John Macartney wrote:
>
> It was saddening to note in one of the lists that the tragic accident at
>Charles de
> Gaulle two days ago has no LBC content. While I have never subscribed to
> 'political correctness' it was even more distressing to note that just one or
>two
> people seem to have treated the matter with a degree of entirely undeserved
> flippancy and irreverence.
> For the benefit of one or two smart alec's who endeavoured to make a sic joke
>of that
> devastating incident, they should know it have a more than tenuous LBC
>connection
> and very much along the lines of posterity.
> Until BMW announced its intention to dispose of Rover earlier this year, the
>Managing
> Director of BMW's museum operation in Munich (BMW Mobile Tradition) was
>totally committed
> to a major overhaul of the replacement parts operation through British Motor
>Heritage of
> the marques that are no longer being made - as well as MG in its current and
>earlier
> forms. This vision, if it can be called such, was simply because BMW had the
>finance
> and determination (unlike a succession of Rover executives?) to recognise
>that a
> properly developed parts operation for the older car was a viable and
>undoubtedly
> profitable business opportunity.
> This man was Christian Eich and a more determined, committed, dedicated
> and enthusiastic advocate of the British sports car (of any make) would be
>hard to find.
> It's worth mentioning as well that apart from all these qualities, Christian
>was a
> gentleman in the true sense of the word.
> It should be noted that he in particular fought tooth and nail against the
>BMW board
> for the British Motor Heritage collection at Gaydon to be passed on to new
>owners
> who would further develop it as he had wanted to do himself.
> It is he who was the prime architect in ensuring that the Heritage Centre in
>England with
> its archive and 400 odd vehicle collection, not only survived in its
>entireity but became
> part
> of the overall deal in the transfer of ownership of Land Rover to Ford.
> I am saddened to report that not only Christian, but his wife, their two
>children and
> his mother and father in law all died in that crash. There is a widely held
>view
> at both Gaydon and Munich that in the inter-regnum, BMW's classic car
>operation in Munich
> will be greatly disadvantaged by his tragic passing. He was a wonderful man
> with a unique and very special common-touch that was the envy of many.
> To the crash itself, new amateur footage now doing the European (and world?)
>TV networks
> suggests that one of the main fuel tanks inboard of the engines had become
>severely
> ruptured - either by an exploding landing wheel or something else that had
>damaged it as
> a result of some major adjacent component failure.
>
> John Macartney
Thank you John for your sincere and meaningful candid comments.
Toad
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