A British team of archaeologists and surveyor are currently in Burma searching for scores of Spitfire airplanes that were allegedly bury while still in their crateful when World War II came to a close . For archeologist David Cundall , it ’s a hunting that ’s 17 years in the qualification — and the merchandise of his life ’s workplace . But it ’s also a potentially lucrative speculation , as the increasingly uncommon artefact is now valued at $ 1.6 million each .
That the Supermarine Spitfire is so extremely valued should come in as picayune surprise . It was the killer - app , quite literally , during the Battle of Britain , and the best British paladin during the war — a plane that is now consider with legendary status .
Designed by Reginald J. Mitchell , it boast a slender aerodynamic body and elliptical wings , which guarantee perfect raise . It was also outfitted with a Rolls - Royce V12 engine .
And the pilots loved it . It was a joyousness to fly , mostly on account of its velocity ( 369 mph/593 kph at 19,815 feet/6,039 time ) and in high spirits stage of maneuverability . archetype of the Nazi Luftwaffe — particularly bomber crews — learned to revere it .
The Mark XIV , which appeared later in the warfare , and is the version that ’s presently being searched for by Cundall , was later outfitted with a 1,665 hp Merlin engine . It also keep back the distinction of being the first British aircraft to fool down the Me 262 — the humankind ’s first jet fighter .
By the closing of the state of war , closely 20,000 Spitfires had been develop . And like so many other military weapons and equipment , the abrupt end to the war created a tremendous surplus .
Indeed , soon after WW2 , much of the material was write off at the meter it was accepted ; if too much of it bewilder into the hand of traders ( the Chinese excelled at this ) , it could depress the marketplace for new goods . And in fact , the West did have several challenging years until their manufacturing capacity was reconvert to the fabrication of peacetime goods .
To cope with this , many Allied countries had to get disembarrass of their nimiety equipment . It start out so bad that , in some cases , the redundant equipment was dispose of by burning at the stake , let in aircraft . In one account , an entire pier was construct entirely of newfangled landrover still in their packing cases .
But according to the recollections of some U.S. veteran , an entire squadron ’s Charles Frederick Worth of Mark XIV Spitfires were buried in various parts of Burma — about 140 belligerent to be exact . And accord to one informant , there may be as many as 36 bury closely to the runway at the Rangoon airport .
Unfortunately , the initial search has turned up short . AsThe Guardianreported earlier today , the team of 21 archaeologists had spent the last few days savvy up various kettle of fish around the Rangoon airport looking for the giant crate . But all they found were sheaf of electric cable and water pipes .
allot to the archaeologists , they have n’t stop searching , and “ can not stop ” now . They consider it a setback and a delay in their work .
We ’ll continue to update this story as it blossom out .
Special thanks to C. W. Whipple .
Images : Chowells , AP .
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