20 new WWII Spitfires buried somewhere in Burma | FerrariChat

20 new WWII Spitfires buried somewhere in Burma

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by toggie, Apr 13, 2012.

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  1. toggie

    toggie F1 World Champ
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    #1 toggie, Apr 13, 2012
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    Interesting story I came across on the BBC News website today.

    Spitfires in Burma 'could be found'.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17710598

    British and Burmese authorities could work together to find 20 Spitfires buried in Burma at the end of the World War II, officials say.

    The case of the missing planes was raised when PM David Cameron met Burmese President Thein Sein.

    A Downing Street source said it was "hoped this will be an opportunity to work with the reforming Burmese government".

    The exact location of the planes is unknown.

    The planes were buried in 1945 by the RAF amid fears that they could either be used or destroyed by Japanese forces, but in the intervening years they have not been located.

    At the time they were unused, still in crates, and yet to be assembled.

    Until a general election in 2010, Burma was ruled for almost half a century by a military junta.

    It has been reported that experts from Leeds University and an academic based in Rangoon believe they may have identified the sites where the craft are concealed using sophisticated radar techniques.

    On Friday, officials said President Thein Sein was "very enthusiastic" about the prospect of finding and restoring the planes.

    A Downing Street source said: "The Spitfire is arguably the most important plane in the history of aviation, playing a crucial role in the Second World War.

    "It is hoped this will be an opportunity to work with the reforming Burmese government, uncover, restore and display these fighter planes and get them gracing the skies of Britain once again."
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  2. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Very interesting! If they were in crates, they could be in pretty good condition, depending on how well the crates were sealed. Since this was at war's end, they're probably Griffon-powered, like Mk. 14s or 18s.
     
  3. Bisonte

    Bisonte F1 Veteran
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    Very cool story, but I can't help thinking of the buried Plymouth Belvedere. Hopefully these fared better. :)
     
  4. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    That's an amazing story. Hope they find them.
     
  5. lowmiler

    lowmiler Karting

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    I lived in Burma in the 70's. Ready to go back for a visit. Lots of obstacles to find those planes though.
     
  6. teak360

    teak360 F1 World Champ

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    Reliable sources say they already have been found. Borescopes have been sent down to inspect and images have been made. I hope it's true and they are recoverable.
    Talk about buried treasure!
     
  7. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    The ultimate "barn find!".
     
  8. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    that would be cool to find....something tells me it's a loooong shot
     
  9. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

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    Talk about your buried treasure... Twenty iconic Supermarine Spitfire aircraft will be returning home to the UK soon now that they've been found buried 40 feet underground in Burma. The discovery was made in February by David Cundall, 62 - a British farmer and patriot who spent 15 years searching for the missing aircraft.

    Since then, Prime Minister David Cameron has stepped in to resolve political and trade entanglements that might have prevented their return. It's believed the 20 planes will be in near perfect condition as they were buried in their shipping containers waxed, wrapped in greased paper, and with their joints tarred.

    The aircraft were abandoned and buried at the order of Lord Louis Mountbatten to protect against a Japanese occupation just two weeks before the end of the war. Amazingly Cundall says the British government will make no claim against the planes, so he hopes to be able to recover some of the money he spent searching for them. His dream is to see a full squadron of the iconic fighters flying at future airshows.

    Of the 21,000 ships produced in WWII only about 35 are reportedly left flying in the world today.
     
  10. tritone

    tritone F1 Veteran
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    Fingers crossed this is not an April Fools hangover.......
     
  11. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Anything is recoverable with enough money. How likely is it that water didn't seep in over the years and corrode everything away?
     
  12. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Here is what Wikipedia says about this:

    "In 1945, the RAF buried a number of Mk.XIV Spitfires in Burma, still unassembled in their crates, in order to prevent them falling into enemy hands or being destroyed. Their exact location has never been determined but in April 2012 the UK government announced they were working with the post-junta Burmese government to locate and potentially return the total of 20 aircraft to flying status. Leeds University experts and an academic from Rangoon, using sophisticated radar techniques claimed to believe they discovered the site of the buried aircraft. In addition to the 20 aircraft thought to be at this one site, other sites with buried Spitfires are believed to exist. One such site is thought to have up to 36 Spitfires alone buried and preserved."

    Incidentally, they claim about 44 flyable Spitfires and a few Seafires still in action today.
     
  13. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    Wonder why in the world Mountbatten thought he was going to get overrun in the last two weeks of the war?

    Wasn't it obvious that the Allies had won it by then?
     
  14. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    Why do you think they needed our help in the war? Classic example of their planning. While they endured quite a bit during the war, remember that if we hadn't come to their assistance, initially with lend lease, then troops, they'd be speaking Russian today.

    Art
     
  15. Ryan S.

    Ryan S. Two Time F1 World Champ
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    So cool. A book needs to be written about the guy who found em...
     
  16. dmaxx3500

    dmaxx3500 Formula 3

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    i hope they take tons of pics
     
  17. Bob Parks

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    Having been in the service in WW2 I recall that the attitude was oriented to ending the war as soon as possible and doing whatever was expedient to dispense of anything and everything that would not be needed in peacetime. Scores of fresh-out of the factory-unused P-38's, P-51's, and other pristine aircraft were bulldozed into piles and destroyed by the U.S. military. The waste was incredible. Then there was the political/strategic thinking that "We can't let the Russian's get anything because they will use it against us." I remember that we wanted to get rid of the war as soon as possible and we returned to peacetime with the same vengeance that we entered the war. Switch on...switch off.
     
  18. normv

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  19. TheMayor

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  20. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
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    I would start following the Duxford museum pages as a probable location for the restorations. They seem to have the facilities and like to report their restorations. Though many months away, I am sure.

    http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford
     
  21. open roads

    open roads F1 Rookie

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    #21 open roads, Apr 18, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2012
    Switch on...switch off.

    Precious.

    And amazing.

    Amazing find as well as the history of what we percieve to be bizzare behavior.



    I remember doing a report on the making of the movie "The Battle of Britain". There were probably fewer Spits flying back then, but no real shortage. They were found to be in service in the Syrian and Israeli air forces. The Bf 109s didn't fair as well. Only eight were able to be made airworthy for the filming. Most Spanish air force.
     
  22. atomicskiracer

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    Looking forward to whenever the first pictures start showing up!!
     
  23. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie



    They were buried by US troops, not the Brits.
     
  24. open roads

    open roads F1 Rookie

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    I remember those later Spitfires had the RR Griffin engines and were very fast indeed.

    Maybe I can get one. :)
     

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