Dig to start for lost Battle of Britain squadron in Burma

AN operation to excavate dozens of British Spitfires buried in Burma at the end of the Second World War will begin in the next few days.

It marks the climax of a 16-year search for the lost aircraft by North Lincolnshire farmer and aircraft enthusiast David Cundall.

A team will fly to Burma from Heathrow on Saturday to start digging in the grounds of Yangon International Airport, where Mr Cundall believes the aircraft were buried in their original shipping containers.

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Mr Cundall, who has poured tens of thousands of pounds into the venture, believes the aircraft, which were only flown in test flights, will be in near perfect condition.

If so, the intention is to get them back in the air.

As well as flying at air shows, there are also rumours of interest from British businesses keen to explore potential branding opportunities.

The team will be joined by Martin Brown, from consultancy firm WYG.

He said: “This is a remarkable project that will test a legend from the Second World War and potentially shed more light on the role of the Royal Air Force during the War.”

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“I am very excited about playing a part in such a unique opportunity.”

According to witnesses, the planes, which originated from Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands, were transported to the Far East in preparation for Operation Zipper, the reconquest of Malaysia. When the war against the Japanese in Burma/Myanmar came to an abrupt end, the planes were no longer needed and were struck off charge.

The dig follows the suspension of European Union sanctions on Burma.