Myanmar’s phantom Spitfires: how a legend was born

A Spitfire Mk XIV at Duxford (Photo Brian Proctor (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)).

A Spitfire Mk XIV at Duxford (Photo Brian Proctor (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)).

With the ongoing debate concerning the presence of crated Spitfires deep in Burma’s soil, one of our visitors, Peter, shared a link to an article from the Myanmar Times by Derek Tonkin: Myanmar’s phantom Spitfires: how a legend was born.

This article provides some useful insight on how the Burmese Spitfires legend began, and whether it should be given any credit. It is by no means an optimistic conclusion that is drawn by Derek Tonkin, especially for those who still want to hope that the Spitfires will show up, but an interesting read altogether.

Thanks to Peter for sharing the link!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2013/02/14/myanmars-phantom-spitfires-how-a-legend-was-born/

5 comments

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    • James w on February 15, 2013 at 7:20 PM
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    Sounds like they will have a result within days if they dont run into more obstacles and jumping through more hoops with the Burmese government …

    • James w on February 16, 2013 at 6:53 AM
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    As of feb 15 the Mingaladon dig seems to have been concluded with no success according to Heritagedaily. http://www.heritagedaily.com/2013/02/spitfires-in-burma-mystery-solved/

    • James w on February 17, 2013 at 9:46 PM
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    Three sites were excavated with no success and is over with, but the news is now saying there are people in england the claim to know were several spitfires were craited and buried in1950 and a first hand witness the is claiming to have personally packed up in crates several spits and were buried in a specific location at birmingham..http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/i-want-to-dig-for-spitfires-in-birmingham-says-1246086

    • James w on February 19, 2013 at 7:10 AM
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    The Burma spit dig is still progressing and the press failed to clarify that fact, that only the backers had left the sites.David Cundall the project leader is still there and is still attempting to recover spitfires at one or more of the three sites with a crate to be brought up to examined soon…..its not over just yet …

    • James w on April 15, 2013 at 4:02 AM
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    it looks to be over with no new updates for weeks from david and would guess no sign of anything.it sounds like the Burmese government would not let them dig were the reported eye witness claim the spits were pushed into the gound…

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