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Castellated nut
Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Shropshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:58 pm Post subject: Twenty unused Spitfires found! |
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There was an interesting front-page article in yesterdays Daily Telegraph: apparently, there are 20 unused Mk II Spitfires buried in Burma! Their location has been found by a Lincolnshire farmer, David Cundall. He says "They were buried there in transport crates. They were waxed, wrapped in greased paper and their joints tarred. They will be in near perfect condition".
The story is that they were left there in case they were needed in their independence struggle by the Karen people, who were fighting on our side in the war. That nice Mr Cameron, who happens to be in the area at present, has apparently lent his support to efforts to bring them home.
Over the years there have been a lot of stories of caches of crated inhibited Merlin engines and such like, used as hard-core at the end of the war and concreted over, but as far as I know, none have ever been found. I wouldn't hold your breath, but it would really be quite something if this one turned out to be genuine!
P.S. Have found links to the story, and another in today's paper: Sat 14th Sun 15th Sunday's article says they are Mk XIVs. |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22472 Location: UK
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Greg
Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 445 Location: Dreamland Margate
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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Wow!...what an amazing find!
....just hope they don't find their way onto E-Bay as 'Barn Find'! |
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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008 Posts: 1139 Location: Denmark
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:18 am Post subject: |
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Cool well done. _________________ http://www.eurods.eu/wp/index.html |
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pigtin
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 1879 Location: Herne Bay
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4765 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
Me thinks the sale value of Spitfires has just dropped. _________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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MVPeters
Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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There is some more recent news - just search for 'Burma spitfires'.
The count of buried planes is now up to 140. Roughly 100 will stay in Burmese ownership, according to the agreement.
The first one may be un-earthed "by the end of the month". _________________ Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S' |
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alec.elliot
Joined: 28 Feb 2012 Posts: 58 Location: Worcestershire
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:57 am Post subject: |
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My dad used to tell me that he had a Morgan 3 wheeler in Durban South Africa at the end of the war when everyone was coming home from the far east.
When it was his time to come home he couldnt sell the Morgan because there were so many cars up for sale at the time,so they ended up pushing it into a lake.
Good grief! |
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exbmc
Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 236 Location: Derby East Midlands
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Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2012 7:54 pm Post subject: Buried Spits |
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David Cundall was on breakfast television this morning. The team searching for these aircraft, have made a bore hole in a spot identified as a burial area. A remote camera has been put down the hole, and what "looks" like an aircraft can be seen. Actual excavation will start early next year, according to Mr Cundall. Good luck to them. |
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welshrover
Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 326
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Twenty unused Spitfires found! |
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[quote="Castellated nut"]home.
Over the years there have been a lot of stories of caches of crated inhibited Merlin engines and such like,
i wonder where the merlin from the foyer at rolls royce in crew has gone, as they moved it when the germans took over as not to offend them when they were thinking of buying R.R.now the frontage is full of poxy audis and vw's . |
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Roger-hatchy
Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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I know where there is a Merlin, and I belive he has a griffin as well
The Merlin is on display as you enter his offices. |
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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Probably well known now but it seems digging for the Spitfires will start on the twelth of this month.
Fingers crossed!
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:06 pm Post subject: BOX FOUND! |
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The latest on Google Search this morming - Crate full of water found!
They hope that there will still be a Spitfire in good condition when pumped out!
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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Peter_L
Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 2680 Location: New Brunswick. Canada.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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17th January. Reports coming out that they are not there.
Some still say that they are, its just that they have been looking in the wrong place.
The text I read was rather strange as it quotes an eye witness as saying that these dismantled Spitfires were loaded into crates and then buried.
Q If you are going to bury them, why load them into crates first ?
Of course it could be a misquote. |
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Roger-hatchy
Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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I did read that they were still crated and not unpacked and were still as per shipped from UK.
So they would have been packed for sea travel, ie. greased and wrapped for the voyage, I think it was in the 'Aeroplane' magazine a couple of years ago.
Roger |
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