Dozen or more Spitfires to be un-earthed in Burma

What seems a reasonably detailed report here.
British farmer’s quest to find lost Spitfires in Burma - Telegraph

 

A cunning plan Baldric - but may I refer you you to my original post #1? :fish:

 

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.

 

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.

 

What the Chinese were planning was not the issue. What the British thought they might be planning was - hence the burial.

 

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.

 

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 ?

 

Metre gauge 8Fs?

 

Doh, that is what comes of reading only the new posts over several days.

 

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.

 

Dean Goods?

 

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?

 

The aviation forums are completely silent on the Burma Spits and have been for quite a while now.

 

Thanks Biggles - looks like another 'strategic' reserve job then you reckon?

 

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.

 

Ha ha - me too. And all the Hornblowers, Sherlock Holmes, etc etc. Long dark nights and no computers when I were a lad

 

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!

 

Looks like this could still be on, see like below.

Lost Spitfires to be recovered - World News - MSN News UK