Buried Spitfires

[Rob P]

A Scam of this scale needs a mark. Who is the mark in this case?

I'm not sure it's a scam

I think it's just a simple case of self-delusion on a grand scale, melded with an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

Still, we have but a few weeks to wait and all will be revealed.

Rob P

[Oxo147]

More PR...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 38903.html

and -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... nches.html

[Rob P]

self delusion.... an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

"I think this is on the same level as the Tutankhamun find in Egypt", Mr Cundall said.

"If we're successful, I'd like to repeat what archaeologist Howard Carter said then. Lord Carnarvon asked: 'Can you see anything?', and he replied: 'Yes, wonderful things'.

"They will be restored to flying condition and hopefully they'll be flying in about three years time at air shows"

I rest my case

Rob P

[MichaelJP59]

One thing's for sure, he's generated so much publicity that there'll be no place to hide if it all turns out to be a disaster.

Is there enough of a warbird market to support the restoration of that many new Spitfires though?

[rkgpilot]

[i]"Under the terms of a contract signed with the Burmese government, Mr Cundall will be entitled to 30 per cent of anything he finds, his Burmese agent another 20 per cent and the Burmese government the remaining 50 per cent."[/i]

Don't the RAF/USAF/original owners have any rights? Is burying something of value the same as discarding it completely? Doesn't the fact that you buried it and took the trouble to preserve it, imply an intention to return to reclaim it? These aren't exactly normal circumstances, granted.

Any experts (or guessperts) on property law on here?

If the Spitfires are discovered, I would have thought with that kind of value involved, the original owners wouldn't let them go lightly....just speculating.

[Ian Melville]

A Scam of this scale needs a mark. Who is the mark in this case?

I'm not sure it's a scam

I think it's just a simple case of self-delusion on a grand scale, melded with an astonishing incompetence in handling press and public relations.

Still, we have but a few weeks to wait and all will be revealed.

Rob P

That was my point Rob, eltonioni said scam, yet I can see no obvious victim(mark).

[eltonioni]

I don't think it's a scam, I'm with Rob. Mr Cundall is like a pilot with hypoxia, and good old fashioned human factors are at work. It's going to be one heck of a headache when he comes back down to earth.

A scam on this scale and this public is inconceivable for anyone to carry off for so long, so my money's on delusion.

[Ian Melville]

Or a scam. I

I don't think it's a scam, I'm with Rob

OK, so you are just shyt stirring

[mpk]

"Under the terms of a contract signed with the Burmese government, Mr Cundall will be entitled to 30 per cent of anything he finds, his Burmese agent another 20 per cent and the Burmese government the remaining 50 per cent."

Don't the RAF/USAF/original owners have any rights? Is burying something of value the same as discarding it completely? Doesn't the fact that you buried it and took the trouble to preserve it, imply an intention to return to reclaim it? These aren't exactly normal circumstances, granted.

Any experts (or guessperts) on property law on here?

If the Spitfires are discovered, I would have thought with that kind of value involved, the original owners wouldn't let them go lightly....just speculating.

The owners right now are the Burmese Govt. Everything left behind was given to them at the end of the war. That is why the contract is between him and the Govt.

[eharding]

"I think this is on the same level as the Tutankhamun find in Egypt", Mr Cundall said.

That ended badly though, as I recall.

I remember a documentary in which they read from the Book Of The Dead while excavating the tomb, then Tutankhamun came back to life, feeding on the souls of those unlucky enough to have uncovered the tomb, and then a Stampe was chased by a demented sandstorm before they managed to send Tutankhamun back to the underworld.

If the Spitfire dig turns out even remotely like that, then they could sell the film rights even if all they find is a load of corroded junk.

[eltonioni]

Or a scam. I

I don't think it's a scam, I'm with Rob

OK, so you are just shyt stirring

There's a lot to stir

To be fair, if by some infinitesimally tiny chance they turn out to be there I'll happily eat huge dollops of humble pie.

[Crash one]

I cannot understand why, with such illustrious persons & organisations involved, there has not been an investigative dig/ground penetrating radar, Xray or whatever, to determine for absolution that these things actually really do exist & are worth excavation. Shirley it would take no longer than half a shift to confirm?
Might have saved 10 pages of guesstimated speculation.

[Oxo147]

I cannot understand why, with such illustrious persons & organisations involved, there has not been an investigative dig/ground penetrating radar, Xray or whatever, to determine for absolution that these things actually really do exist & are worth excavation. Shirley it would take no longer than half a shift to confirm?
Might have saved 10 pages of guesstimated speculation.

If you look at the telegraph report I posted earlier you could answer your own question. The Ground scan picture is shown there...

Here's the link again.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/worl ... nches.html

[Flintstone]

I remember a documentary in which they read from the Book Of The Dead while excavating the tomb, then Tutankhamun came back to life, feeding on the souls of those unlucky enough to have uncovered the tomb, and then a Stampe was chased by a demented sandstorm before they managed to send Tutankhamun back to the underworld.

If the Spitfire dig turns out even remotely like that, then they could sell the film rights even if all they find is a load of corroded junk.

[Rotorboater]

Just read that Torygraph article, if they are buried 30' down as stated that would mean the packing crates have to take 16 tons sq/m weight of average soil - that's quite a lot