RAAF Spitfire operations WW2

[Liberator]

As this is Anzac day, i thought some people might like to see some WW2 photos of RAAF Spitfire operations i found.

Not sure if they have been seen before?

RAAF Spitfire photos from WW2

http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/m ... -Y+pic+too

Phil

[dfboy]

Thanks Phil,

They look like the Oakey Spitfires. Oakey airfield, 28 kms west of Towoomba QLD Oztralia, was the home of 6th Air Depot responsible for the breakup and scrapping of WWII surplus aircraft during late 1940s.

Oakey now figures prominently in the 'Mystery of the Buried Spitfires' being the location of the said burial in a disused mine.

This story has been doing the rounds since the late forties and was recently the subject of an article in 'The Australian' newspaper:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/busines ... 5995654752

I think the burial site is somewhere between Brisbane and Towoomba, not near Oakey, but who knows if they will be found.

DF

[tom d. friedman]

i'm about to upchuck my breakfast after seeing those scrapping pics. those stacked up merlin engines today are worth AT LEAST 30 GRAND EACH!!

[Jollygreenslugg]

Are you sure those engines aren't Allisons? I'd have thought a brand-new Allison (or Merlin, for that matter) would be worth more than thirty grand.

Cheers,
Matt

[tom d. friedman]

i got the info from an excellent source who owns 2 merlins. don't forget they need a total overhall & break down.... time is money bottom line. with rarity & entry level purchase price i'd say he's on target.

[Jollygreenslugg]

Thirty grand? Buying or selling? I thought you were talking about engines as seen there; three or four years old, inhibited and complete - not sixty-five years old.

As it happens, had the engines sat outside like that for sixty-five years, they'd be worth a lot less.

I still think they're Allisons.

Cheers,
Matt

[tom d. friedman]

jolly, the guy that owns them knows alot more than both of us!! he's well schooled in aircraft parts / memorabilia.

[Jollygreenslugg]

Yeah, no worries mate. I thought you were referring to brand-new engines. I now appreciate that NOS engines are what you mean. Indeed, posts here refer to crated NOS Allisons put them around 25-30k these days, and you'd be looking at several times that figure to rebuild one.

My point was that if it was possible to get an engine that was less than five years old, and inhibited, it'd be worth more. Time machine anyone?!

As it happens, I enjoy seeing photos like the ones linked. The mass-scrappings of redundant military machinery was a fact of life, and these shots show how it was done. Mind you, I'm a sick puppy like that! Like many aviation fans, I have a rail interest. One of my favorite railway book has page after page of British Railway locomotives being gas-axed. Makes for fascinating reading and viewing!

Cheers,
Matt

[tom d. friedman]

glad you saw my point. many thanks. it's amazing though that a rust bucket can command so much money !!