Warbird Information Exchange

A few days a go, I was perusing the Flypast chat group and someone had posted a fascinating article about a Spitfire wing being dug out of an airfield dump in the Orkney islands. It was being dangled from a backhoe and was pretty intact.

The gist of the article was that these guys knew where the dump was, had brought in a couple of dowsers, who marked out where to dig, and proceeded to dig out this wing. It did not read like a hoax, and the picture, although small, looked real. I had a couple of friends who dug a Battle wing out of a farmers yard a few years back, so can attest it is plausible.

Now, the thread is gone. The article is gone. There is a thread asking, "where did it go"?

So, was it a hoax? If so, should the paper have published a correction? Or are the nefarious forces of the Spitfire Underworld so all powerful that they can suppress the news? Or did I just drink too much Sauza last night?

C'mon warbird sleuths. Where is Sherlock Holmes when you need him?

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Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

It's real

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

From what I've read over at the Key forums, it sounds like the initial thread was removed because Key Publishing was working to be the one to break the story in a couple of their magazines coming up.

Found this on Key.Aero Network Forum. Might be legit. This link may still work, at least for now. Apparently, the group (ARGOS) did not want any press releases until they were finished with the dig. Premature publication?

"http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile...-flow.24935915"

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"There's nothing new under the sun. It's only new to you."

"Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

The one sure-fire way to get a whole bunch of press they apparently do not want was to yank the thread. Now EVERYBODY is going to be speculating!

brought in some dowsers?

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Kevin McCartney

People who claim to be able to find things underground (water sources, Spitfire wings, etc) using crossed sticks and some mysterious force.

I think it is hooey, but there are plenty who believe in it and more than a few who make money performing the task/trick/art.

A friend of mine who drills water wells dowses (sp?) with a rock. He picks up a rock and rolls it over and over again in his hands while he's wandering around the proposed well site. After a few minutes (depending on the size of the audience) he stops, closes his eyes, and then throws the rock over his head behind him. Where the rock lands is where he drills, or as he says, if you don't like that spot just kick the rock over to where you want the well to be. He claims it works as well as any of the "real" dowsers.

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

Thank you, Peter A.! Sure glad you had a copy of the article. Your color picture, though, is definitive. What an amazing find.

Edited: well, now it is gone again. Cannot blame the tequila this time.

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Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

I'd be happy to demonstrate it for you, I use it to locate water pipes & underground electrical.

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

I saw a fellow take bronze brazing rods that had been bent 90 degrees about 5 inches from the end to make handles, locate a 4" PVC drain pipe buried about 3 feet underground. He was trying to find where the old septic drain line was located on an old farm home site I had purchased.

This fellow walked an area that we thought could have the line in it, and "witched" around using the bronze rods. After a little while he marked a location, got the backhoe in position to dig, and promptly found it with his first try!!! My jaw just about hit the ground!

He said it did not always work, but he had found water, gas, and electrical lines using the same method. He had a piece of PVC pipe secured to the backhoe, just to holster his 'witching" rods.

I believe. I believe.