Buried for 70 years
- Thread starter diopter
- Start date
Awesome story! Too bad it survived a plane crash and 70 years in the ground to be effectively destroyed by the nanny state. The guys that fought for their freedom would be disappointed to watch it legislated away in the name of "safety". Because gun rampages with WW2 vintage aircraft guns happen every day...
Would have loved it if they had cleaned them all up, and fired off 8 at once!
Would have loved it if they had cleaned them all up, and fired off 8 at once!
MapleSugar
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- On the loose from NIMH
IIRC, that ONE working example was cobbled together from the best parts of all of them. They were all damaged during the impact.
Apparently, the lack of oxygen in the peat bog is what preserved them so well.
Too bad the lack of oxygen in the brain cells of the Brits has destroyed the one working example forever.
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Now imagine that, times 12, the number of guns, Spits carried.
Grizz
I believe the Spits carried only a max of 8 Browning .303 machine guns, the Hurricane, however, did have a 12-gun ship on top of the standard 8-gun or 4-cannon configurations. RAF ace Douglas Bader preferred the Hurricane as a gun platform as its thick, high-lift wings were much more stable than the Spit, and the visibility was also better for deflection shooting. Many people think that the Hurricane shot down more enemy aircraft because it always went after the slower bombers, but the stats also reveal that the Hurri shot down more fighters than the Spit. It was slow, no doubt, but was as manoeverable as a Jap Zero at those lower speeds.
But, hey, the Spit got the chicks!
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Too bad the lack of oxygen in the brain cells of the Brits has destroyed the one working example forever.
Now really,.... what do you expect anyone (including Canada) to do if it's sitting in a museum or permanent display.....
Nice high rate of fire, around 1,000 rpm, if memory serves. I don't think the early Spitfires and Hurricanes had more than 15 secs of ammo when full-up.
The ammo belts were 27 ft long, so when you hear someone saying " the whole 9 yards"...then he gave everything!
The ammo belts were 27 ft long, so when you hear someone saying " the whole 9 yards"...then he gave everything!
a lot of these aircraft guns ( Inglis MK II) had stainless internal parts and chrome lined barrels . a shot of WD 40 and away they go
the IDF had these mounted on jeeps for border security in the 50's. two or three per jeep, 1200 rounds per min, per gun. nasty.
the IDF had these mounted on jeeps for border security in the 50's. two or three per jeep, 1200 rounds per min, per gun. nasty.
pittboomer
Regular
- Location
- chilliwack
sweet 
It was perfectly safe in the bog, put it back in there and burry it again for another 70 years. Then let our grandchildren's grandchildren get to see what the gun was capable of instead of destroying it. Frankly, the gun is no longer safe; it's been destroyed. It was safer in the bog. What a pointless exercise...
Wild Story!!
Interesting to see the political side of it isnt it? The poor guy just wanted to fly. So he gets his citizenship taken away, ends up as a POW in ireland, escapes and gets sent BACK because the country he volunteered to fight for didnt want to upset a neutral.
Its not unlike the way young pilots get treated these days.
MapleSugar
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- On the loose from NIMH
Are you serious?
I would EXPECT them to preserve history, not neuter it because it offends the politically correct, hand wringers.
There are many displays in armouries and museums that are still in operable condition.
That is, until some idiots legislate that they should be deactivated or destroyed.
I've been saying for a long time that there needs to be a firearms museum in this country, where all the F/A and other "dangerous" guns can go to live out their lives free from persecution.
Hopefully, that way they could outlive the nanny state that has been created by the Liberals and PC's.
Welllllllll, not 'zackly, y'see they tore down all the guns and finally got one that would work for long enough to be impressive - one of the PDF armourers is actually a member of our site over in Ireland.
However, it is STILL mighty impressive, eh?
tac
www.vcrai.com
Uh, let's just get a few things straight before you engage your intellect one more time in another attack on the Brits -
1. The Spitfire was actually found in a bog the Republic of Ireland [Donegal is not part of the UK, but of the Republic of Ireland].
2. The excavation was carried out by an Irish Permanent Defence Force [PDF] recovery team including EOD specialists - necessary where 70-year-old ammunition and pyrotechnics are being manhandled - just like any crashsite today.
3. The armourers who cleaned up and got the one gun going were also Irish armourers from the PDF.
4. Firing ANY old ordnance carried a risk - I suggest next time that you offer to hold it as it is fired.
5. The wreckage has been returned to the rightful owners of the Spitfire - the British government, for permanent display in the Foyle Museum in Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland - part of the UK.
6. Under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement between the Republic of Ireland and the UK, all arms and ammunition found and returned must be made safe beforehand - JUST in case the 'boyos' of the PIRA get their nasty little hands on them before the rightful owners take charge. The Canadian General John de Chastelain, who was the principal broker of the agreement, was insistent on this clause being part of the agreement between the two nations.
Thank you.
tac
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Sir - Thank YOU, for giving me the opportunity to explain what it was really all about.
Things are not totally screwed up over here, just 99%.
tac
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
As soon as I saw Ireland, I thought about The Troubles and all the hard diplomacy by de Chastelain (no terminal /E/), and others to put that period in the past. One full auto is not worth a civil war. Hey, the Manhattan Project destroyed their two best products.
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Having spent far too much of my 33-year Army career over there, I can only agree with you.
General John [No seal [of the ammunition and gun bunkers] - no deal] de Chastelain is an unsung hero to me and many like me.
tac
