Buried Spits in Burma

[Mike]

India or that part of the world somewhere.

Like I said, Burma.

One is now flying with John Sessions at Paine Field.

[PeterA]

Ah! You mean these. Four Mk IX's and two Mk XV Seafires bought in from 'Gate Guard' duty in 1994/5 and refurbished externally at the main Base at Mingaladon, Rangoon. Two were retained by the Burmese and the four sold on to the US.

These were post WWII acquisitions from the 1950's.

PeterA

[Mike]

"Send three and fourpence, we're going to a dance."

[marine air]

Thanks Peter A. Those are the ones that I thought were incredible. I remember when Rudy Frasca's Spitfire was sitting on a freight pallet near the flightline at Oshkosh. IT had the prop blades chewed off and it was pretty beat up. These look a lot better and seem to have been very complete. Are any of them flying again?

[DaveM2]

Thanks Peter A. Those are the ones that I thought were incredible. I remember when Rudy Frasca's Spitfire was sitting on a freight pallet near the flightline at Oshkosh. IT had the prop blades chewed off and it was pretty beat up. These look a lot better and seem to have been very complete. Are any of them flying again?

Brendon Deere's Spit IX has flown here in NZ since 2009, marked in his famous Uncle's (Al Deere) colours.

Dave

[Mike Halbrook]

If I'd had any money when those "Rangoon Spitfires" were for sale, I would have bought a few.
Crushing crates, if they used a bulldozer to bury these, I might think the first one or two might be crushed, then a decision that this took too long. I suspect these crates were shoved into any convenient bomb craters and covered up. I've seen pictures of planes buried here, and there just isn't much left after all this time.

Worst case, data plates.
Best case, some airframe structure, engines that can be overhauled, ditto for prop hubs. Airframes into the jigs to be re-riveted and re-skinned.
Perhaps even some "collectable crates".
Most likely, somewhere between these extremes, with each aircraft a different level of survival and damage.

[marine air]

I lost more money in 2008 in my stock accts. and 401k than I could have spent on a Rangoon Spitfire. Sure, they have magnesium rivets, and were built "too late." Instead of that fading memory of once robust investment accts., I would have a bucket of bolts, with a Rolls Royce engine, a 4 or 5 bladed prop, and a dusty canopy to close while sitting inside tweaking the gunsight.
It would have looked great sitting in my side yard and it would have been fun to fire it up and wake up the neighbor who routinely rides his straight pipe Harley Davidson for early morning rides.

[PinecastleAAF]

Hunt turns nasty what a surprise.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... Burma.html

[Randy Haskin]

I lost more money in 2008 in my stock accts. and 401k than I could have spent on a Rangoon Spitfire.

Only if you sold your stocks or withdrew from your 401k. Nothing is lost or gained until then.

My IRAs and Mutual funds had less share and aggregate value in 2007 and 2008 (I'd put more in than they were worth)....but they're certainly not that way today, and absolutely nothing has changed.

[k5083]

Just like the Spitfires! Whether they're puddles of rust or ready to annual and fly, by that logic, no value has been gained or lost until they're dug up and sold!

August

[groundpounder]

THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY ONE MUST KEEP ONES MOUTH SHUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS !!!!

[k5083]

Yeah, but you don't always have the option of keeping your mouth shut if you need money. It's a common situation. One guy has knowledge or an idea, but not enough capital to execute. Investors have capital, but even to find out whether it's worth investing, they'll have to learn enough to rip off the knowledge and jettison the guy who originated it. Both parties' interests need to be protected, otherwise the planes will stay in the ground. Time to lawyer up!

August

[Rick the Librarian]

The latest article doesn't sound good. I had hoped that this could be handled in a way that would provide these bits of history to the world so they would be displayed and restored (assuming they can be) properly. I remember all the flak over the B-17E "Swamp Ghost" - what did it take, 20 years, to finally get it moved and over to the U.S.?

Is there a website where one can go to (other than here, of course) where I can keep up with the latest developmemts?

[WallyB]

Is there a website where one can go to (other than here, of course) where I can keep up with the latest developmemts?

I doubt that anyone who really knows what's going on is going to tell .

There are similar discussions in other forums with posts expressing both unbridled enthusiasm and curmudgeonly skepticism. Just like here.
Try http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=116104 (warning TIGHAR references!).

[Versatile]

THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY ONE MUST KEEP ONES MOUTH SHUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS !!!!

I did some work with a guy about an aircraft in Canada. Greed got to him and he sent another fella up there that used my name(as he was ME;Bragged ON THE AIRPLANE). Little did they know that the Constable in the town was a friend from high school. The man from the Heritage Association (correct name eludes me) told me that if they ever come back to Canada; they will not get a very cordial welcome.