Burmese Spitfires
My friend and I are going on a social to Myanmar in Janaury and we are both " in the trade " so to speak. Does anyone know if we can realistically get a chance to get near the Spitfire site which is of course now well documented. Any thoughts from you all much appreciated, thanks, Terry.
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Is there actually any definite moves to excavate the site? Or is there still a lot of crooked palms to be greased, before anything can happen?
The news feeds since all the hoo-ha about Camerons intervention in Apr/May has been precisely zilch. I have extreme doubts about whether aircraft buried without massive protection from the elements could survive in any restorable condition, after 67 yrs under the ground, and under the effects of a tropical, monsoonal climate. Yes, they may have been crated - and yes, they may have been coated in Cosmoline and suchlike - but none of this lasts more than a few years against the ravages of soil chemicals and water ingress. Does anyone recall the recovery of the new, unused '57 Plymouth Belvedere in the time-capsule concrete bunker in Tulsa in the U.S. in 2007? When it was lowered into the bunker, it was sealed and protected to the nth degree with all the high-tech, state-of-the-art corrosion protection - but when it was recovered, it was virtually scrap metal. :{ |
The crates would have rotted and collapsed under the weight of the soil. Think Terracotta Warriors or IKEA.
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The Terracotta warriors were made by IKEA? Figures - in a sweat shop, self assembley?
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What would so many Spits do to the overall value of the marque if so many were exhumed.
Don't forget that so long as you have the correct bits of authentication you're on a winner. Any car restorers care to comment?:E SGC |
Personally, I have grave misgivings about the whole story but thought I would ask anyway - thanks.
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The Terracotta warriors were made by IKEA? Figures - in a sweat shop, self assembley? Studies show that eight face moulds were most likely used, and then clay was added to provide individual facial features.[20] Once assembled, intricate features such as facial expressions were added. It is believed that their legs were made in much the same way that terracotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would make it an assembly line production |
The difference of course is that there is a shred, just the tiniest shred of evidence for the existence of the Terracotta Army which is more than you can say for the Burmese Spitfires. Or the dozen MB5s wrapped in marzipan under my garden. Or Alien abductions.
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I was going to ask about these buried spitfires....
Obviously nobody has any further news regarding them - should they exist. I honestly hope they do, and that there's something left of them to create another spitfire and get it into the sky - assuming of course they are found. Dan |
So long as you get the data plate, someone can build you a Spitfire around it.:ok:
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So long as you get the data plate, someone can build you a Spitfire around it |
When this was first announced, I imagined the aircraft to be in wooden crates, and entombed in an underground concrete bunker, as appose to burried in sand/soil like a coffin would be.
Therefore in my simple mind,vthey could be uncrated, checked over and probably assembled over however many years. Dan |
The only way you'd bury several crates of Spitfires would be to shove them into a disused quarry or claypit and bulldoze a covering over them. Trying to get a bunch of mutinous conscripts, all of them eager to get back to Blighty, to dig a big hole and bury a squadron rather than smash them up and set fire to the remains, seems to be rather optimistic. :rolleyes:
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I agree Mig15, if the bits of Spitfire I dug up as a child on a crash site near my parents house in Biggin were anything to go by. The only bits that really survived in a recognisable state were any stainless steel bits and brass items. All the alloy has turned crystaline in the damp soil, would be much the same in Burma I fear.
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As no actual Burmese Spitfire structure has surfaced to date nobody at this stage knows the condition.
I personally have seen Spitfire crash wreckage come out of the ground in Europe with both ferrous and aluminium structure as crisp and clean as the day it went in. I have seen Spitfires recovered from salt water beaches that are now flying. I have seen Spitfires recovered from fresh water where the steel parts were rotted through. I have seen buried and smashed Spitfires recovered in Australia that are forming the basis of rebuilds to flying condition. Time will tell, but I personally am optimistic. |
It is being reported over here today that Burma has signed a deal with a British aviation enthusiast to allow the excavation of Spitfire aircraft buried by the British almost 70 years ago. The excavation is slated to begin by the end of October.
The Myanma Ahlin daily reported that the excavation agreement was signed on Tuesday by Director General of Civil Aviation Tin Naing Tun, Cundall on behalf of his British company DJC, and Htoo Htoo, managing director of Cundall's Burma partner, the Shwe Taung Paw company. Bob C |
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20, dozens, 60? How many of the bloody things are there?
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Our ever reliable national broadcaster is breathlessly reporting that David Cameron negotiated the agreement to recover 60 Spitfires that were buried "to prevent them falling into the hands of the advancing Japanese".
Oh, and each is worth $2.5 million. :rolleyes: Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to seeing what might eventuate. |
Quote "Has anyone actually seen any pictures of the inside of one of the crates?"
Bore holes and core samples - yes. Images - not to my knowledge. A sprinkling of 'paper-talk' I'm afraid. |
Im excited to see what happens with these spits, and would love to see some photos.
Only time will tell! Dan |
BBC RADIO 2 news reporting today Spitfires found but no more than that, are they about to add more news or just rehashing the old story?
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TV News interview indicated some progress.Apparently excavation is about to start & should determine whether the large amounts of metal which have been found are in fact Spitfires. IIRC the interviewee thinks he hopes to know something more in a month or so.
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Sadly IMHO it will turn out to be a big con. Why did they bury new, flyable aircraft - in what must have been a massive excavation - in wooden crates, that will have behaved like Mosquito wings in the tropics and rotted away and why no documentation/eyewitness accounts/pics etc? I can believe they dug pits and dumped scrapped aircraft/ engines etc but whenever aircraft are recovered from anything other than ice or water or bogs are they is such awful condition? Why should these so called Spitfires be almost ready to fly???
Burma Spitfire dig - trickery.net In the picture of Spit crates the aircraft are being unloaded not packed. This is before they flew. I do hope I am wrong but I smell a huge rat [Burmese or British] to get loadsamoney... :rolleyes: |
I think its more of the fairy tale bit of this whole idea that they would be 'flyable'. Im sure they will find something, however you have to think that they wouldn't have secured this deal or even risked wasting money if it was a load of hot air..
Even if they found an immaculate spit in the crate, its still going to be years before it would be ready to fly. Dan |
The report on BBC World News today is that they have been found, that an agreement has been signed with the Myanmar President to have them recovered and returned to the UK.
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ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
chemtrails Flat Earth Roswell Apollo in the studio 9-11 by the CIA Kennedy was a Martian And as a finale, scores of aircraft are buried in wooden crates! As one does. And not only that, they've survived 70 monsoons. Some wood. Some crate. Yeah. Right. Been smoking those tarred joints by any chance? |
Bet all that is worth saving are the data plates, and they can come to UK in hand baggage!
I'll get my coat.................... |
that they have been found |
I was truly shocked to discover that you only need the data plate to be able to 'restore' such aircraft with non time appropriate components/ frame and so on.
I would be suprised if the crates and their contents will have survived no matter how well wrapped at the time. SHJ |
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So in reality then they've found bugger all.
I assumed the dig was actually taking place now? Where as the news article mentions jan 2013. :ugh: I hope they find something. I believe there will be a documentary at some point as a film crew will be there with them Dan |
Dozens of WWII spitfires found buried in the jungle in Burma could be flying again within three years | Mail Online
'It should take two to three years to restore them so we should see something in the next three years or so,' he added. Squadron of 'lost' spitfires could be flying again in three years - Telegraph "We put a camera down a boorhole and went into a box and through two inches of Canadian pine," Mr Cundall disclosed. "Yes, we did see what we thought was an aeroplane." |
photos would be nice, or a blog of their work...
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went into a box and through two inches of Canadian pine," |
Photos of men on the moon exist in droves yet some still persist...
However, when the war against the Japanese in Burma came to an abrupt end, the British South-East Asia command decided to bury them to ensure they could not be found by the enemy. And this one - equally as idiotic; "We put a camera down a boorhole and went into a box and through two inches of Canadian pine," Then into a box. Then through 2 inches of Canadian pine, that matchwood - er - timber so tough it survives 70 years underground in the tropics...(he's had it analysed, I expect, or maybe just recognises Canadian against Norwegian when he sees it at the bottom of a "boorhole".) Scuse me, but what's 2 in of pine doing inside the box? Is this another example of the accurate terminology/description we've already seen? But the pristine Spitfire inside is, well, "what we thought was an aeroplane." So he can identify "Canadian " pine but can't identify what he sees as an aeroplane? Is it me or is there a shortfall in credibility in what's being reported here, even if we have suspended belief in the many practical reasons why 40 Spitfires could not have been buried in crates in the first place, and the similar number of reasons why they couldn't be anything but crushed rust and compost if they had been. There are more convincing arguments for the earth being flat, simple as that. |
"Is it me or is there a shortfall in credibility in what's being reported here, even if we have suspended belief in the many practical reasons why 40 Spitfires could not have been buried in crates in the first place, and the similar number of reasons why they couldn't be anything but crushed rust and compost if they had been."
Agree. If it had been most other people, once permission granted don't you think you would be in a hurry to at least get one up or at least drill a bigger hole so a decent camera could have a look ? Classic drip feed of information over time with lots of pretty pictures and hope of restoration to keep people interested / money flowing. I reckon just a money grab. . |
Yea,
I also thought why the hell would anyone bore a hole in the 'protective' crate, thus allowing loads of water to get down into the crate until the bugger gets dug up. Doesn't make sense to me. Seems to be a distinct lack of information on this project to be fair. |
This whole saga reminds me of a company called Metal Storm
that drip fed the media, investors et al information on new methods of delivering fire onto the enemy. Superb great videos etc. Had US Gov't involvement and all. Went into administration this year. Have a look on youtube if you want to see the videos of the technology. |
I see a CGI image that makes me doubt even more that we will ever see anything other than smoke and mirrors from the Burmese jungle excavations......
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