Burma signs deal to recover 60 buried WWII Spitfires (Still in Their Shipping Crates) link

[Omaha Steve]

By request use this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/spitfire-wwii-fighter-plane-myanmar_n_1978923.html




Sixty Brand New Spitfires – Still in Their Shipping Crates – Buried in Burma All of These Years


[Editors Note: This is a dream come true for old plane rebuilders, to have so many of these with all original parts. Air shows of the future could have squadrons of Spitfires buzzing the field...Jim W. Dean]

WORLD NEWS TOMORROW – Back in April we wrote about a whole bunch of lost World War II Spitfires and the incredible persistence of David Cundall, a British farmer and aviation enthusiast. He has fought for years to win approval to uncover these buried treasures.

Now, 16 years, 12 trips to Burma and over $200,000 later — Cundall and the Burmese government have finally reached an agreement that could allow excavation to begin as early as this month. Htoo Htoo Zaw, the managing director of Cundall’s recovery company Shwe Taung Paw, told Fox News:

“It took 16 years for Mr. David Cundall to locate the planes buried in crates. We estimate that there are at least 60 Spitfires buried and they are in good condition… This will be the largest number of Spitfires in the world. We want to let people see those historic fighters, and the excavation of these fighter planes will further strengthen relations between Burma and Britain.”

You’ll recall from Evan’s post that the Supermarine Spitfire is a very rare, beautiful aircraft of which around 20,000 were produced from 1938 to ’48.

FULL story at link.

[geckosfeet]

1. This is a historical and financial gold mine. These planes and their pilots saved England in WWII.

[loli phabay]

24. hurricanes were actually more instrumental

[geckosfeet]

31. Lets just say that both planes played pivotal roles, and the Battle of Briton would likely have been

lost without one or the other.

Granted Hurricanes were mechanically simpler, easier to repair and faster to service, but the Spitfire could fly higher and faster. Later production Spitfires had speeds of over 400mph. Always one of favorites.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. I'd forgotten about this story!

I hope they're in restorable condition. Thanks Steve!

P.S. Link?

[HooptieWagon]

6. If they weren't crushed by bulldozers during burial...

...they should be restorable. Even if badly crushed, there should be usable parts, and the engines should be rebuildable.

[navarth]

3. um, am I blind or is there no link? I'd love to read more.....nt

[HooptieWagon]

4. You forgot the link.

I'd love to read the full story.

[Whovian]

5. Fascinating! Thanks for the link.

[PD Turk]

7. Woo Hoo!!!

5 squadrons of Spitfires!!!

[Confusious]

8. 200,000 dollars initial investment

If he gets half of them working, that would be 96 million dollars at 3.2 million apiece.

If he donates half of that, not a bad deal still.

[msongs]

9. awesome planes, saw lots of em in England in the early 60's battle of britain re-creations nt

[Angry Dragon]

10. very kool

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

11. One of the most beautiful planes ever designed

[Cooley Hurd]

12. Very beautiful...

...but it ain't a Mustang.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. I guess it's a matter of taste

Last edited Mon Oct 22, 2012, 08:21 PM - Edit history (1)

I never did think the Mustang had the same beautiful fine lines as the Spitfire, but it was one hell of an airplane.

[Confusious]

16. I always liked the f4u corsiar myself

Been my favorite since I was 7 years old. 43 now.

[Cooley Hurd]

17. Black Sheep Squadron...

It did it for me, too...

[Confusious]

22. Actually, I had behavior problems at that age

So my teacher, Mr. Stoops, who was a really good artist, said he'd draw a picture if I controlled myself.

I did, and he drew a picture of a corsair coming off a carrier.

Now I have a love of corsairs, and an overactive personal control problem ( ie. never loose control, so when I drink, I can't get drunk, I immediately start barfing at that point. Don't like drugs, they make you loose control.)

[neverforget]

30. When I was in grade school, I used to pretend that I was a fighter pilot when I was

on a swing. Specifically, I was with Black Sheep Squadron. Loved that show!

[Octafish]

14. And a Mustang'd never be a Mustang without the Merlin.

Something about horsepower.

http://www.mustang.gaetanmarie.com/articles/harker.htm

[Cooley Hurd]

18. Horsepower and high-alt performance.

[PD Turk]

23. Yep

The original Allison engine version of the Mustang performed very well at lower altitudes but when they added the Merlin it extended the service ceiling all the way up to 40,000 feet iirc.

[oneshooter]

25. And a Mustang ain't a T-Bolt!!!

No need to watch for the"Golden BB"

[Cooley Hurd]

26. Love the Jug!

[SidDithers]

15. Heya Steve. Just so you're aware, Veterans Today is run by Gordon Duff...

an anti-Semitic, holocaust denier, conspiracist who lives way, way, way out there in crazy-land.

Would you please consider editing your post to link to some other news outlet carrying the same story? I hate the thought of DU sending any traffic to that asshat.

Cheers,
Sid

[Cooley Hurd]

20. Good eye Sid...

Here's another link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/spitfire-wwii-fighter-plane-myanmar_n_1978923.html

[SidDithers]

21. Much better...

Sid

[HopeHoops]

19. I want one. I don't know why, but I do. I can't fly. My driveway is full of cars. I just want one.

They're "pretty".

[oneshooter]

27. Never see one of those birds in the states.

Clinton signed an Exec. Order banning the importation of complete military vehicles. The Spitfire is a "Military Vehicle".

[HopeHoops]

28. I've had a few flyovers that looked like them. We also get biplanes. And a SHITLOAD of C-130s.

I actually use the plane traffic for weather prediction. It sounds weird, but it works. I saw something damn close to a Spitfire this afternoon. I know it wasn't, but my first thought was "WW-II fighter". I've even seen a Red Barron sort of plane. There are a lot of re-enactment gatherings around here.

[marked50]

36. Not so

Actually Cliff Robertson owned one here in the states

[Confusious]

37. "complete" military vehicles

Just take the engine out, the wings off, and ship them over separately.

Besides, I don't know if a spitfire without guns would qualify as a military vehicle.

You could also get a historical exemption, there always seem to be those.

[SidDithers]

29. C'mon, Steve. Change your link...

don't be sending any more traffic to a site the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as:

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/01/06/buyer-beware-veterans-today-and-its-anti-israel-agenda/

don't be sending any more traffic to a site that publishes this description about a photo of Auschwitz:

Here, the phony Auschwitz gas chamber is nothing more than the former morgue for the SS hospital behind it and was later converted into a bomb shelter. The smokestack, not even connected to the building, was added after the war as a prop for photos taken from the other side.

Sid

[Omaha Steve]

34. Done

[SidDithers]

35. Thank you!...

Sid

[Hamlette]

32. I had to read the subject line 3 times. Thought you meant Burma Shave signs

remember them? Haven't seen one for years. Are they still around?

[Egalitarian Thug]

33. I know it's kind of nerdy, but this is so cool! K&R

For me the WWII prop fighters were the pinnacle of aviation and though the Spitfire is far from the best of them, they looked awesome. I really like the idea of an aircraft that has an unpowered glide path superior to that of an ice cube.