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Dozen or more Spitfires to be un-earthed in Burma

Discussion in 'Everything Else Heritage' started by Sheff, Apr 24, 2012.

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  1. baldric

    baldric Member

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    What seems a reasonably detailed report here.
    British farmer’s quest to find lost Spitfires in Burma - Telegraph
     
    baldric, Apr 26, 2012
    #21
  2. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Sheff, Apr 26, 2012
    #22
  3. osprey

    osprey Resident of Nat Pres

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    The article was in the press some weeks ago and was brought up by David Cameron on his recent visit to Burma, when he asked permission for them to be repatriated. They should be in reasonable condition as they were packed for shipment by sea. The reason for burying them was to prevent them falling into the hands of the Chinese, not the Japanese.
     
    osprey, Apr 26, 2012
    #23
  4. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I would not think that being packed for shipment by sea would really be much protection against being buried for 70 odd years, but, I guess we shall see if and when anything gets recovered.
    Seem to remember that the Chinese were on our side at the time. Did they ever threaten to invade Burma in 1945??
     
    Martin Perry, Apr 26, 2012
    #24
  5. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The Chinese under Chiang Kai-Shek were most certainly on our side in WW2 and were the recipients of a huge amount on military hardware to help their fight against the Japanese. Once Japan surrendered the Chinese civil war got back into full swing but I'm not aware of the Communist forces planning or threatening to invade Burma as part of their struggle.
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 26, 2012
    #25
  6. Yorkshire Exile

    Yorkshire Exile Member

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    What the Chinese were planning was not the issue. What the British thought they might be planning was - hence the burial.
     
    Yorkshire Exile, Apr 26, 2012
    #26
  7. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The war wasn't over when they were supposedly buried and we were actively planning the invasion of the Malaysian peninsular for which land based Spitfires were required so why bury aircraft for which you would have had a use? Not only that but at the same time the Chinese were our allies and we were supplying them with war material so as we were arming them, why would we worry about them getting hold of a few Spitfires? Not that they were planning to invade Burma anyway and I seriously doubt that anyone thought otherwise at the time.
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 26, 2012
    #27
  8. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    ... plus, if by chance you thought an invasion was being planned, then you would move hardware out of harms reach. If you thought an invasion was imminent, you would destroy it. Am not sure what scenario would prompt you to dig a big hole and carefully lift new aeroplanes into it, then cover them up.
     
    Martin Perry, Apr 26, 2012
    #28
  9. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    If anything.. Assemble them and fly them away... Surely faster than digging a 40' hole...
    Maybe something else was buried down there... Any 8f s unaccounted for ?
     
    ADB968008, Apr 26, 2012
    #29
  10. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Metre gauge 8Fs? :)
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 26, 2012
    #30
  11. baldric

    baldric Member

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    Doh, that is what comes of reading only the new posts over several days.
     
    baldric, Apr 26, 2012
    #31
  12. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    And coat/wrap them in preservative? One press report quoted the chap as saying they were surplus to requirements/obsolete as the jet age had dawned. Jets came quite late to RAF Squadrons on the Far East - 80 Squadron flew Spitfires out of Hong Kong until 1952 for example and 17 Squadron flew the Mk.XIV until 1948 - so I don't see the Spitfire being considered surplus/obsolete in the Far East in mid 1945. Not saying there aren't any buried Spitfires - although we've yet to see one disinterred - but the reasons quoted for their burial just don't add up.
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 26, 2012
    #32
  13. weltrol

    weltrol Part of the furniture Friend

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    Dean Goods?
     
    weltrol, Apr 26, 2012
    #33
  14. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Having seen the great clip of the restored Mossie in the Vulcan thread, I wondered what has happened to this alleged cache of Spits etc? Nothing on Google - has anyone heard anything?
     
    Sheff, Oct 2, 2012
    #34
  15. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The aviation forums are completely silent on the Burma Spits and have been for quite a while now.
     
    Spamcan81, Oct 2, 2012
    #35
  16. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Thanks Biggles - looks like another 'strategic' reserve job then you reckon?
     
    Sheff, Oct 2, 2012
    #36
  17. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Who knows? What I do know is if I had £5 for every story like this that has produced nothing then I'd be able to by you Jolly Boys several rounds of drinks. :)
    Biggles - read all the books. Gripping stuff.
     
    Spamcan81, Oct 2, 2012
    #37
  18. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Ha ha - me too. And all the Hornblowers, Sherlock Holmes, etc etc. Long dark nights and no computers when I were a lad ;)
     
    Sheff, Oct 2, 2012
    #38
  19. guard_jamie

    guard_jamie Part of the furniture

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    I discovered Patrick O'Brian 36 days before my dissertation was due in, and I reckon he can be held responsible for 2-3 marks dropped!
     
    guard_jamie, Oct 2, 2012
    #39
  20. peter backus

    peter backus New Member

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    peter backus, Oct 17, 2012
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