Spitfires Found!

[A4K]

Do hope this pans out!
Remember an article in a Flypast magazine from 1986 (I think) about Lancasters in crated parts being found buried at an aerodrome, using ground radar. I wrote to the magazine in 1999 to ask about the radar used, and the editor replied saying after the big 'news', the person involved went quiet and never replied to their letters asking for an update.

 

[woljags]

this is true,they are hoping to have permission to start recovery in the next 2 months before the next monsoon season as on the BBC last night

 

[Njaco]

Guys, I'm gonna move this as we're getting numerous threads about it.

 

[A4K]

What? My multiple personalities have to share the same thread????

 

[Hotntot]

The latest on how things are going:-

It's Spitfires at dawn in Burma - Telegraph

Hey Airframes - you were right about the variant(s) burried in their crates (you're good). The price could be coming down too. There's a chance yet perhaps...flying in heaven permitted, as it'll still take another lifetime to collect all the spare coppers.

 

[Airframes]

Hmm. No doubt there'll be a lot more of this sort of wrangling before anything positive happens, and again after it happens.

 

[tomo pauk]

Great thing is the, as it seems at this moment, Spitfires are 'alive'. Hopefully, we'll see as much as possible of them in a pristine shape.

 

[Airframes]

When the crates are first opened, revealing the airframes, will be a priceless moment - almost the aviation equivalent of the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb.

 

[A4K]

Hope they sort this out in any case.

 

[Muskrat]

Only heard about this today - Pant wettingly exciting - hope it all pans out - pic's of the crates being opened will be Awesome.

Mk XIV's - Bloody Brilliant.

 

[Milosh]

How about 100 more Spitfires.

April 29, 2012
Dogfight Brewing Over Burmese Spitfires

By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

British farmer and aviation history buff David Cundall now says there are 124 new Spitfires buried in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and he knows where 60 of them are. As we reported two weeks ago, Cundall stunned the aviation world with news that he had found at least 20 crated, brand-new Spitfires wrapped in protective paper and tar to preserve them. Whether he'll be able to capitalize on his stunning discovery is in question, however, as treasure hunters from all over the world race against each other and the impending monsoon season to dig the pickled aircraft up. In an email exchange a week ago, Cundall told AVweb he was having problems with financial backers who now may be rivals for the treasure trove. Cundall has not returned subsequent email and phone messages from AVweb. He did, however, claim in an interview with the Independent that a British businessman is trying to hijack the project with the help of the country's prime minister.

Cundall told AVweb he had originally struck a deal with an American backer to fund the recovery of the aircraft but it fell through. He was then approached by Steve Boultbee Brooks, a land developer and aviation buff who owns a two-seat Spitfire. He alleges Boultbee Brooks, who accompanied Prime Minister David Cameron on a trade and political mission to Myanmar two weeks ago, used his attendance on the trip to engineer discussions between Cameron and Myanmar President Thein Sein on repatriation of the aircraft. Brooks does indeed appear to be assuming a lead role in digging up the planes.

In an email to AVweb, Brooks' public relations consultant Elizabeth Tagge declined an interview but said there will soon be public access to news on the effort. "The team is entirely focused on the next stage of the project at this point and won't be giving interviews just yet," Tagge said. "However, there should be a Facebook page up soon, which we'll update when there is news to help keep everyone aware of progress."

Meanwhile, Brooks himself told the Independent that he hopes Cundall will be "on board" with the recovery effort. Cundall says he'll be involved all right, as the holder of all the important cards in a high-stakes game that involves cutting the Myanmar government in for 40 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the aircraft. "We were issued a permit to dig, which is still a valid and exclusive agreement," he said. "The President of Burma wants to do business with me." Cundall said he has a buyer who will take all the aircraft at about $1.5 million each. Boultbee Brooks said it would be a shame for the aircraft to end up anywhere but Britain and he noted there are other groups in the U.S., Israel and Australia hoping to claim the aircraft. "What a terrible day this is when the prime minister has gone out and got a British team, we put a British team together, and then we squabble so much that we allow other nations to walk in and take the Spitfires from under our noses," he said.

 

[Tankworks]

They were military property, are they not still property of whoever buried them, Britain or the present government of the country? Legal wranglings to follow, film at eleven!

 

[Njaco]

When the crates are first opened, revealing the airframes, will be a priceless moment - almost the aviation equivalent of the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Just don't let Geraldo Rivera near them!

 

[vikingBerserker]

 

[Airframes]

Who?!

 

[T Bolt]

Terry, Geraldo Rivera was a TV journalist who is best known for doing a super hyped live TV special to dig up a supposed vault belonging the notorious Chicago gangster All Capone. He found zip.

From Wikipedia:

Geraldo Rivera had been fired in 1985 after criticizing ABC for canceling a report on an alleged relationship between John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. He then hosted the special The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults which was broadcast live on April 21, 1986. The two hour special (including commercials) was greatly hyped as potentially revealing great riches or bodies on live television. This included the presence of a medical examiner should bodies be found and agents from the Internal Revenue Service to collect any of Capone's money that might be discovered. When the vault was finally opened the only things found inside were dirt and several empty bottles including one Rivera claimed was for moonshine bathtub gin. Despite the ending, the special became the most-watched syndicated television special with an estimated audience of 30 million. "Seems like we struck out," Rivera was quoted as saying after the show[1] , though he later wrote of the event in his 1991 autobiography Exposing Myself that "My career was not over, I knew, but had just begun. And all because of a silly, high-concept stunt that failed to deliver on its titillating promise." The term "Al Capone's vault" has become slang for a heavily hyped event with disappointing results

 

[Airframes]

Ah! Thanks Glenn - hadn't heard of him, or the show. Of course, I know who Al Capone was - one of his relatives is now running our country!!

 

[fastmongrel]

Ah! Thanks Glenn - hadn't heard of him, or the show. Of course, I know who Al Capone was - one of his relatives is now running our country!!

I didnt know Rupert Murdoch was related to Al Capone. I suppose it explains a lot.

 

[war eagle]

I have read that the exact location of at least some of the crates has been recently established using ground penetrating imaging equipment they could see a large collection of what looked like fusalages tightly packed together and crating material recovered by boring machines.Apparently they cannot begin attempting a recovery until the monsoon season has passed ITS A VERY EXCITING DISCOVERY !.I will be keeping a close eye on further developements.


WE DESIGNED EM ! WE BUILT EM ! WE AND THE BURMESE AUTHORITIES BURIED THEM ! SO HANDS OFF GOLD DIGGERS THEY,RE OUR PROPERTY !

 

[Njaco]

THX T-Bolt!