Dogfight Brewing Over Burmese Spitfires

[Stephen James]

Dogfight Brewing Over Burmese Spitfires

AVWEB 30 April 2012

British farmer and aviation history buff David Cundall now says there
are 124 new Spitfires buried in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and he knows
where 60 of them are. As we reported two weeks ago, Cundall stunned
the aviation world with news that he had found at least 20 crated,
brand-new Spitfires wrapped in protective paper and tar to preserve
them. Whether he'll be able to capitalize on his stunning discovery is
in question, however, as treasure hunters from all over the world race
against each other and the impending monsoon season to dig the pickled
aircraft up. In an email exchange a week ago, Cundall told AVweb he
was having problems with financial backers who now may be rivals for
the treasure trove. Cundall has not returned subsequent email and
phone messages from AVweb. He did, however, claim in an interview with
the Independent that a British businessman is trying to hijack the
project with the help of the country's prime minister.



Cundall told AVweb he had originally struck a deal with an American
backer to fund the recovery of the aircraft but it fell through. He
was then approached by Steve Boultbee Brooks, a land developer and
aviation buff who owns a two-seat Spitfire. He alleges Boultbee
Brooks, who accompanied Prime Minister David Cameron on a trade and
political mission to Myanmar two weeks ago, used his attendance on the
trip to engineer discussions between Cameron and Myanmar President
Thein Sein on repatriation of the aircraft. Brooks does indeed appear
to be assuming a lead role in digging up the planes.



In an email to AVweb, Brooks' public relations consultant Elizabeth
Tagge declined an interview but said there will soon be public access
to news on the effort. "The team is entirely focused on the next stage
of the project at this point and won't be giving interviews just yet,"
Tagge said. "However, there should be a Facebook page up soon, which
we'll update when there is news to help keep everyone aware of
progress."



Meanwhile, Brooks himself told the Independent that he hopes Cundall
will be "on board" with the recovery effort. Cundall says he'll be
involved all right, as the holder of all the important cards in a
high-stakes game that involves cutting the Myanmar government in for
40 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the aircraft. "We were
issued a permit to dig, which is still a valid and exclusive
agreement," he said. "The President of Burma wants to do business with
me." Cundall said he has a buyer who will take all the aircraft at
about $1.5 million each. Boultbee Brooks said it would be a shame for
the aircraft to end up anywhere but Britain and he noted there are
other groups in the U.S., Israel and Australia hoping to claim the
aircraft. "What a terrible day this is when the prime minister has
gone out and got a British team, we put a British team together, and
then we squabble so much that we allow other nations to walk in and
take the Spitfires from under our noses," he said.

[Tudor5]

These particular aircraft are now referred to as SPATFIRES

[Harold]

"Tudor5" <spaml...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:27905501-36fd-4b2b...@k10g2000pbk.googlegroups.com...

On May 2, 10:37 am, Stephen James <stephen_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Dogfight Brewing Over Burmese Spitfires
>

> These particular aircraft are now referred to as SPATFIRES

Good one!.

H.