Spitfires found in Burma
So much for the water proof measures taken to ensure the aircraft remained dry.
From:
the crates were sealed with tar and supported by teak timbers. British troops also placed a protective covering over the crates to help prevent water seepage
It will take some time to pump the water out ... but I do expect all aircraft to be in very good condition
(well we can work out what the outcome is going to be).
Sad, but entirely predictable.
500N, All,
Are posters missing the point here and thinking that this is an excavation from Mingaladon? This crate recovery was from last month. It seems to be from the Burmese survey.
Burma Spitfire search finds water-filled crate that may contain plane - Telegraph
Are posters missing the point here and thinking that this is an excavation from Mingaladon? This crate recovery was from last month. It seems to be from the Burmese survey.
The wooden crate located in northern Burma was found in Myitkyina in Kachin state during a dig that began last month. It is one of several digs planned nationwide, including another near the airport in Rangoon.
Mr Cundall said the search team in Kachin state inserted a camera into the crate and found it was full of water. It was unclear what was inside the crate, he said, but the water will be pumped out during an operation that could take weeks, he said.
Mr Cundall said the search team in Kachin state inserted a camera into the crate and found it was full of water. It was unclear what was inside the crate, he said, but the water will be pumped out during an operation that could take weeks, he said.
Cunning Artificer
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The story says that the crates were dragged into a gully and laid side by side, then covered over. In the 1944 photo taken of Mingaladon, supposed to be the area of the dig, I see no sign of a gully big enough to take more than a dozen crates the size of those ten foot wide by ten foot high - that would also be about thirty feet long - as shown in the geophysist's photo of a crated Spitfire being unloaded in Malta?
Edited to add: Looking at the Geophysicists image, it matches the footprint of the buildings shown in the 1944 aerial photo. So a very small part of the Gully would be located at the extremes of the top left hand corner of the picture and be located off the airport, next to the road.
Edited to add: Looking at the Geophysicists image, it matches the footprint of the buildings shown in the 1944 aerial photo. So a very small part of the Gully would be located at the extremes of the top left hand corner of the picture and be located off the airport, next to the road.
Last edited by Blacksheep; 10th Jan 2013 at 10:51.
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The waterlogged crate was partially exposed last week by a Burmese member of the secondary team at Myitkyina, which is about 1000 miles, give or take, north of Rangoon.
Last edited by Mark22; 9th Jan 2013 at 21:43.
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"Obviously you are both very well informed. 
Here is a shot of a Spitfire being pulled out of wet claggy clay in November 2005. The roundel and aluminium are pristine.
You might think that was water in the bottom of the hole....no, it's aviation fuel.
Mark"
You saying that is not a piece of scrap and but rather a restorable aircraft part ?....a career in a TV docu-drama awaits
Here is a shot of a Spitfire being pulled out of wet claggy clay in November 2005. The roundel and aluminium are pristine.
You might think that was water in the bottom of the hole....no, it's aviation fuel.
Mark"
You saying that is not a piece of scrap and but rather a restorable aircraft part ?....a career in a TV docu-drama awaits
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More talk as expected.
Now they have permission to dig, why wait ?
Why not dig / pump 24 hours a day to get
the first crate out ?
Now they have permission to dig, why wait ?
Why not dig / pump 24 hours a day to get
the first crate out ?
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Lone Ranger - quote
You saying that is not a piece of scrap and but rather a restorable aircraft part ?....a career in a TV docu-drama awaits
Of course it is scrap. My point - it is in pristine condition in terms of corrosion and material degradation despite 60 odd years of being soaking wet in the ground...so not a forgone conclusion on the state of the potential Burmese recoveries.
As it happens there was enough material and data plates in this case for the CAA to be happy and issue a registration for a rebuild to fly. MA764/G-MCDB to Mark Collenette.
As it happens I have done the odd Spitfire documentary...and owned the odd half dozen Spitfires and Seafires over the years.
You saying that is not a piece of scrap and but rather a restorable aircraft part ?....a career in a TV docu-drama awaits
Of course it is scrap. My point - it is in pristine condition in terms of corrosion and material degradation despite 60 odd years of being soaking wet in the ground...so not a forgone conclusion on the state of the potential Burmese recoveries.
As it happens there was enough material and data plates in this case for the CAA to be happy and issue a registration for a rebuild to fly. MA764/G-MCDB to Mark Collenette.
As it happens I have done the odd Spitfire documentary...and owned the odd half dozen Spitfires and Seafires over the years.
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MARK22....Did I say you can't build a spitfire and transfer the identity of a an original bird given a data plate and some scrap?, point is................its not a money making endeavour and certainly far removed from recovering god knows how many spitfires in "great condition", as the bloke in question seems to repeat with increasing authority.
p.s why does firefox always destroy the formatting of text (or is it noscript doing it)
and while I'm in the mood, who put this bl**dy American spellchecker on my PC?.
p.s why does firefox always destroy the formatting of text (or is it noscript doing it)
and while I'm in the mood, who put this bl**dy American spellchecker on my PC?.
Last edited by Lone_Ranger; 13th Jan 2013 at 07:18.
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Spitfires In Burma
Why are so many posters on this site such prophets of doom? I’d like to wish Mr Cundall all the best in his efforts to extricate as much of our history as possible in Burma - this man has spent years doing his research into the location of these planes (OK there is money involved but I’m sure he is also a true enthusiast). If indeed there are no complete planes in even restorable condition it’s only his and his investor’s money that has been wasted. If he recovers only a few engine parts etc. it will help to keep the few planes flying for a while longer – something I’m sure we all want to see.
I look forward to seeing the documentary that will no doubt be made.
I look forward to seeing the documentary that will no doubt be made.
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Should know soon enough now...
Hunt for lost Spitfires 'buried in crates' continues as JCBs dig trenches around Burmese airport | Mail Online
Hunt for lost Spitfires 'buried in crates' continues as JCBs dig trenches around Burmese airport | Mail Online
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I think its because the system they are using for the survey isn't ground radar, but instead something to do with electrolites in the earth if metal is present. This has created a survey map (and a big one), however nothings for definite.
So no real depth can be measured if something is really there.
Dan
So no real depth can be measured if something is really there.
Dan
Update
Latest news on BBC
"Archaeologists hunting for World War II Spitfires in Burma believe there are no planes buried at the sites where they have been digging, the BBC understands. The archaeologists have concluded that evidence does not support the original claim that as many as 124 Spitfires were buried at the end of the war, the BBC's Fergal Keane reports."
with more about digging in the wrong area etc etc
"Archaeologists hunting for World War II Spitfires in Burma believe there are no planes buried at the sites where they have been digging, the BBC understands. The archaeologists have concluded that evidence does not support the original claim that as many as 124 Spitfires were buried at the end of the war, the BBC's Fergal Keane reports."
with more about digging in the wrong area etc etc
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and the backpedalling beings, apparently no no, there are spitfires, they've just encountered some cables (posted an hour ago)
Cables hamper Burma Spitfires hunt - World News, Breaking News - Independent.ie
ITV reports the Government's stepped in to restrict their digging up good runway and the metal readings were a metal sheet used in the original construction of the runway
'There are no Spitfires': The dream has ended in the hunt for buried British planes - ITV News
Cables hamper Burma Spitfires hunt - World News, Breaking News - Independent.ie
ITV reports the Government's stepped in to restrict their digging up good runway and the metal readings were a metal sheet used in the original construction of the runway
'There are no Spitfires': The dream has ended in the hunt for buried British planes - ITV News
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