One of the blokes I worked with mentioned he'd heard something about this so I did a google search and found a newspaper article listed here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ned-to-UK.html

Basically, David Cundall of North Lincs, has spent the last 15 years trying to find the location of a group of Spitfires that were preserved, crated and then buried towards the end WW2 when they were "surplus to requirements". He found them at a former RAF base and apparently the crates are being returned to the UK after the improvement in the government relationship between Burma and the UK.

I for one would love to be there when they open the first crates!

Originally Posted by KevinTheCynic

One of the blokes I worked with mentioned he'd heard something about this so I did a google search and found a newspaper article listed here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ned-to-UK.html

Basically, David Cundall of North Lincs, has spent the last 15 years trying to find the location of a group of Spitfires that were preserved, crated and then buried towards the end WW2 when they were "surplus to requirements". He found them at a former RAF base and apparently the crates are being returned to the UK after the improvement in the government relationship between Burma and the UK.

I for one would love to be there when they open the first crates!

ME TOO!!! And there's 20 of them!!!

I wonder what marks they are, purely out of interest. After the war dozens (if not hundreds) of perfectly serviceable Merlin's were broken up for scrap, nowadays they are getting as rare as hens teeth.

I also heard but I cannot get confirmation that a number of brand new Lancaster's were crated up and buried somewhere in UK.

There's an Aussie bloke who scours the world for crashed aircraft for his customers and brings them back to airworthy condition in his factory. The last one I saw on TV was a pranged P38 he finally found in the bush in middle of nowhere. Clever bloke.

If you check http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...-in-Burma.html, the farmer David Cundall is holding exactly the same picture I have of a Spitfire. My missus bought it for me one Christmas years ago.

I'd be pushing shoving and tripping everybody else in the room for a chance to take a peek at one of these! Crowbar in hand! Let's get these crates opened as soon as possible.

Oh the good state of preservation they may be in... I can only imagine.

Luckily for the Royal Airforce I am not there, being as if I were only 19 Spitfires would be returning from their "extended" tour.

And lastily I could not imagine something like this happening today. Especially in the USAF, imagine burying 4 F 16 Block 60s because they "exceed unit requirements".

The budgeting committee would have a fiasco plastering CSPAN for weeks.

Oh yeah, I'd also like to be one of the people opening the crates and I can totally understand the idea of only 19 of the 20 returning to the UK!

Originally Posted by KevinTheCynic

Oh yeah, I'd also like to be one of the people opening the crates and I can totally understand the idea of only 19 of the 20 returning to the UK!

I'd dread to think of the fuel consumption of that Merlin, especially at full bore. Mind you one would look nice parked beside the gates to my property, I'd fire it up when I'd saved up some money and drool over that amazing Merlin sound.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

I'd dread to think of the fuel consumption of that Merlin, especially at full bore. Mind you one would look nice parked beside the gates to my property, I'd fire it up when I'd saved up some money and drool over that amazing Merlin sound.

Oh hell yes! There's just something about the sound of certain engines - doesn't hurt that the Spit is a damned fine looking aeroplane either

From what I've heard, these are Spitfire Mark XIV’s, and outfitted with Rolls Royce Griffon engines.

Originally Posted by 42RM

From what I've heard, these are Spitfire Mark XIV’s, and outfitted with Rolls Royce Griffon engines.

There was a problem with the Griffon engines with the SAAF Shackleton's, they kept blowing their spark plugs out of the cylinder heads for some reason. Although I never heard of this problem with the RAF Shacks.

Even so I'd love to see and hear all 20 fired up.

Originally Posted by 42RM

From what I've heard, these are Spitfire Mark XIV’s, and outfitted with Rolls Royce Griffon engines.

Oh the mechanical grandfather of the BR 725, what a lineage that must be.

For historical purposes I would catch and put on display every blown spark plug.

At RAF Wattisham in 1970 we had a Spitfire with Griffon engine, contra rotating props and clipped wings as gate guardian. Beautiful aircraft.