More than two weeks after a large team of researchers, archeologists and photographers arrived in Yangon, Myanmar, the search for a collection of Spitfires, which British farmer and warbird researcher David Cundall claims were buried there after World War II, has been unfruitful.
Wargaming.net, which funded the expedition, reported bringing more than 1,300 pounds of equipment into Burma for the expedition, including machetes, an expedition compass, NATO trenching tools, a comprehensive first aid kit, assorted archaeology tools, drawing kits, surveying equipment, a metal detector and film equipment.
So far the team has explored one crate with a borehole and a camera. But the crate was filled with water, which must be removed before its contents can be determined. There could be more than 100 Spitfires buried in several sites in the area, but there is much skepticism around the project.
Some reports claim a spokesperson for Wargaming.net said there are no airplanes, but Cundall, who has excavated several WWII airplanes in the UK and reportedly spent more than $200,000 of his own money since he started his quest for the Burmese Spitfires in 1996, is convinced they are there. According to NPR, the expedition has a two-year contract with the local government to complete the search.
