Spitfires found in Burma
From today's EAA (USA) site.
Note the description as to how they were buried, on a 'wooden floor' to assist drainage, and covered with a timber roof.
If all is true, then maybe they will be in 'good' condition...
"December 27, 2012 - The excavation for reclaim never-used Spitfires that were buried by British troops in Burma (Myanmar) nearly 70 years ago is expected to begin in less than three weeks, according to The Irrawaddy news service in Burma.
It's believed that as many as 36 Spitfires, still in the packing crates in which they were shipped in 1945, are at the site near the Rangoon International Airport. The first EAA report of the rare airplanes' existence last April became 2012's most popular individual news story on EAA.org, with more than 31,000 page views.
David Cundall, a British aviation enthusiast who first discovered the aircraft cache in 2004 but kept it secret for eight years, told The Irrawaddy that after archeologists review the digging site for a week in early January, excavation will begin on January 12. Cundall has received permission from Burmese authorities to exhume the never-flown aircraft and remove them from the country.
The excavation project is expected to take four to six weeks. The aircraft are believed to be in excellent shape even 68 years after British troops buried them to prevent other forces from using the airplanes, which they did not want to ship back home. The troops buried the Spitfires in tarred wooden boxes, on top of large teak timbers to assist drainage and under a wooden roof before covering the burial site.
According to Cundall, half of all aircraft exhumed will go to the Burmese government, while Cundall will receive 30 percent of the recovered aircraft and his Burmese agent 20 percent. Companies have already indicated interest in restoring the airplanes, which are estimated to be valued to as much as $2.4 million.
Cundall has also received permission to excavate Spitfires at two other sites in Burma. Those sites may contain the extremely rare Mark 8 Spitfires, of which only one airworthy example remains.
Cheers
Note the description as to how they were buried, on a 'wooden floor' to assist drainage, and covered with a timber roof.
If all is true, then maybe they will be in 'good' condition...
"December 27, 2012 - The excavation for reclaim never-used Spitfires that were buried by British troops in Burma (Myanmar) nearly 70 years ago is expected to begin in less than three weeks, according to The Irrawaddy news service in Burma.
It's believed that as many as 36 Spitfires, still in the packing crates in which they were shipped in 1945, are at the site near the Rangoon International Airport. The first EAA report of the rare airplanes' existence last April became 2012's most popular individual news story on EAA.org, with more than 31,000 page views.
David Cundall, a British aviation enthusiast who first discovered the aircraft cache in 2004 but kept it secret for eight years, told The Irrawaddy that after archeologists review the digging site for a week in early January, excavation will begin on January 12. Cundall has received permission from Burmese authorities to exhume the never-flown aircraft and remove them from the country.
The excavation project is expected to take four to six weeks. The aircraft are believed to be in excellent shape even 68 years after British troops buried them to prevent other forces from using the airplanes, which they did not want to ship back home. The troops buried the Spitfires in tarred wooden boxes, on top of large teak timbers to assist drainage and under a wooden roof before covering the burial site.
According to Cundall, half of all aircraft exhumed will go to the Burmese government, while Cundall will receive 30 percent of the recovered aircraft and his Burmese agent 20 percent. Companies have already indicated interest in restoring the airplanes, which are estimated to be valued to as much as $2.4 million.
Cundall has also received permission to excavate Spitfires at two other sites in Burma. Those sites may contain the extremely rare Mark 8 Spitfires, of which only one airworthy example remains.
Cheers
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Not a silly question, As far as i know, David did speak to those who witnessed the burials, however these people have since died or they have not been identified...
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Compliments of The Australian (newspaper) via AAP.
Excavators in Myanmar to hunt WWII jets
Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
Wow WWII "JETS" no less.
.
Excavators in Myanmar to hunt WWII jets
Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
Wow WWII "JETS" no less.
.
Last edited by alisoncc; 4th Jan 2013 at 17:02.
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When one considers some of the WWll a/c dredged up from lakes that have risen again, I'm surprised by the binary response to this story.
Yes, they won't be BNIB and yes they will have suffered grievously over the years but even if there are parts that can be reused I think it a worthwhile exercise.
In addition I've had some great day dreams about a lottery win and restoring one
Lets wait and see and hope for success.
SGC
Yes, they won't be BNIB and yes they will have suffered grievously over the years but even if there are parts that can be reused I think it a worthwhile exercise.
In addition I've had some great day dreams about a lottery win and restoring one
Lets wait and see and hope for success.
SGC
We filmed several interviews in the UK this week, but perhaps the most memorable was with Maurice Short and Stanley Coombe, both of whom were stationed at Mingaladon in 1945-46
David Cundall and Andy Brockman video interview
Burma mission - ITV News
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My puzzle is why dig a huge pit 30 feet deep [and how did they do that without massive sidewall subsidence] and the structure to support the massive weight of 20+feet of earth on top just seems to be too complicated for a cynic like me to take on board. Time will tell.
Not holding my breath though.
Occam's Razor says No
I see that, according to 'The Australian', the Spitfires burial was done by American engineers........
Not holding my breath though.
Occam's Razor says No
I see that, according to 'The Australian', the Spitfires burial was done by American engineers........
Last edited by aviate1138; 5th Jan 2013 at 05:39. Reason: Added info
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A "pit" 30 feet deep and big enough for 30 crated aircraft is by any other name a railway cutting. There was a war on. They had enough machinery and people to do that? - and why? WHY? No logical reason whatsoever. I don't believe it.
Despite the sudden and recent "revelation' of teak timbers and bases - for "drainage" 30 ft underground??? Oh! Come on! no one has yet suggested how these tarred boxed (ie big tea chests) could stand the tens, if not hundreds of tons of inward pressure on their sides from the surrounding earth without collapsing and crushing the contents, or how they would withstand the 30psi (one atmosphere) of water pressure when the earth is saturated in the monsoon - twice the working pressure of a pressure cooker. A wooden crate - 30psi? Utterly laughable!
Buried scrap maybe. Intentionally buried aircraft in crates? Flying Elephant territory I'm afraid.
Despite the sudden and recent "revelation' of teak timbers and bases - for "drainage" 30 ft underground??? Oh! Come on! no one has yet suggested how these tarred boxed (ie big tea chests) could stand the tens, if not hundreds of tons of inward pressure on their sides from the surrounding earth without collapsing and crushing the contents, or how they would withstand the 30psi (one atmosphere) of water pressure when the earth is saturated in the monsoon - twice the working pressure of a pressure cooker. A wooden crate - 30psi? Utterly laughable!
Buried scrap maybe. Intentionally buried aircraft in crates? Flying Elephant territory I'm afraid.
Avoid imitations
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Anyone else reminded of the buried 1957 Plymouth Belvedere? Even if the Spitfires are there intact I reckon it'll take more than a bit of a polish and an oil change to get them back in the air....
Miss Belvedere
Miss Belvedere
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BBC News - WWII Spitfires digging team leaves for Burma
"He thinks they are there" yet he was supposed to have drilled a bore hole and stuck a camera down there?
Just hope this film crew supposedly going with them actually does.
50% of value going to their government, bit of a kick in the balls isnt it.
"He thinks they are there" yet he was supposed to have drilled a bore hole and stuck a camera down there?
Just hope this film crew supposedly going with them actually does.
50% of value going to their government, bit of a kick in the balls isnt it.
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These could be news in 100 years...
RAAF Base Amberley F-111 fighter jets end up on Swanbank landfill site near Ipswich | News, events and sport for Ipswich | The Courier-Mail
RAAF Base Amberley F-111 fighter jets end up on Swanbank landfill site near Ipswich | News, events and sport for Ipswich | The Courier-Mail
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Re F111's
Hopefully all the one's that were saved will still be in one piece
in 100 years !
I wouldn't like to see what those shells look like
in 100 years considering where they have been buried.
Hopefully all the one's that were saved will still be in one piece
in 100 years !
I wouldn't like to see what those shells look like
in 100 years considering where they have been buried.
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Quote:- My puzzle is why dig a huge pit 30 feet deep
You don't dig a hole 30 ft deep, actually 40 ft deep. You clear and expand a chuang, an old waterway gully, using the Seabees facilty, in 1946, and cover the crates with say 5 ft of material.Then you decide to lay a complete new long hard runway over the existing three runway WWII layout some years later that can currently take a 747. You grade it to get it basically level and extend westward...and you have covered your 1946 burials in an extra 25 ft of material.
Mark
You don't dig a hole 30 ft deep, actually 40 ft deep. You clear and expand a chuang, an old waterway gully, using the Seabees facilty, in 1946, and cover the crates with say 5 ft of material.Then you decide to lay a complete new long hard runway over the existing three runway WWII layout some years later that can currently take a 747. You grade it to get it basically level and extend westward...and you have covered your 1946 burials in an extra 25 ft of material.
Mark