Plans to dig up buried Spitfires

[Hans Tucker]

Cool...:thumbsup:

http://www.onenewspage.com.au/n/World/74r75ah3u/Plans-to-dig-up-buried-Spitfires.htm

[Exfso]

Wow, I hope this guy is successful, they were an absolutely beautiful aircraft. If they are buried in crates and protected, that would be brilliant if they are in pristine condition as well.

[tlgerdes]

When I was growing up, I met a man who had done similar with WW2 motor bikes in PNG in the 60s. They brought back about 50 Harleys that had been put in the back of trucks then driven into a hole and buried at the end of the war.

[Hans Tucker]

Everytime I see a Spitfire I have the Battle of Britain Theme by Ron Goodwin going through my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF5vlPKDKHA&feature=related

[astroron]

Iheard Stories, over twenty five years ago when I worked in Telecom that there is a big stash of crated Spitfires and other Aircraft buried under the Darling Downs, some where between Toowoomba and Dalby, if I remember rightly.:question:
Cheers:thumbsup:

[AdrianF]

I heard the same story from an old RAAF mechanic before I left Roma. Didn't believe the story. This guy could remember things from 50 years ago but couldn't remember yesterday.

Adrian

[Barrykgerdes]

After the war there was a lot of surplus military equipment in Australia including unopenned cases.

I servered my NST at Amberly and heard a few stories about disposal of surplus aicraft but not this one. However in the post war years much equipment was auctioned off as "army disposals" and a lot of this came from undisclosed sources.

In 1961 I bought an RDP/RDO EW recieving set up through disposals that was in its original unopened crate and it worked out of the box.

I suspect that there are still items of this nature still buried in possibly long lost locations/.

Barry

[astroron]

Adrian, I seem to remember it even had some press coverage back then as well,with a possible search being undertaken to find them.
But I never heard anymore about it .
Cheers :thumbsup:

[Ric]

How nice would that be to see a squadron of Spitfires roaring through the skies again.

[AdrianF]

Would be absolutely wonderful. Had a flight in a 2 seated trainer many years ago would like another go

Adrian

[Merlin66]

Sounds interesting....
Unfortunately there are no records either in "Spitfire International" or the definitive " Spitfire - The History" which show any significant transfers of Spitfires to Burma, nor is there a "missing" block of serials.
Many were sent (but not used during WW2) to India (11 Sqd.)

If these were there, then why would Burma in the mid 50's buy second hand MkIX's from Israel????
There were some 957 MkXIV produced and at the last count there were 19 known survivors (FlyPast Special - "Spitfire70" p61)

[ballaratdragons]

and I started a thread about how they just buried F-111's, and many replies didn't care about them being buried.

And here are people getting sentimental about Spitfires being dug up :rolleyes:

In another 50 years people will want to dig up the F-111's as well.
As I said previously, a sad waste of planes.

[AdrianF]

I agree Ken burying any planes spitfires tiger moths or F111's is a waste.

Adrian

[Moon]

If they dig up any StarFires give me a call :P

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Many records were lost or ignored in the post-war period so who knows.....?
My father flew Spits in England, India and Burma and most were left behind as the the aesthetics of fighters became sedcondary to their actual performance.
I'd kill for a Spitfire! :)
I'd double-kill for a one of those space-spitfires from Doc. Who!! :D

[ballaratdragons]

There are also 100 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA 750 Army Motorcycles buried under the Football Field at Puckapunyal Army Base.

Collectors world-wide have been trying to get the Army to dig them up and sell them, but the Army won't budge. :shrug:

[Hans Tucker]

Construction workers discovered pieces of Australian military history while developing the 2 SQN hangar site at RAAF Base Williamtown.

They found two six-inch howitzer artillery pieces and a twopound anti-tank gun. The two howitzers had serial plates identifying them as having been manufactured in 1918 [one by Vickers and the other by W.B. & Co] but it was believed they were buried in the 1940's or 50's.

One of the Howitzers has been restored and sits out front of 2 SQN

[Astroman]

If anyone has a buried De Havilland Vampire I'd love to have it :D Spitfires are nice though.... if they are in good condition, who cares if they don't fly, to have them as museum pieces would be awesome, and there would be plenty of interest. $$$$$$$

[ballaratdragons]

The old Tottenham RAAF Base has one up on display, but it is now the Central West Shopping Centre in Braybrook, Victoria. There is another one on display at a public park in Tamworth, another in Forbes, and the RAAF Museum at Point Cook has 2 beautifully restored operational vampires on public display inside the Museum hangars. :thumbsup:

Just grab one of those :lol:

Geez I used to love that whistling wizzing roaring sound of Vampires. Ahhhh, the memories :love:

But then again I also used to love hearing Canberra Bombers start up . . . BOOM! BOOM! :D

[ballaratdragons]

Here's an interesting website about a Military Burial Ground that is in the process of rescue of the old gear: http://www.ozatwar.com/nyefoto.htm

[Hans Tucker]

Now we are talking....Vampires were quite a common sight, particularly as gate guards. I remember we had one at 3SQN Air Training Corps in Fremantle which was beautifully restored. I also remember seeing one out the front of a wrecking yards in NSW...Newcastle I think...that was a tagic sight. The sound of the Vampires goblin engine was a sweet sound...much better than the high pitch Macchi.

One of my favourite WWII aircraft is being built at the RAAF Museum Point Cook, using original drawings.... a de havilland Mosquito...shame there are none of these aircraft in a flying condition anymore

[JohnG]

Talking about Vampires, there is one mounted in a park at Wagga Wagga near the middle of town, there is also a very well looked after 'Gate Guard' at the De Haviland factory at Bankstown Airport.

Cheers

[ballaratdragons]

Ahhhh, I remember that one John. I was in the RAAF at Wagga in 1975-76 and I remember seeing it there.
But I'm sure I remember it being at the entrance to the RAAF base, not in town :question:

Oh well, it was a long time ago, the memory is slipping.

[JohnG]

May well have been, Ken, it is in a park on the Sturt Hwy now, picture below, also a picture of the Gate Guard at Hawker de Havilland, Bankstown Airport.

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks John.

Aren't they beautiful :)

[Hans Tucker]

Is there a Sabre on a pole somewhere on public display in Wagga?

[Ausrock]

Not sure if it's still there but there was a Sabre mounted next to the old Pacific Hwy in Raymond Terrace and from memory I think there's either a Vampire or maybe a Meteor at Fighter World at Williamtown RAAF base.

Many years ago there was a company called Marshall Airways, Sid Marshall had a hangar or two at Bankstown which housed DC2's and other stuff from his "airline" days, it was rumoured that he had a Spitfire and possibly a Mosquito somewhere in storage BUT what he did have on display was an ME-109 which I left me speechless when I saw it back in the early(ish) 60's.

[Adelastro1]

There are also apparently a few Mustangs buried at Maralinga that, although on site there during the nuclear tests, were not supposedly used as target aircraft. I have seen old photos of these Mustangs when I worked at Maralinga during the cleanup and it's believed they were either buried there or flown out by someone on the sly! My tip is they are buried there.

There are definitely a number of Swift jet aircraft buried on site as they were used in one instance as targets for a nuclear test. The bomb wasn't detonated close enough to destroy them, but only damage them. There were all pushed into a bomb crater and buried. I wouldn't recommend digging them up though!

[JohnG]

Hi Hans

As far as I know, not on a pole. There is one at the entrance to the RAAF Base at Forest Hill, quick search reveals that it is a CA.27 Sabre Mk.32, Serial A94-982, there is also several other aircraft there as well including a Gloster Meteor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Base_Wagga

Cheers

[DavidU]

One of my fav WW2 aircraft is the Mosquito.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Haven't read through the threads, but I have seen this story before, but it was in another part of the world, so maybe this is just an "Urban Legend". Given the finds significance I would expect that the TV News would cover the retrieval of these in a documentary. So, until I actually see these aircraft uncovered, I remain sceptical, but then I am a cynic anyway! :D

[Hans Tucker]

Thanks John, Chris (Ausrock) response refreshed my memory..I was thinking about the Sabre at Raymond Terrace Newcastle NSW. When I was in Wagga in 2000 it was the Vampire (not a Sabre) in your photographs that I remember seeing in a very poor sad condition of neglect, but to my surprise a week later that Vampire was taken down and a new refurbished one mounted. Apparently there was rumour of an argument between the Wagga council and RAAF (after an alleged complaint) over who's responsibility it was to keep this aircraft in a presentable condition. Trouble with the Vampire is that the fuselage is wood and can rot really easily over time...and the gun ports in the nose make a good home for bees.

[Astroman]

Actually closest I have come is I have an RC Vampire in my Shed :)

http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attachments/2/6/3/7/2/4/a4575932-150-HK%20Vampire%20114.jpg?d=1327355072

[Hans Tucker]

Wow..that is impressive bit of modelling work with some detail.

[torana68]

[QUOTE=Adelastro1;843672]There are also apparently a few Mustangs buried at Maralinga that, although on site there during the nuclear tests, were not supposedly used as target aircraft. I have seen old photos of these Mustangs when I worked at Maralinga during the cleanup and it's believed they were either buried there or flown out by someone on the sly! My tip is they are buried there.

nope sold , if you Google it you will find the story but they were exported to the US (ours are better built than theirs :D )

[Astroman]

Sure is, but it's all made of foam. Haven't flown mine yet, still waiting for a new motor to arrive for it.

[JohnG]

Hi Hans

When I drove past it a few weeks ago it certainly looked like it was in good nick, obviously someone is looking after it. There are always lots of people around it.

Cheers

[Hans Tucker]

Great to hear..nothing worse than seeing a neglected aircraft left/allowed to succumb to the elements...but then some would believe the greater sin is to bury surplus aircraft...which it is if you haven't tried to preserve the history through restoring a select few of the fleet.

[Merlin66]

If you want to fly a realistic Merlin engined Spitfire under FS9/ CFS2, then check out my detailed models. YAS Spitfires (Yet Another Spitfire) - some 30 variants of the Spitty (over 50,000 downloads to date!) accurately detailed, with very accurate flight characteristics....
(the Griffon powered versions weren't real Spitfires!)

[MikeyB]

Dogfight begins over failure to find Burma's buried Spitfires (http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/dogfight-begins-over-failure-to-find-burmas-buried-spitfires-20130119-2czyf.html)

[LewisM]

Odd - no one has yet mentioned the 2 Vampires that are extant at Beverly in WA - one outside an RSL (I think it is), the other near the high way.

I flew over Beverly every day just about, and more than once did a real PFL onto the airfield for a "pit stop" along the tree line (followed by a demonstration VERY VERY short field take-off :) )

[Merlin66]

Well, well, well.......I think I may have redeemed myself.

[LewisM]

Knowing the Burmese, they probably dug them up whilst the Poms were getting their act together, and have them stored, awaiting the best offer.

Current Spitfire price is circa $4million, so, it could make the Burmese a stash of cash --- IF they exist.

[GraemeT]

For those Mosquito tragics, I saw a pile of bits purported to be a complete Mosquito, in the Wright Flyer hangar at Narromine airfield a couple of years ago, awaiting rebuilding by the Air Museum there.

[Ausrock]

Just an update on the RT Sabre.............tonight's news carried the story (including video) that it has just been removed from it's "pole" along side the old Pacific Hwy and has been taken to Fighter World at RAAF Williamtown to be restored for display there. :thumbsup: