One man’s search for allegedly long-lost Supermarine Spitfires in Burma is continuing, thanks to new financial support from Claridon Group Ltd.
English farmer David Cundall garnered worldwide attention in 2012 when he set out on a search for dozens of new-in-the-box Spitfires that he claims have remained buried beneath Burma soil close to Yangon International Airport, a former World War II Royal Air Force base, since the close of the war. Cundall’s reports prompted Wargaming.net to send a team of archeologists to investigate, but the group pulled its funding last year after no Spitfires were found.
“No one would have been more delighted than our team had we found Spitfires [but] we knew the risks going in, as our team had spent many weeks in the archives and had not found any evidence to support the claim of buried Spitfires,” Wargaming.net said in a statement after halting the project.
No one would have been more delighted than our team had we found Spitfires [but] we knew the risks going in, as our team had spent many weeks in the archives and had not found any evidence to support the claim of buried Spitfires.
Read more at https://www.flyingmag.com/pilots-places/pilots-adventures-more/burma-spitfire-dream-gets-rude-awakening#t3IkdUuTCeZsd1XJ.99
Now, Claridon Group has stepped in to assist with Cundall’s expedition where it left off.
“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 to him,” the company said.
Cundall has spent the past 16 years of his life attempting to find the Spitfires, and says he will ship them back to the U.K. for restoration if he is successful.
The Spitfire remains one of the most beloved warbirds of all time, with about 35 still flying around the world.
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