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Rival teams seek Burma Spitfires
27 April 2012Several teams are now said to be competing to unearth as many as 120 Spitfires buried by the Royal Air Force in Burma at the end of World War II.
Last week it was reported that Lincolnshire farmer David Cundall, 62, had located around 20 Mk XIV Spitfires, still packed in shipping crates, which were buried near an airfield in Burma in 1945. Cundall also claims to have located six MkVIII Spitfires buried un-crated in a quarry in the country.
It is now estimated that as many as 120 of the iconic World War II fighters were buried in the country at the end of the war, with the locations of around 60 said to be known by either of two British teams.
Many are believed to be buried near former RAF airfields in Myitkyina, in the north of the country, and Mingaladon, in the South.
Cundall has spent some 15 years searching for the aircraft and has secured financial support of around £500,000 from a second backer after a disagreement with property investor Steve Boultbee Brooks, who had originally offered to fund the excavations.
Cundall rejected a "memorandum of understanding" by Brooks, who is now said to be launching a "massive" recovery project of his own.
"I can do it without Brooks, I can do it without anybody," Cundall told The Daily Telegraph. "I've been digging up aircraft for 35 years. I've pushed the boat out financially. I've struggled like hell to keep it going. I've dug up Burma before, and I don't need them."
Brooks told the newspaper that his team would "keep this project on the road" and were still willing to work with Cundall to recover the planes, but warned that American, Israeli and possibly even Australian teams are interested in excavating the valuable fighters, which can sell for over £1m each.
HAVE YOUR SAY
27 April 2012
Wasn't the last RAF actual kill in one of these aircraft ?
Andy - Dartford
27 April 2012
I wonder how much it would cost to convert them to "Seafires" for our new carriers??
Norman - UK
27 April 2012
Sounds like Mr Boultbee Brooks has -parachuted in and is now trying to freeze out the little guy - seems a shame when he has dedicated so many years and his life savings to finding these planes. Good luck to Cundall!
Brian Evans - Sheffield
27 April 2012
Certainly 'Ginger' Lacey's last kill was in a MkXIV. 17 Sqn's RN135 YB-A. He downed a Ki-43 'Oscar' over Burma in autumn 45 using only seven rounds of 20mm ammo. Wouldn't that be a nice find, or Caldwell's Mk VIII.
Ian R - Durham
30 April 2012
Hold on, brakes on everybody - These are RAF assets, and as such, only the RAF can have any discussion / ownership about anything which moves in the sky, or is proposed possibly to be anywhere near in the sky.
As such it will be issuing a paper entitled, "If its blue, its ours!" and having a comprehensive number of behind closed door meetings with senior ministers and then the PM, in which no discussions of substance will take place.
Andy
30 April 2012
Brian Evans said:
'Sounds like Mr Boultbee Brooks has -parachuted in and is now trying to freeze out the little guy - seems a shame when he has dedicated so many years and his life savings to finding these planes. Good luck to Cundall!'
Could not agree more this is frankly shocking behaviour supported and endorsed by our Government!
Derek - UK
09 May 2012
Can we have an update , as the news is rather outdated!
There are so many people interested in the recovery and restoration of these iconic machine, who like me I'm sure,would like to know the latest!
Adrian Dommisse - South Africa
10 May 2012
Totally agree with Adrian's comment. I have been searching all websites daily for 2 weeks and things have gone worryingly quiet.
Dave Honour - South Africa
15 May 2012
I will admit that while I think the find is magnificent in every respect, all I would really love to do is to watch them being unpacked. That old musty smell as a rare treasure such as this is unearthed, the sight of the Spitfire being unwrapped.....priceless
Henri Zermatten - Johannesburg South Africa
18 May 2012
Wow. Pump up the tires, gas em up and stab in a battery. Voila and vroom!!! Fly them home! Thanks and good luck, Paul V Los Angeles
Paul Venne - Signal Hill, California Biblegateway.com
20 May 2012
Well done David Cundall. If my Society can help please ask.
John White, Chairman. Aviation Preservation Society, Scotland
johnwhite993 - APSS
22 May 2012
What I would give to see those crates brought up out of the ground! Mr Brooks should do his own research if he wishes to find more of these wonderful aircraft, but not go for the ones Mr Cundall spent so much time and money looking for them. To go after the same Spitfires would be so crass. Good luck Mr Cundall!!!
Nick - Guernsey
29 May 2012
Well done David Cundall,don't let brooks get his hands on them,bet he is only interested in the money they could raise for him.
oldarf - Hertfordshire, UK
01 June 2012
Such a recovery needs respect of all the parties concerned
Lindsay Gazzard - Sydney Australia
05 July 2012
Let mr cundall do as the prime minister said, he'll have no word over the claim, david cundall has spent 15 years locating these and the government did NOTHING to help, so david good luck and god speed with your dream squadron. as for mr brooks, he should try and make his own limelight rather than steal someone else's. rock on mr cundall.
Adam Shirley - Devon, England.
08 July 2012
The Spitfires should be brought Home if necessary the Goverment should fund the operation. These planes are an English Icon and should be rebuilt by the R.A.F and kept flying for the good of the Country.
Ian. Atkins - Derby England
20 July 2012
Mr David Cundall the very best of luck in your quest to recover these iconic pieces of engineering.I personally hope Steve Boultbee Brooks does not find one piece of your treasure that you have spent years looking for again the very best of luck.
Vincent Hyde - Oxfordshire
22 July 2012
Surely this is an area for governmant intervention? After all,they were HMG property when buried, Burmese property now, so an agreement between the two governments would not only make sense but give a great chance for the Burmese to come out of the cold and to recognise their great past.
Bruce Clark - Pinner
18 October 2012
What about hiring or persuading the RAF to send a couple of C5 "s . The crates could be loaded and sorted when they arrived back in England. 4 or 5 crates could probably be carried at the same time .
John Simons - Stoke-on- Trent England
22 October 2012
This is the best news I've heard all week.
Can I have one?
Nick Clark - Near Bournemouth
03 December 2012
Anyone know if they are looking for volunteers to help with the dig? Any email adress?
Joe - Norfolk
11 December 2012
I'd love it to be true, but I'm quite convinced they will find nothing.
david