36 Burma Spifires found

[chrisrope]

Just been announced on Radio 2 news that 36 of the buried Burma Spitfires have been found. Hope its true to prove the doubters wrong who said its a myth

Chris

[Edgar]

There was supposed to be a news conference, in London, this morning, so maybe this has come from that.

Edgar

[HammerUK9]

Pardon my ignorance, but is this in addition to the 20 or so they found earlier in the year? Or is this just confirming the existence of the originals?

Tim

[chrisrope]

First confirmed i'm guessing

[Test Graham]

The press release is "confirmation" of the original story, but adds nothing new. Hopefully the quoted meeting will actually put forward real evidence, and clear away some of the attached dross that makes the tale so doubtful.

[corporate]

The English farmer (forget his name) behind this search/find was interviewed this morning on BBC R4's Today programme, and it all sounds very positive. The figure of 36 Spits seemed to be confirmed and he says he has confidence in the Burmese government's sticking to the contract he's signed with them to remove the aircraft. Let's hope for the best - as mentioned in the interview, 36 is more than the number of restored Spits currently flying...

Tony

[Edgar]

  On 28/11/2012 at 11:12, corporate said:

The English farmer (forget his name)

David Cundall, and he's backed by computer games company Wargaming.net.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The burning question is... what Mark are they?

[pigsty]

  Quote

The English farmer (forget his name)

David Cundall, and he's backed by computer games company Wargaming.net.

Now there's an unusual association. Can we look forward to Zombie Killer Turnips next Christmas?

[Iain Ogilvie]

IIRC on Today programme David Cundall said Mk XIVs.

Iain

[The Velociweiler]

  On 28/11/2012 at 11:49, Iain (32SIG) said:

IIRC on Today programme David Cundall said Mk XIVs.

Iain

I hope Supermarine's built them with the correct shape cowling then, 'cos otherwise there are going to be howls of protest!

[Shalako]

Pardon my suspiciousness but, I've been hearing this 'story' for quite a few years now and even though I'm optimistic as a person, I have my doubts not only about the fact if this story is true or not, but also about the condition and the number of the found aircrafts as well as, about the Burmese government willingness to provide any kind of assistance to the team which will excavate the specified area.

Yet, I do hope part of this story to be true and to see in a few years time, these lovely "birds" filling our skies again.

Cheers

Sernak

[jenko]

News feed from ITV

http://www.itv.com/news/

Only agreement to dig.....................NO ...hard evidence yet.....

[Procopius]

The Telegraph story is less committal: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9708226/Squadron-of-lost-spitfires-could-be-flying-again-in-three-years.html

[bentwaters81tfw]

  On 28/11/2012 at 11:42, Enzo Matrix said:

The burning question is... what Mark are they?

Starfix!.......... oh, you said Mark not Make.

[jch_in_uk]

  On 28/11/2012 at 11:43, pigsty said:

Now there's an unusual association. Can we look forward to Zombie Killer Turnips next Christmas?

I assume flyng Spitfires?

jh

[jch_in_uk]

  On 28/11/2012 at 12:05, Sernak said:

Pardon my suspiciousness but, I've been hearing this 'story' for quite a few years now and even though I'm optimistic as a person, I have my doubts not only about the fact if this story is true or not, but also about the condition and the number of the found aircrafts as well as, about the Burmese government willingness to provide any kind of assistance to the team which will excavate the specified area.

Yet, I do hope part of this story to be true and to see in a few years time, these lovely "birds" filling our skies again.

Cheers

Sernak

I'm quite optimistic about Government co-operation, they (the current regime) are eager for aid and 'brownie points' with Western Governments.

Just to start another rumour, but I think the Burmese had 30+ Comet A34 tanks in the 50s, I wonder if any of those survived?

jh

[corporate]

  On 28/11/2012 at 12:14, Procopius said:

The Telegraph story is less committal: http://www.telegraph...hree-years.html

But it confirms that they appear to be Mark XIVs, and other interesting details.

[Shalako]

"But it confirms that they appear to be Mark XIVs, and other interesting details."

This information can only been confirmed by the RAFs archives of that period.

Otherwise, how can anyone confirm the type of the Spits when as the article says are: "Surveys undertaken at one of three sites in Burmahave shown that large areas of electrically conductive material are present underground at a depth of around 10 metres."?

[Learstang]

  On 28/11/2012 at 16:41, Sernak said:

"But it confirms that they appear to be Mark XIVs, and other interesting details."

This information can only been confirmed by the RAFs archives of that period.

Otherwise, how can anyone confirm the type of the Spits when as the article says are: "Surveys undertaken at one of three sites in Burmahave shown that large areas of electrically conductive material are present underground at a depth of around 10 metres."?

From reading an article on the ABC Australian Radio site dated late last month, the geophysical survey was a preliminary one, and that a fuller survey was scheduled for NEXT YEAR. I'm doubtful if a preliminary survey would be able to distinguish exactly 36 Spitfire shaped objects underground, especially as the Spitfires are supposed to be in a partially disassembled state, with the wings folded at the side. For all we know at this point, those "large areas of electrically conductive material" could be buried Ford Populars. The whole story still doesn't seem right to me, but I'm more than willing to be proven wrong.

Regards,

Jason

[Learstang]

  On 28/11/2012 at 10:15, chrisrope said:

Just been announced on Radio 2 news that 36 of the buried Burma Spitfires have been found. Hope its true to prove the doubters wrong who said its a myth

Chris

I hope its true just because I love the Spitfire, especially the later marks. Chris, what we doubters are waiting on is actual proof, like say an actual Spitfire, not just rumours, reports, preliminary findings, someone put up some cash, someone said that someone said, etc.

Regards,

Jason

[Iain Ogilvie]

Saw David Cundall interviewed earlier - sounds like they have been/are doing their homework.

He sounded very level-headed and stated their aim was to recover at least enough parts to get one flying again - sounds a lot less hyped than some of the press/Internet forums!

I'd say wait and see...

Iain

[corporate]

  On 28/11/2012 at 17:04, Learstang said:

...those "large areas of electrically conductive material" could be buried Ford Populars

Certainly, which would be almost as interesting. But as I understand it the Spits in question have been tied all along to a specific batch, as it says in the DT report: "The Spitfires, which used Rolls Royce Griffon engines instead of the Merlins of earlier models, are believed to have been put in crates and transported from the factory in Castle Bromwich, in the West Midlands, to Burma in August 1945.....The location and depth is consistent with eight eye witness reports given to Mr Cundall that the rare Mark XIV Spitfires were buried there in August 1945.."

We'll see - I hope.

[Shalako]

  On 28/11/2012 at 17:04, Learstang said:

From reading an article on the ABC Australian Radio site dated late last month, the geophysical survey was a preliminary one, and that a fuller survey was scheduled for NEXT YEAR. I'm doubtful if a preliminary survey would be able to distinguish exactly 36 Spitfire shaped objects underground, especially as the Spitfires are supposed to be in a partially disassembled state, with the wings folded at the side. For all we know at this point, those "large areas of electrically conductive material" could be buried Ford Populars. The whole story still doesn't seem right to me, but I'm more than willing to be proven wrong.

Regards,

Jason

Hear, hear.

[Speckled Jim]

Learstang, You aussies have habits of burying aircraft.... the last ones I know you buried we F-111's so it is possible....

From what I picked up from reports at lunchtime its looking very good and the team working behind the search has down their homework and arent relying on a single shred of information they have gathered up -from what I was told- official documentation and the 8 eye witnesses, now all we need to wait and see if they can dig up an airport and find them and put this 'legend' to bed.

although if I am honest I am skeptical of the claims that some of the news organizations have been spouting with some suggesting that the aircraft are practically airworthy and will be wheeled out their boxes, stuck together like an airfix kit and flown to Britain.... sadly I have a feeling that they might only find a box of spare parts, if its a wooden crate then there is no reason to suggest that nearly 70 years under an active airport hasn't caused the crates to cave in, at 6 feet of dirt a metal coffin will warp and come under stress, wooden crates at 10 feet might have buckled and the spits come out looking squashed....