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Burma Spitfires , check your piggy banks


ruxy

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I read about this in todays Daily Mail. It says they are Mark 2 Spitfires. Now the question is, Why crate up a Spitfire that is out-of-date in 1945 and send it to Burma? Surely a Mark 9 or newer would make more sense, not a Battle of Britain relic to fight Zeros in the far east. If they were Mustangs I could understand it. What do you think?

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They're more likely to be MkXIV, the MkIV was the Griffon-engined test version & never saw squadron service.

The info in the papers is piss-poor, the Telegraph even reported them as being "jet engined"!

 

I see camaron is involved in this, could this just be the replacement for the sea harrier the RN is in dire straights at present not much extra work involved turning them into seafires:D

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Normally I don't have much interest in aeroplanes, but I can really share the fascination & anticipation of what might be unearthed. I look forward to a lengthy & sensible documentary about this project. To see a squadron of these aircraft in flight will be an experience unknown to most of us & something we thought we would never see.

 

Despite the obvious nostalgia & glamour of them in flight, I hope the documentary will carefully take us through the early stages of unearthing the various precious items that I hope have been preserved well, complete with their stores Vocabulary labels predominantly "26AJ".

 

Going OT now but it makes a welcome break from the endless & sometimes tasteless romanticism of the Titanic disaster. Largely fuelled by that film that Hoywoodised whole tragedy that stimulates people to feel they have to travel to the wreck site to perform a marriage ceremony. I find that sort of thing disrespectful, warped & nauseating.

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To see a squadron of these aircraft in flight will be an experience unknown to most of us & something we thought we would never see.

 

There are quite a few Spitfires still flying today. I recently saw a UTube video of 16 of them all flying together in the UK. And even here in little old NZ there are several being restored or already flying.

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There are quite a few Spitfires still flying today. I recently saw a UTube video of 16 of them all flying together in the UK. And even here in little old NZ there are several being restored or already flying.

 

Yupp that was Duxford September 2010 there were actually 15 flying Spitfires and 1 Seafire, but that is a technicality.

There was another "spare" on the ground.

The BBMF also turned up with 1, so that was actually 18 airworthy Spitfires that day.

Since then I believ another 2 have taken back to the air and the BBMF have a 6th one due to fly this year.

The PRX! version was not there.

Would seem they are getting a bit common:D

 

One report I read claims the Burma ones are Mk XIV

 

Mike

reason2.jpg

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One would imagine that the 'crated' fact doen't really mean much, I am sure they will all be restorable, but it isn't as if they have been covered in waxoil, crated up and stored in a hanger. They have spent 60+ years buried, they will be badly corroded and the air frames distorted, if not crushed. Most of Burma that I have visted is only just above sea level, I don't know what the ground is like where these machines were buried.

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If what has been reported is true, exactly what machinery would have been available capable of digging a trench almost 50ft deep and the size of however many crates they are claiming? At a guestimate we are looking at circa 5000 tons of earth even if if the trenches were dug vertical sided.

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If what has been reported is true, exactly what machinery would have been available capable of digging a trench almost 50ft deep and the size of however many crates they are claiming? At a guestimate we are looking at circa 5000 tons of earth even if if the trenches were dug vertical sided.
I am assuming here that as its aircraft that they would be associated with a landing ground type area regardless of them being crated, ergo some plant would have been available, small dozers etc especially by 1945. AJMAC has a very valid point that burma is somewhat soggy and very wet during the monsoons, i should imagine that they would not be in great nick. I would be very surprised if the locals had not seen it happening and once Brit forces decanted as it were, they would have been in like flyn if they thought it would be worth a few quid.Very surprised that anyone thought of going back as it were, spits were all over the gaff then, every one used to losses during the war, why hide them? Blow or burn them if you want to deny them.Dont get me wrong, fantastic if it turns out to be true. As for the government involvement i cant see them restoring anything at the moment. I f they do find em they will just claim ownership and flog the bits for the cash. BBMF probably wont get a look in. What happened to the roumers of the spits in australia?
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QUOTE from The Daily Telegraph

 

Mr Cundall said: “We sent a borehole down and used a camera to look at the crates. They seemed to be in good condition.”

 

----

 

So - probably what he used was something costing more £ than this , thus better results (probably logged on a loptop - must have done) :-

 

http://www.wildlife-cameras.com/index.php/Probe-Camera-Kit/UNDER-GROUND-CAMERA-KIT.html

 

The man states - "They seemed to be in good condition" , just have to accept what he says and remain patient, pointless speculating.

 

He may even read this and give us a exclusive pre-view.. WoW

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I was down at Goodwood last year and there were 7 or 10 flying quite inpressive!

 

I was at Goodwood last September and counted 10 in the air together, 2 groups of 4 and one of 2. I believe there were 12 but 2 didn't make it into the air.

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Rumor mill seems to be strong on this one.

Even got on the One Show tonight

By all accounts only 5m down on only located by hearsay and ground penetrating radar.

 

And they still have not published the book on P9374.

 

Mike

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