.
: . . . It would be nice to own some great planes, if only for the beauty of them.
: for now, utility is the key.

Don't shor-change that heirloom you already own. A few years from now, or maybe a few more than that, when you've burned out the motors on two or three power tools, you'll look at that plane and appreciate its beauty far more than you do now -- 'cause it will still be working fine.

Those "great" planes you want to own are tools which have developed a reputation over a period of time. Given enough time your plane will be a "great" plane that your children and grandchildren should be able to use.

Once they learn to use the tools you've preserved for them, wait until they use the phrase "They don't make 'em like they used to", but don't tell them that your generation had the same refrain. Let them believe they thought it up themselves.

PGJ