20 new WWII Spitfires found buried in crates...Dayum!

[lspencer534]

Twenty brand-new RAF Spitfires could soon reach for the sky following a deal reached by England 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.

Earl Mountbatten issued an order for them to be hidden in 1945 to prevent foreign forces from getting their hands on them as the British army demobilised. The aircraft, straight from the production line, were buried in crates at a depth of 4ft to 6ft to preserve them.

Their whereabouts became lost after the RAF struck off their locations from their records. David Cundall, the man responsible for finding the planes, said, “They were waxed, wrapped in greased paper and their joints tarred. They will be in near perfect condition.”

Read more: The new Battle of Burma: Find 20 buried Spitfires and make them fly | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2129520/The-new-Battle-Burma-Find-20-buried-Spitfires-make-fly.html#ixzz1s3PXjvwu)

[ApexOversteer]

WOW. That is incredible!

[jda67gta]

Very :cool:

[lspencer534]

They cost about $12,000 to build, estimated to be worth about $1.5M each today. Prior to this find, there were only about 40 in existence.

[78SA]

They cost about $12,000 to build, estimated to be worth about $1.5M each today. Prior to this find, there were only about 40 in existence.

:eek: That's awesome! :seasix:

[lspencer534]

:eek: That's awesome! :seasix:

I really hope that all of the planes are in mint condition. 60+ plus years in the ground is a long time; I hope the crates held up. I don't know what prep for storage was done on the engines, but if the planes stayed dry, the engines may still be useable.

[ApexOversteer]

I really hope that all of the planes are in mint condition. 60+ plus years in the ground is a long time; I hope the crates held up. I don't know what prep for storage was done on the engines, but if the planes stayed dry, the engines may still be useable.

They're still in their shipping crates, meant to withstand the corrosion of a lengthy sea voyage, so they're waxed, wrapped in oiled paper, and all the joints are tarred, as the article says. I would expect them to be in pretty good condition, for being buried almost 70 years...

Not to mention the piles of wreckage I've seen restored into airworthy planes. I'm sure these 20 will fly again.

I do wonder if the value of Spits will change, after the market place sees a 50% rise in population.

[MrPeabody]

Even if they are not flyable airframes anymore, it's one hell of a parts find.

[73sbVert]

Very, VERY :cool:

Wish I'd found them!! I would keep one, put it together and fly it!

[78SA]

They're still in their shipping crates, meant to withstand the corrosion of a lengthy sea voyage, so they're waxed, wrapped in oiled paper, and all the joints are tarred, as the article says. I would expect them to be in pretty good condition, for being buried almost 70 years...

Not to mention the piles of wreckage I've seen restored into airworthy planes. I'm sure these 20 will fly again.

I do wonder if the value of Spits will change, after the market place sees a 50% rise in population.

:seasix:

[lspencer534]

They're still in their shipping crates, meant to withstand the corrosion of a lengthy sea voyage, so they're waxed, wrapped in oiled paper, and all the joints are tarred, as the article says. I would expect them to be in pretty good condition, for being buried almost 70 years...

Not to mention the piles of wreckage I've seen restored into airworthy planes. I'm sure these 20 will fly again.

I do wonder if the value of Spits will change, after the market place sees a 50% rise in population.

I wonder what the shipping container looks like. Did it hold the fully-assembled plane or was "some assembly required", like the wings to the fuselage, landing geat, etc? If it held the whole plane, that's one huge crate! Was the container wood or steel?

[Jeff '79]

I hope PBS or James Cameron gets the TV rights to the find....That's friggin' awesome !....:cool1:
How many planes are is a squadron ? 20 planes would look great doing a flyover at Daytona next year......

[lspencer534]

I hope PBS or James Cameron gets the TV rights to the find....That's friggin' awesome !....:cool1:
How many planes are is a squadron ? 20 planes would look great doing a flyover at Daytona next year......

Don't know how many are in a squadron, but I would love to see the Spitfires in formation. It's a beautiful plane and arguably the most important plane in WWII.

[ApexOversteer]

I wonder what the shipping container looks like. Did it hold the fully-assembled plane or was "some assembly required", like the wings to the fuselage, landing geat, etc? If it held the whole plane, that's one huge crate! Was the container wood or steel?

Typically, the wings are removed from the fuselage, and laid along side, so the crate would be not much bigger than the wingless fuselage.

The Americans did less crate shipping of aircraft, since we didn't really have to fly over hostile territory to get stuff into theater, so a lot of the time we just flew our stuff to where it was going. That gave us the advantage of breaking engines in and having a known quantity once the aircraft reached the front lines.

The Brits, which at the time were a global empire, didn't have that luxury, so all their stuff had to go by ship.

[Dan Dlabay]

That is a great find of a great and historic fighter plane. I hope a tv special is done the find, recovery and restoration of those planes.:seasix::cert:

[ApexOversteer]

Don't know how many are in a squadron, but I would love to see the Spitfires in formation. It's a beautiful plane and arguably the most important plane in WWII.

Eehhhh... yes, we could definitely argue about that.

Much is made of the Spitfire being "The Plane That Won The Battle Of Britain", which sounds nice, but is IMO undeserved.

Fact is, the Hawker Hurricane outnumbered the Spitfire in the Battle Of Britain four-to-one, shot down more enemy aircraft, and rightfully deserves that title.

I cannot deny that the Spitfire is perhaps the most beautiful aircraft of WWII in a purely aesthetic sense, and that the men of Goering's Luftwaffe were scared shitless of the Spitfire, because at the time it was the only aircraft in the skies over Europe that could really match the Bf109, but really, the Spitfire is dining out on the victory won by another plane.

Of course, a short time later the greatest piston-engined fighter aircraft of all time appeared in the war torn skies, escorting our boys to bomb the hell out of Hitler... the 'Ol' Spam Can, the North American P-51 Mustang.

[73sbVert]

My favorite aircraft of all the WWII planes, one of the most beautiful planes ever designed is the Corsair:

http://wallpaper.searchrealm.com/Planes-Helicopters/Planes/plane-F4U-1A-Corsair.jpg


:drool: :drool: :drool:

[MrPeabody]

My favorite aircraft of all the WWII planes, one of the most beautiful planes ever designed is the Corsair:

http://wallpaper.searchrealm.com/Planes-Helicopters/Planes/plane-F4U-1A-Corsair.jpg


:drool: :drool: :drool:

The whistling death. That's what the Japanese called it. 30 years ago I went to airshows and had the pleasure of being beneath a low pass by six of them. Hard to find that many of them together anymore.

[ApexOversteer]

My favorite aircraft of all the WWII planes, one of the most beautiful planes ever designed is the Corsair:

http://wallpaper.searchrealm.com/Planes-Helicopters/Planes/plane-F4U-1A-Corsair.jpg


:drool: :drool: :drool:

The Japanese called it "The Bentwing Bastard" and "Whistling Death".

The Corsair, Pappy Boyington's book about VMF214 "The Black Sheep" and the TV series starring Robert Conrad indoctrinated me into the realm of WWII and aerial combat when I was 6 or 7 years old.

It is still my all-time favorite aircraft.

[MrPeabody]

The Japanese called it "The Bentwing Bastard" and "Whistling Death".

The Corsair, Pappy Boyington's book about VMF214 "The Black Sheep" and the TV series starring Robert Conrad indoctrinated me into the realm of WWII and aerial combat when I was 6 or 7 years old.

It is still my all-time favorite aircraft.

I had the priviledge of knowing a genltman at my Elks Lodge who flew them off carriers in WWII. He passed away a few years ago.

[69camfrk]

Well shit, there goes the value on mine!!!:D The Spitfire was the best the British had, but the P-51D would run circles around it, which would make IT more important.

[ApexOversteer]

I had the priviledge of knowing a genltman at my Elks Lodge who flew them off carriers in WWII. He passed away a few years ago.

Can't imagine trying to take off or land the Corsair on a flat top. With that long nose, you can't see anything once you get the wheels down!

Brave men, heroes all.

[Sea Six]

Very cool story, Bro.

:coolest:

[OddBall]

:cool1: WOW!

[Stangkiller]

Damn, that's just awesome! I wonder if there's any more finds like this still buried out there.

[lspencer534]

Damn, that's just awesome! I wonder if there's any more finds like this still buried out there.

Consider:

1. How long WWII went on (over 6 years),

2. The millions of people involved in it,

3. The vast territorial scope of it,

4. The opportunities for confiscation of money and other assets, and

5. The flaws of manual record keeping.

I can imagine thousands of instances where a soldier (or soldiers) looted money, art work, gold, silver, etc., then hid it to come back for it but never made it back. Same way with Governments taking stuff and stashing it away. And, as in this case, forgetfulness (or death) of soldiers with noble motives.

[ApexOversteer]

Consider:

1. How long WWII went on (over 6 years),

2. The millions of people involved in it,

3. The vast territorial scope of it,

4. The opportunities for confiscation of money and other assets, and

5. The flaws of manual record keeping.

I can imagine thousands of instances where a soldier (or soldiers) looted money, art work, gold, silver, etc., then hid it to come back for it but never made it back. Same way with Governments taking stuff and stashing it away. And, as in this case, forgetfulness (or death) of soldiers with noble motives.

Indeed. Race cars, sports cars, yachts and in some cases entire houses full of antiques and art were looted, by both sides, all over Europe, and much of it never reappeared.

Britain took trees from Germany, whole trees, dug them up and transplanted them in their precious arboretums.

Every once in a while, someone will find an old cistern full of antiques, or a disused mine with a couple sporting Alfas hidden inside, but there are tons of loot out there, rotting away, returning to the Earth slowly.

[Mike Mercury]

I hope PBS or James Cameron gets the TV rights to the find....

yes, a documentary would be in order.

Though, Cameron is kinda a flake lately; he's likely to start a drive to have them demolished.

[Grey Ghost]

Buried...I wonder, if they are rusted to pieces, like the old time capsule car they dug up a few years ago. Looking forward to pics.

[Flatbush Harry]

The Japanese called it "The Bentwing Bastard" and "Whistling Death".

The Corsair, Pappy Boyington's book about VMF214 "The Black Sheep" and the TV series starring Robert Conrad indoctrinated me into the realm of WWII and aerial combat when I was 6 or 7 years old.

It is still my all-time favorite aircraft.

Nice one on display in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, if you're ever up there. I love the place and go at least once per year.

Hyrar

[Jeff '79]

yes, a documentary would be in order.

Though, Cameron is kinda a flake lately; he's likely to start a drive to have them demolished.

No....He'd arm them with period weapons and ammo, and film the dogfight...:seasix:
He'd drag it out, and show them at every angle, at every airfield, and with every British ace flying them, but I'm OK with that...:D

Why??? Because he can.


Oh....Same thing, I guess....:lol:

[Flatbush Harry]

Well shit, there goes the value on mine!!!:D The Spitfire was the best the British had, but the P-51D would run circles around it, which would make IT more important.

It is cheaper to buy and recondition an F-86 than a P-51 or Spit.

Hayrr

[Grey Ghost]

I saw this in person a few years ago from a relic dealer friend of mine. The black stuff is dried blood. A reminder that freedom did not come for free.

Multiple 20mm Messerschmitt Cannon Blasts Riddling the Canopy, and Clearly, It's British Pilot

From A Downed Spitfire in the Battle of Britain 1940

http://championhillrelics.com/SpitfireCanopy1.JPG

http://championhillrelics.com/SpitfireCanopy14.JPG

[island14]

The Corsair, Pappy Boyington's book about VMF214 "The Black Sheep" and the TV series starring Robert Conrad indoctrinated me into the realm of WWII and aerial combat when I was 6 or 7 years old.

It is still my all-time favorite aircraft.

:iagree:

And always loved that TV Show :seasix:

[island14]

I saw this in person a few years ago from a relic dealer friend of mine. The black stuff is dried blood. A reminder that freedom did not come for free.

A little warm soap and water should get that cleaned right up :island14:

[69camfrk]

It is cheaper to buy and recondition an F-86 than a P-51 or Spit.

Hayrr

What is the count on remaining F-86's? I've seen them at air shows plenty of times. Any of the above mentioned is just a little outside my price range!:D The sound of the P-51 Merlin engines is just something to behold though. Even though the radial engines of the time have a cool note to them, still not up to the standard!:cert:

[joecaver]

I can't wait to hear more about this story :seasix::seasix:

[island14]

I can't wait to hear more about this story :seasix::seasix:


:iagree:

Looking forward to see them dug up and restored.

Would be a great TV Show.. :yesnod:

[erickpl]

A little warm soap and water should get that cleaned right up :island14:

Nope. Leave it the way it is. It is the reminder of the horror of that war and those that fought and died to stop what was going on.

[onedef92]

Smashing! Supermarine like a mofo!

[Bucwheat]

Love seeing those old birds fly,pure art.

[BADRACR1]

Be cool to see them unearthed and restored.

[lspencer534]

Be cool to see them unearthed and restored.

I'm just hoping that they won't need a lot of restoring. 60+ years is a long, long time for anything to be stored, especially buried, but if the crates stayed intact and dry...well, here's hoping. :hurray: