I've been watching this discussion to see if a situation similar to my own might
show up.  As one hasn't, let me offer another angle on this problem.

A little more than a year ago, we at the A. V. Roe Canada Heritage Museum were
drafting our collections policies, and of course we included a clause about only
acquiring material that has a legal pedigree.  One of our colllections committee
members pointed out to me that, in our effort to preserve and tell the story of
A. V. Roe Canada, we want to collect and preserve (as much as possible, and
among other things) components and equipment associated with the CF-105 Avro
Arrow jet fighter.  Now, upon cancellation of the Arrow programme in 1959, all
Arrow components, equipment, drawings, etc., were to be destroyed (by whose
order is still in dispute--no one seems to want to claim responsibility for
ordering the destruction, although it was government contractors that carried
out the work).  Therefore, for anything to have survived of the Arrow project,
the dictates of the government had to be disobeyed, breaking the law.

So, are we acquiring illicit material when we collect pieces that "illegally"
escaped destruction?  What about pieces that passed from government/Avro
ownership before the project was cancelled (for example, a number of our pieces
were personal copies of reports and drawings that we received from former Avro
employees; we also have some reports that were kept in an off-site library, that
have been de-classified by the government and put on the market).  I know the
Canadian National Aviation Museum has substantial portions of Arrow airframes,
and presumably they have clear title to those pieces, despite their "illegal"
escape from the cutting torches.

Perhaps Mr. Needham of the Canadian War Museum can offer comment on this, or
forward this message on to a National Aviation Museum represenative for
clarification on how they met this "illicit material" situation?

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim McShane
Curatorial Assistant, Parks Canada
(also, Co-Chair of the A.V.Roe Canada Heritage Museum,
a division of the Arrow 2000 Project)
Calgary, Alberta