A Spitfire flying from RAF Manston Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Posted on 04/18/2012 2:30:27 PM PDT by Windflier
The Prime Minister secured a historic deal that will see the fighter aircraft dug up and shipped back to the UK almost 67 years after they were hidden more than 40-feet below ground amid fears of a Japanese occupation.
The gesture came as Mr Cameron became the first Western leader to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy campaigner held under house arrest for 22 years by the military regime, and invited her to visit London in her first trip abroad for 24 years.
He called on Europe to suspend its ban on trade with Burma now that it was showing “prospects for change” following Miss Suu Kyi’s election to parliament in a sweeping electoral victory earlier this year.
The plight of the buried aircraft came to Mr Cameron’s attention at the behest of a farmer from Scunthorpe, North Lincs, who is responsible for locating them at a former RAF base using radar imaging technology.
David Cundall, 62, spent 15 years doggedly searching for the planes, an exercise that involved 12 trips to Burma and cost him more than £130,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Courtesy ping...
If they can be salvaged and restored, I can imaging quite a few getting chocked up seeing them flying over London on Remembrance Day in the near future.
Just crossing the wires...The Spanish government has filed a claim for the Spitfires.....
How is it that it can say:
“They were just buried there in transport crates,” Mr Cundall said. “They were waxed, wrapped in greased paper and their joints tarred. They will be in near perfect condition.”
Yet, though in 'near perfect condition':
They will need to be stripped down and re-riveted but it must be done.
To completely dismantle and re-rivet all of them will be quite costly, time consuming, and fraught with many difficulties, not the least of which occur when drilling out the existing rivets.
Perhaps you didn't click through to read the entire article. These Spitfires were still in their original crates, and were properly mothballed away for some future date. They're probably in perfect condition.
Sounds like an inside joke. There's no chance that England will give these up.
. . . almost 67 years after they were hidden more than 40-feet below ground amid fears of a Japanese occupation.
67 years ago was 1945. The Japanese were past their days of conquering new territory by then.
Given the prize, I doubt they'll feel any fatigue from drilling out all those rivets. I drill out rivets all the time in my business. It ain't such a big deal.
To name but a few of the many problems I've faced in re-riveting.
Most of these (guessing) will be varying degrees of decayed (aluminum) and rusty (alloyed) - so gonna be a "whole-lotta spinnin' goin' on, baby!"
But - who knows, maybe they've invented a new tool that makes it simple, fast and totally error free. LOL
PN: TP276Our rivet removal tool is designed to keep the drill bit centered on the AN470 rivet head. The cupped drill guide also keeps the bit from slipping off and ruining the sheet metal around it. This tool is completely adjustable for drilling depth. It comes complete with four guides and drill bits for #3, #4, #5, and #6 rivets.
Made in the U.S.A.
I don't work on planes anymore, but I'll keep the info handy! -
Is it? I didn’t look around. I can’t afford many new tools these days so I don’t torture myself too much. I do have a new Northern Tools & Equipment catalog. Gotta indulge in some porn some times!
LOL
Nothin' is more fun than adding a great tool to an already well-equipped home garage, then pulling it out and knocking back a fast repair, while others cry at the high-cost of paying for 'professional' mechanics.
The early Spitfires (Merlin powered, elliptical wing) are the most beautiful piston engined fighters ever built.
My collection is relatively small and basic with a few exceptions of special tools but I wouldn't sell any of them. A good tool is a treasure.
Yeah! There's nothing that gives you a better feeling of accomplishment. I rebuilt my 65 chevy (engine and trany) way-back when, and it's still running, but, not that often anymore.
It sure does put a grin on your face to see it run after the job is done!
Yes it does! :-)
No doubt about it. Even as a young Army brat growing up in the baby boom era, that was my favorite WWII fighter plane.
I loved the American made fighters too, but the Spitfire was the king of them all.
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