Historical aircraft ownership

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yak-aviation

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When it comes to cars, a famous previous/historical owner may add value to a vehicle e.g. a 1908 Model T Ford owned by Henry Ford would be more valuable than the same car owned by a sequence of less prominent owners.

Now, when it comes to aircraft, do you think a prominent historical owner would add much more value to the it e.g. Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B vs. a.n.other Lockheed Vega; all things being equal in terms of condition, hours and maintenance. Similarly, if an aircraft was in bits i.e. a serious project, wouldn't all value in previous ownership be latent until the aircraft was fully rebuilt? What do you think?
 
Previous ownership conveys no added value.

At least to me. To some people I'm sure it does, i.e. the same types that collect autographs, wear a jersey with a player's name, etc.
 
Previous ownership is only valuable to me if the previous owner, whoever it was, maintained the aircraft properly.

Cheers
 
Depends who the owner was, and if the buyer wants something that owner had.
 
I think if you're buying an airplane to fly, it doesn't matter one bit. It's a tool.

If you're a museum, then yes, maybe there's value in it. But every time I've seen an airplane being sold as having had a particular famous owner, I've looked at it and thought, "What an overpriced POS."
 
If it's E-AB the owners reputation means a lot.

In your car analogy, I know a guy that bought a Ferrari 308 that was 'once owned by Tom Cruise.' He paid extra for that, first in the purchase price, and then in ridicule whenever he bragged on it.
 
There is a recent thread on Elvis' jet being for sale (and it doesn't fly). It seemed like they wanted a lot for non-flying beat up old plane.
 
Being that the OP's title is: "Historical aircraft ownership", sometimes having a past, well known owner/flyer helps to put the historical aspect of that plane into a broader context. Some people would appreciate that, and maybe put a subjectively higher value on it.
 
As with anything, the real answer depends on a lot of things.

From what I have seen in the vintage market, I would say that yes, it can increase the value/selling price. There is no doubt in my mind that the former Shell Oil Vega that sold within the last 2 years benefited by the documented fact that Doolittle himself had flown it. It sold very quickly and it was still an unfinished project at the time.

There is a Tri-motor that was just listed for sale last week that was flown by both Lindbergh and Earhart. Asking $3.45M, which is more than any other Trimotor I've seen. I'd be surprised if that one doesn't sell.

Still, you have to find the right buyer. The kind of person who wants to spend that kind of money on what is essentially a museum piece. I'd venture to say you won't find too many of those types posting on POA.
 
yak-aviation said:
When it comes to cars, a famous previous/historical owner may add value to a vehicle e.g. a 1908 Model T Ford owned by Henry Ford would be more valuable than the same car owned by a sequence of less prominent owners.

Now, when it comes to aircraft, do you think a prominent historical owner would add much more value to the it e.g. Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B vs. a.n.other Lockheed Vega; all things being equal in terms of condition, hours and maintenance. Similarly, if an aircraft was in bits i.e. a serious project, wouldn't all value in previous ownership be latent until the aircraft was fully rebuilt? What do you think?
Click to expand...

I am sure the seller thinks so.....
 
Our EAA Chapter restored Pete Bowers' original Fly Baby, N500F. In exchange, Pete let us operate it as a club airplane. I was able to fly it for about seven years.

Took it to many a fly-in. At one, as I was crawling out, a guy said, "Hey, you painted it just like the original!"

"It *is* the original!"

Worth it right there.....
n500f.jpg


Ron Wanttaja
 
You have to have some provenance. A photo of Lindburg in his Monocoupe that goes with THAT Monocoupe.
 
I flew a plane that Lindburgh had flown.

At historical Hangar 2 at St Louis Downtown Airport I used in the same urinal that Lindburgh peed in.

Yeal, gotta add value to that urinal if it is ever sold.
 
yak-aviation said:
When it comes to cars, a famous previous/historical owner may add value to a vehicle e.g. a 1908 Model T Ford owned by Henry Ford would be more valuable than the same car owned by a sequence of less prominent owners.

Now, when it comes to aircraft, do you think a prominent historical owner would add much more value to the it e.g. Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B vs. a.n.other Lockheed Vega; all things being equal in terms of condition, hours and maintenance. Similarly, if an aircraft was in bits i.e. a serious project, wouldn't all value in previous ownership be latent until the aircraft was fully rebuilt? What do you think?
Click to expand...
Pug Piper's Comanche 400 is for sale. hard not to buy that baby
 
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