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Start Digging! Spitfires Cleared for Excavation

Spitfire Mk XIV
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • British enthusiast David Cundall will begin excavating 60 or more Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIVs in Myanmar, discovered after a 16-year search and a recent agreement with the government.
  • The aircraft were crated and buried by British forces at the end of WWII, are expected to be in good condition, and could be worth up to $2.3 million each in flying condition.
  • The Mk XIV Spitfire is a rare variant powered by the powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon engine, known for being a challenging but highly effective fighter.
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British aviation enthusiast David Cundall expects to begin excavation later this month to recover 60 or more Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIVs in Myanmar. Cundall discovered the cache of Spitfires earlier this year after searching for them for 16 years, but only signed a deal with the Myanmar government on Tuesday.

The aircraft were packed in crates late in World War II and buried by British forces at the end of a runway in what was then Burma, because they were not needed as the war was winding down. They are expected to be found “in good condition,” and are thought to be worth up to $2.3 million each in flying condition.

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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