CWM visit

[Mike Cecil]

Gaddzooks! I'm now an 'evil author that publishes books on vehicles...'! Is that a select club I have joined unwittingly by ..... p**lishing??

Just joshing with ya, fellars...... I don't see much of a link between us 'evil authors' and displaying vehicles outside, but I have to say that even I have been guilty, in a museum environment, of offering up a 'sacrificial tank' for outside display. But this was on the basis that the museum had two more historically significant examples tucked away in storage. It wasn't a particulalry rare type, but the exercise did appease the ex-armoured corps persons who were giving the Director heaps about not having a publicly displayed tank in the grounds. So add another factor to the museum decision 'mix': external pressure groups, of which this is but one example of many.

As for outside display, I have to say that objects are estimated to deteriorate at least 15 times faster outdoors with no cover, than indoors away from sun, snow, wind and rain. Even a simple roof cuts down the rate of decay significantly.

So for objects that were, in good faith, placed outside many years ago, surely it is a matter of priority: work to move or place those at most risk (which includes its degree of rarity) under some form of cover. Of course, easy to say that sitting in front of the computer theorising, but for most museum collections, not an unreasonable aim or expense.

Mike C

[jason meade]

Ed I think you misread my reply too I am not complaining about my pay and hours, I do this because I enjoy what i do and being no money for museums we do this work for little to no credit. "My point, which you seemed to have missed, is that I am suggesting that museums take a hard look at this practice and find another way to store and preserve this material" With you being in the Military you would think you would know that military museums are at the whim of the local base commanders, some support most dont. But it takes many voices to extend a voice to Ottawa to get the point that over head cover is needed,are you willing to send a voice?

As for Going after authors and publishers, I really dont know where your coming from, What i said was "we do it to keep people like you and the others in pictures so books can be wrote 50 years later and have something beside black and white photos scamed out of public archives." You cant go back are retake photos 50 years later of a b/w photo, so with that said you can still go out and take a few photos of rusty vechs.
Lets not drag evil authors and publishers into this, That was not even close to what was being said.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Gaddzooks! I'm now an 'evil author that publishes books on vehicles...'! Is that a select club I have joined unwittingly by ..... p**lishing??

. . . don't feel bad Mike, I am one of those evil authors, who writes books on vehicles . . . and now, back to writing before my publisher catches me on this forum instead of working on my book . . .

[Mike Cecil]

Well, thanks, Mark, now I don't feel bad since I'm in such good company. Maybe we should ask MLU for a special sub-forum on military books, DVDs and book publishing: at least there will be four: you, Keith Webb, me and Clive L! Who else on MLU is in our elite little group of 'evil authors', I wonder?

I confess I don't have your previous book on the Churchill tank in CDN service, but I'm willing to trade a Profile or two .......

What's the current book on, or is that NTK until publication?

I have several of Clive's Service Publications: excellent stuff.

Regards

Mike C