Bill,
Had the same thing said when I worked down the Strategic Air and Space Museum (former SAC Museum) now moved to Ashland, NE. We worked and worked on the B-36 wing panels, to save them as original as much as possible. But sadly we just couldn't. So we made every effort to keep them as close to original as possible.
Any old equipment, no matter what it is, has a life cycle on it. You just do as best as possible when trying to keep the 'fabric' alive.
Thanks again to Linn and crew. What a sight!!
Craig
Somewhere up in NoCo