View Full Version : Spitfire gun fired after 70 years underground
Stu666
10th Nov 2011, 06:01
Incredible! :ok:
BBC News - Spitfire redux: The WWII guns firing after 70 years buried in peat (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15652440)
Ewan Whosearmy
10th Nov 2011, 07:52
"That is the sound of a Spitfire". Really? I think I'd have preferred to see the show fronted by Tony Robinson.
Interesting article, be very interested to see how you dig a merlin out of a bog from 20m down ! bit of journalistic licence maybe !!!
With a big piece of machinery !
Spitfire excavation site - a set on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfmagazine/sets/72157626951706719/with/5884597242/)
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airborne_artist
10th Nov 2011, 09:43
I don't really see the point of the exercise though? Gun still works - well so what?
Agaricus bisporus
10th Nov 2011, 09:55
Why on earth would anyone want or need to wear a helmet when firing a gun? The mind boggles. Did someone think it was going to jump off it's mount and crack them over the head? That must be one of the most idiotic bits of brainless jobsworth elfunsafety bolleaux ever.
Pontius Navigator
10th Nov 2011, 10:45
AB, having looked at the video I can see that a hard hat is a sensible precaution.
NutLoose
10th Nov 2011, 11:16
Far to over the top, what you need to do is take a 20mm cannon out of a P38 under the ice for 60 years, stick it on your skidoo and let rip :)
P-38 Lightning Glacier Girl 60 Year old 20mm cannon - YouTube
Pontius Navigator
10th Nov 2011, 11:50
Having watched the P38 clip I then saw the B29 - Frozen in Time. I didn't listen but just watched and it looks like tragic carelessness when they had such a great opportunity.
TEEEJ
10th Nov 2011, 12:42
Agaricus bisporus wrote
Why on earth would anyone want or need to wear a helmet when firing a gun?
Guy hit in head with .50 caliber ricochet - YouTube
A bit of a no-brainer! Why take the risk?
TEEJ
Depends on how stupid you are in setting up the range you are using.
I shoot from .22 to over .50 calibres nearly every month in 100+ year old guns and never needed one.
It wasn't the helmet that got me, it was the body Armour.
Re the Video, I can't see the video for some reason so if anyone has another link to other than the BBC site, it would be appreciated.
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