RAF WWII fighter found in Egypt after 70 years.

If this can be rescued and brought back to "civilisation" it will be a hugely important addition to the warbird community.

 

I'm with you on that. There aren't many warbirds out there that complete, down to the original paintwork (cue derision).

 

After 70 years in the desert, maybe buried by sand for some of them I grant you, I wonder how "original" the paint work is after being grit blasted and bleached. A truly amazing find nonetheless.

 

I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that it survived there for so long without being discovered!' Incredible.

 

Looking at the photos the roundel is still clearly defined.

 

But very, very faded.

 

Agreed, but better than most survivors!

To be strictly honest, much as I love these beasts, and love seeing them flying, I don't know how many Kittyhawks there are about, how many flying, how many in museums, and in what condition. All I hope is that this one is treated in accordance with its condition and history, also taking into account the condition of other survivors.

Edit: Wikipedia (cue further derision) suggests that there are a lot of survivors out there - 30-plus, most of them in airworthy condition - including the last survivor of Pearl Harbour, remarkably.

 

Totally agree. The IWM has this little gem:


OK, it has some species of protective coating all over it (hence the sheen), but it's as near 'as found' as you're going to get.

<hasty edit>As GJ says - According to Wikipedia*, there are a bucketload of airworthy P-40 variants, and a further metric shedload under restoration, so keeping this one as found ought not to cause a fuss. * List of surviving Curtiss P-40s - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia </hasty edit>

Pete S.

 

What happened to the pilot, was he found after he crash landed?

might he still be alive today? that would be an interesting story to tell him, oh, your plane has been found

is the airframe going to be able to be moved, might it not brake up when someone puts strops around it to lift it? then there is the logistics involved plus wont an egptian museum have first call on it?

 

What's the story on this? Presumably the state of preservation is due to being covered over completely for many years, and then recently uncovered as the sands shifted?

Tom

 

And people think this forum is bad for speculation and adverts...

 

[video=youtube;CFe8CsOdoG8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFe8CsOdoG8[/video]

 

[video=youtube;M9LsK74J_W0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9LsK74J_W0[/video]

 

The BBC have picked this story up now, and report that the RAF museum are hoping to recover the aeroplane; there is also some information on the person believed to be the pilot, Flt Sgt Dennis Copping.

BBC News - World War II fighter found in Egyptian desert

Tom