Work Set to Start on Burma Spitfire Recovery

In two weeks, aviation archaeologists will start working to unearth what they expect will be as many as 36 new-in-the-box Supermarine Spitfires. British warbird researcher David Cundall believes the fighters were buried in crates near the end of World War II in Burma, now Myanmar. He worked for years to locate the cache, and earlier this year secured the rights to dig up the aircraft.

Cundall said that a camera in a hole bored into the site reveals “an object that resembles a Spitfire.” He said the crates were sealed with tar and supported by teak timbers. British troops also placed a protective covering over the crates to help prevent water seepage, he said. The crates are thought to be buried about 30 feet underground alongside a runway at the Mingaladon Airport.

Just why they would take the extreme measures to preserve so many of the Griffon-engined fighters is subject to some controversy. Some say it was to preserve them for later sale. Also, if there are, in fact, three dozen pristine Spitfires to be found, the effect on market price for the aircraft will be interesting to watch. Whatever the outcome, the waiting will soon be over, as work begins on January 12.

Source: Flying

Best regards,

Daniel

Dozens of Spitfire planes to be excavated in Burma

Dozens of Spitfire fighter planes that were buried by British troops in Burma as the second world war drew to a close are to be excavated after an agreement to dig up the historic aircraft was signed by the Burmese government and an aviation enthusiast from Lincolnshire.

After 16 years of searching and lobbying, David Cundall, 62, has signed a deal to recover the lost RAF planes, which are believed to have been packed in crates and hidden by British forces on the orders of Earl Mountbatten shortly before the United States bombed the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945.

During his visit to Burma in April, David Cameron reached an agreement with President Thein Sein about the recovery of the missing aircraft. The British embassy in Rangoon said the newly signed deal was a chance to work with the new Burmese government "in uncovering, restoring, displaying these fighter planes".

Excavation work is expected to begin by the end of this month. The number of Mark 14 Spitfires awaiting discovery remains unclear, but Htoo Htoo Zaw, managing director of Cundall's Burmese partner, the Shwe Taung Paw company, said he estimated there were at least 60. Previous estimates have varied between 20 and 36. Even that number would represent a large increase in the global Spitfire population: while 21,000 were built, only 35 remain in a good enough condition to fly.  (Source: The Guardian)

Best regards,

Daniel

Twenty brand-new RAF Spitfires disovered in Burma

-  Historic planes buried in Second World War are to be shipped back to Britain after their mystery locations were discovered.
-  War leaders did not want them to fall into foreign hands when they demobilised in 1945.
-  Hidden in crates at a depth of 4ft to 6ft the RAF then forgot where they were.

Twenty brand-new RAF Spitfires could soon reach for the sky following a deal reached with Burma yesterday.  Experts believe they have discovered the locations of around 20 of the Second World War fighters buried at airfields around the country.

David Cameron has secured an agreement that they will be returned to Britain.

Read more: Daily Mail