Buried Squadron of Spitfires found in Burma - Polidicks

[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02177/Spitfire_RAF_Manst_2177424b.jpg[/img] [quote]Like a treasure chest stuffed with priceless booty, as many as 20 World War II-era Spitfire planes are perfectly preserved, buried in crates beneath Burma -- and after 67 years underground, they're set to be uncovered. The planes were shipped in standard fashion in 1945 from their manufacturer in England to the Far East country: waxed, wrapped in greased paper and tarred to protect against the elements. They were then buried in the crates they were shipped in, rather than let them fall into enemy hands, said David Cundall, an aviation enthusiast who has spent 15 years and about $200,000 in his efforts to reveal the lost planes.[/quote] It's amazing to find out the RAF just buried them, even knowing that they were the more advanced Mark XIV models. [url]http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/19/buried-treasure-in-burma-squadron-lost-wwii-spitfires-to-be-exhumed/?test=latestnews[/url]

Holy crap that's amazing

It's funny they were in [b]crates[/b] That's just weird to think of, I know it's disassembled, but it's still odd.

that's a great find, i wonder if he gets to keep them?

[QUOTE=DrBreen;35689969]that's a great find, i wonder if he gets to keep them?[/QUOTE] If he spent $200,000 to find them, I would hope so.

[QUOTE=DrBreen;35689969]that's a great find, i wonder if he gets to keep them?[/QUOTE] I doubt it. Military hard ware is military hard ware. Someone up top is going to find some way of reclaiming them.

[QUOTE=dookster;35690006]I doubt it. Military hard ware is military hard ware. Someone up top is going to find some way of reclaiming them.[/QUOTE] I agree. That, or they'll be distributed to various military museums and he'll probably end up being able to keep 1 for his own collection. I expect this is what he would want anyways, since there would be no practical way to keep and maintain a display of an ENTIRE plane squadron.

[QUOTE=dookster;35690006]I doubt it. Military hard ware is military hard ware. Someone up top is going to find some way of reclaiming them.[/QUOTE] I'm guessing that if they get someone to de-mil them (remove all weapons), he might get to keep them.

[QUOTE=Trooper0315;35690146]I'm guessing that if they get someone to de-mil them (remove all weapons), he might get to keep them.[/QUOTE] What, do they think that he is going to fix one of them up and randomly strafe stuff?

the possibility is there, regardless of whether it seems unlikely or not. Hell, for all we know, he might get robbed while taking it to the airfield.

Heard about this a week or so ago, pretty sweet.

[QUOTE=Repulsion;35690198]What, do they think that he is going to fix one of them up and randomly strafe stuff?[/QUOTE] They guy who is digging them up is a Brit, do you really think they are going to let him bring in aircraft with 4 machine guns and 2 cannon on each plane back into Britain?

I'm not sure they would even be buried with their onboard armaments.

[QUOTE=GunFox;35690294]I'm not sure they would even be buried with their onboard armaments.[/QUOTE] Oh but if they were.... drool.

Shame its 20 of the most produced planes in history, It would have been cool if it was a plane like the Hawker Tempest (I think there's only one complete surviving tempest)

[QUOTE=jeimizu;35690586]Shame its 20 of the most produced planes in history[/QUOTE] British engineering at it's finest. Chocks away chaps, lets go topple the kaiser!

[QUOTE=GunFox;35690294]I'm not sure they would even be buried with their onboard armaments.[/QUOTE] I don't see why the weapons wouldn't be with the planes unless they were shipped separately.

[QUOTE=ViralHatred;35690716]British engineering at it's finest. Chocks away chaps, lets go topple the kaiser![/QUOTE] We'll be in Berlin by Christmas! For King and country!

[QUOTE=StormHammer;35690035]I agree. That, or they'll be distributed to various military museums and he'll probably end up being able to keep 1 for his own collection. I expect this is what he would want anyways, since there would be no practical way to keep and maintain a display of an ENTIRE plane squadron.[/QUOTE] All 20 of them, hanging in a personal museum. With a sky back drop behind them.

[QUOTE=RR_Raptor65;35690771]I don't see why the weapons wouldn't be with the planes unless they were shipped separately.[/QUOTE] Well, basic logic of not leaving behind everything necessary to use the planes against your own forces aside, there was also the fact that the guns mounted were lend lease M2's. Obtaining more M2's required substantial effort on the part of the allies, as they were produced in the United States. There was also the consideration that, at the time, the lend lease program expected substantially more payment in return, it wasn't until post war that most stuff was heavily discounted. The onboard cannons were produced in the UK though. It is entirely possible they buried them, but I would have avoided it if at all possible, given the nature of the M2's.

The Spitfire is one beautiful airplane.

[QUOTE=StormHammer;35690035]I agree. That, or they'll be distributed to various military museums and he'll probably end up being able to keep 1 for his own collection. I expect this is what he would want anyways, since there would be no practical way to keep and maintain a display of an ENTIRE plane squadron.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Repulsion;35690198]What, do they think that he is going to fix one of them up and randomly strafe stuff?[/QUOTE] He and all his closest friends were going to take to the air, reform the squadron, and strafe the neighboring farmers to remove the competition. It's not often you get to see an educational strafing run you know.

[QUOTE=jeimizu;35690586]Shame its 20 of the most produced planes in history, It would have been cool if it was a plane like the Hawker Tempest (I think there's only one complete surviving tempest)[/QUOTE] I'm just glad they were found in the first place, there aren't very many Spitfires still in flying condition today. But yes, 20 practically fresh from the factory Tempests would have been amazing.