Myanmar News Links: Crusade for Spitfires in Burma continues

Claridon Group Ltd have announced that they will be funding the ongoing efforts of aircraft enthusiast David Cundall for continued research in his theory that intact Spitfires still remain buried in Burma.

David Cundall, a farmer from Lincolnshire made headlines in 2012 when it was announced to the World that intact Spitfires could be buried in Burma "'We sent a borehole down and used a camera to look at the crates. They seemed to be in good condition." Said Cundall. Herald

This led to a scientific funded expedition by Wargaming.net who sent a leading team of conflict archaeologists and geo-physicists to explore one of the proposed burial sites within the perimeter fence of Yangon international airport.

After a series of investigations on site using archaeological methods and research through historical archives, the archaeologists announced in January 2013:

"The team now believes, based on clear documentary evidence, as well as the evidence from the fieldwork, that no Spitfires were delivered in crates and buried.

The archival records show that the RAF unit that handled shipments through Rangoon docks, 41 Embarkation Unit, only received 37 aircraft in total from three transport ships between 1945 and 1946.

None of the crates contained Spitfires and most appear to have been re-exported in the autumn of 1946," the statement concluded.

Global Logistics company Claridon said: "Claridon Group are proud to partner David and provide the funding to enable him and his team to find the Spitfires. We will be supporting David every step of the way and look forward to bringing the Spitfires back home for him.

Cundall is heading back to Burma to resume excavating and estimates that restoring the Spitfires back to original, will create 400 UK jobs over a 5 year period after which many of the aircraft will find homes in Museums up and down the country.