Username Protected wrote:
I don't know if this is a possibility but after seeing the pictures I thought that would be a massive amount of work to fix. Being as it has the appearance that someone is hiding something how about this scenario.
Someone unscrupulous buys the wreck. Disposes of the wreck pocketing the data plate. Another plane is stolen or otherwise obtained (may have a massive lien). The data plate ends up on the other plane.
There was an "industry" which offered owners of totaled or damaged aircraft a tidy sum for their data plates and log books. They then established "phantom" aircraft which they borrowed money against knowing that the bank would NEVER go into the field to put eyes on the aircraft. In some cases, banks refinanced these aircraft multiple times because after all, it was an airplane.
If you will recall a well known broker did something similar by offering "shares" in aircraft that would be refurbished. The shareholders would make MILLIONS! Of course when shareholders started asking questions, they found aircraft with N numbers spray painted on them or other such derelicts with few if any improvements applied.
Good luck.