Burmese Spitfires back in the news...

[Zac Yates]

We can only wish Mr Cundall (and Peter) the best of luck. I guess we will know soon enough.

Dave

Hear hear. On both points.

[Downunder]

Quick BBC report with Vid.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20925300

6 January 2013 Last updated at 14:50 GMT Help A team of experts has flown to Burma for the final stage of a 17-year search to locate a hoard of Spitfire planes.
The group of 21 hope to unearth dozens of missing British Spitfires believed to have been buried in the Burmese jungle at the end of World War II.
They are expected to to begin digging at Yangon International Airport.
There could be up to 36 buried planes at the end of the airport's runway in Mingaladon and up to 124 aircraft in total, it is thought.

Janey Mitchell reports.

[Pat Carry]

We are waiting with baited breath!

[WallyB]

124. 124. Can I get 150? 124 to you, Sir.

[Zac Yates]

Seemingly related, and found thanks to Tangmere1940 over at the Key/Flypast forums: http://issuu.com/ianhewitt/docs/spitfir ... geNumber=4

Ever wanted to win your own, real, flying Spitfire in a lottery? Want a flying Spitfire with your company's livery painted on it?

[Russ Blow]

124. 124. Can I get 150? 124 to you, Sir.

I will settle for just one

[Sgt13Echo]

Hot off the Bagcockpost..

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... re-hunters

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... plane.html

Stories from @WarbirdNews via twitter today.

[k5083]

From the Bangkok Post story,

The researchers have inserted a camera into the crate although they have so far been unable to confirm the contents because of muddy water obscuring visibility.

"That's very encouraging. That's the sort of image that I would expect to find. We've gone into a box, but we have hit this water problem. It's murky water and we can't really see very far," Cundall said at a press conference in Yangon.

Is it just me, or is the fact that the presumably uppermost crate is filled with muddy water not really very encouraging?

August

[WallyB]

As many as 140 Spitfires – three to four times the number of airworthy models known to exist – are believed to have been buried in near-pristine condition in Burma by American engineers...

140 and counting.

Waiting for one hundred and EIGHTY!

[Taylor Stevenson]

Is it just me, or is the fact that the presumably uppermost crate is filled with muddy water not really very encouraging?

August

Agree, but then again, look what has come out of Lake Michigan.

[bdk]

And no zebra mussels!

The fact that at least one of the crates isn't crushed flat is encouraging.

[k5083]

True.

And Taylor makes a fair point about Lake Mich, although I'm thinking this sounds more like Tulsa.

August

[Taylor Stevenson]

I will admit that, if all the crates are flooded, the condition of the birds out of Lake Michigan will probably be the best case scenario. In my opinion, the neatest part about a complete airframe in the crate (regardless of serviceability) is that it will be an invaluable "blueprint" for future restorations. Plus, during WWII my Sentinel I project was based, at one time, at all three of the air bases mentioned. Hopefully they stumble upon a crate with Sentinel I KJ403 in it (the British Brodie System test bird).

[jmkendall]

I think we are all aware of all the aircraft pulled from watery graves here and there. It is not the water that gets them, it is the salt and oxygen. IF it was immersed the entire time then it will be a matter of corrosion control once they are exposed to air.

[bdk]

Shouldn't be hard to identify the magnesium rivets at least!