Sunday, April 30, 2006

Chinaman buys fighter jet on eBay

A Chinese businessman has bought a MiG-21f plane from a U.S. seller on the online auction website eBay for $24,730 and plans to use it to decorate an empty space at his offices.
The Beijing News newspaper identified the Chinese buyer as Zhang Cheng. "I like to collect valuable items. I have the buying power and my company has an empty space where I can display the plane," the newspaper quoted Zhang as saying.

The eBay website for the transaction shows the plane is currently located in Lewiston, Idaho. It said the fighter jet, last flown in 1995, has been inspected by a museum and found to be in excellent condition. The Beijing News quoted Zhang as saying he learned from the seller's son by telephone that the fighter jet was retired by the Czech military.

It wasn't immediately clear if the fighter jet can be imported into China. Zhang said he is waiting for government authorities to get back to him, The Beijing News reported. "There is the precedent of a Chinese company buying a retired aircraft carrier, but I don't know if this jet plane is a banned item," Zhang reportedly said.

Zhang was apparently referring to the Soviet-built Minsk aircraft carrier that a Chinese company bought and converted into a floating theme park in the southern city of Shenzhen. The company went bankrupt and recently put the ship up for sale.

Buying Aircraft isn't a new thing on eBay, but it appears to be getting more accessable now. The Question is, what hardware I should buy?...

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Consensus would laugh at more phallic weaponry, I'm sure. How about ... hmmm... something to detect truth typed on web sites?

Major General Creedon said...

Laugh? No Sithy gasp in awe at me with sword and a view of my sword with scabbard.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic. But more meant additional stuff - we already knew about the sword.
Not quite the Holy Avenger you lusted after, is it?

Major General Creedon said...

Yes, but I didn't get a chance to post any pictures of it until now.

The main issue with a Holy Avenger is that it's a fictional weapon in D&D. I don't really lust after a 'real' or at least a 'scale' Holy Avenger, my D&D Paladins would however, (There's none in DDO apparently, but I'll still play on). That aside, if someone was to create a WOTC and D&D authorised "Holy Avenger" sword, I would probably order it. However if it was the same size and weight as a medevil sword of the same type that it is drawn as in D&D literature, I would believe that you or I would lack the strength to wield it in such a manner as in those photos and certainly not swing it over our heads and kill goblins, at least I doubt it, but I'm not as educated on ancient melee weapons as you are.

The "Mameluke" however is an elegant officer's sabre with a proud history and tradition. All of them are blunted as obviously it's a ceremonial weapon (except for the one Gung-Ho uses in G.I.Joe- a fact Vaughan reminded me of when I foolishly let him brandish it a few weeks ago).

Anonymous said...

I could about cope with a bastard sword (being in reasonable shape & good strength), and, as with historical reality, would probably run out of steam in about 4/5 mins of waving one about. As for swords akimbo ... not a chance with the larger ones!

Besides, I'd rather use a weapon from a more civilised age ;)

Anonymous said...

I think an Abrams mk 1 would look good in the front of your house, or how about a harrier jump jet , not only used by the corp but you could re enact classic moments from the comic strip fight for the falklands "take that argies!"
I would like at this time however like to suggest a random poll ,who thinks that the next picture of the Colonel for his main blog page now that he's got all the equipment should be of him renacting that classic gung ho pose?

Major General Creedon said...

@ Sith: I have plenty of "weapons for a civilised age". I want uncivilised ones now. Do you think if I have this blessed by a priest it would be a 'holy sword'?

@ Vaughan: Hmmmm.. yes, interesting. Wonderful suggestions Vaughan. Unfortunatly the M1 Abrams (to give it's correct designation) is over 3.5 meters wide, my front gate isn't.
The Harrier is similarly out of the question for putting in the rear garden as I'd have to move the clothesline. But keep trying.

The Gung-Ho pose is out of the question at the moment as I dont have a Blue Dress Alpha uniform (yet).

Anonymous said...

no, according to the rules it'd merely be under the effects of a Bless spell, maybe giving you +1 to hit temporarily.
lol

Major General Creedon said...

Godammit! *dismisses Fr.Keoghane*

How does one make it holy then?

Anonymous said...

No doubt you'll need a high level cleric and mage :) good luck finding them!

Major General Creedon said...

Another otherwise brilliant plan foiled...

Anonymous said...

Here's a better question: What should I buy off Ebay that will allow me to exact revenge against the Colonel?

Anonymous said...

Your mere existence is revenge - the knowledge that you and your superior 'firepower' exist eats away at the Colonels guts. But if you're looking for a more self-gratifying revenge, maybe a sword thats better than his. Not necessarily more expensive. Just thicker and longer.