jones
and others helping him. "I plan to display the Corsair at Oshkosh this year
to promote the change of the latest anti-preservation law," Cralley told
ePilot.
Photo: http://download.aopa.org/images/epilot/corsair_050311.jpg
SeaWolf Productions
The Bikini Atoll and Truk Lagoon Museum
http://www.seawolfproductions.com
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