I have tried to follow this story and I even checked the date to ensure it wasn't the RAF's birthday. But it makes very little sense. Dates, Marks, locations are all over the place. For example, why were US servicemen involved in their disposal? Why did SACSEA (Mountbatten) order their disposal, fearing that they'd be grabbed by the Japanese, when in mid 1945 the Japs were finished in Burma? MK II Spits? Delivered in Late 1941 - but not touched until 1945?
I hope these inconsistencies are due to poor reporting (qv ad naseum) and the aircraft are found - but it all sounds a bit speculative (BBC claim they could be found; DT that they have) and reminds me for the search 40 years ago for 'crated' Boeing seaplanes from WWI stored in the tunnels of North Head, Auckland.
Last edited by Whenurhappy; 14th Apr 2012 at 08:04.