Hunt for Spitfire fighter planes to end

These planes were used by the British during World War II, and thought to have been buried after the war ended

A file photo of Spitfires, which were rumoured to be buried in Myanmar by the Royal Air Force, after World War II.

A two-year hunt for Spitfire fighter planes rumoured to have been buried in Myanmar at the end of World War II is to end after yielding no results, the team said Tuesday.

The project suffered a first blow in February 2013 when online game company Wargaming backed out of its sponsorship, saying there was no documentary or forensic evidence that crated components of 60 Spitfires were buried by then-colonial power Britain in 1945.

Why were they hunting for the planes? The Spitfire planes were used by the British during World War II, in many places including Burma. There were rumours that nearly 60 of these were buried by the Royal Air Force, with a majority in Rangoon’s Mingaladon airbase compound. This was done to keep them out of the hands of the enemy.

But British aviation enthusiast David Cundall continued the search in partnership with Myanmar company Shwe Taung Paw and the Department of Civil Aviation, on a two–year contract due to expire in October.

The search has turned up only one crate full of mud at a site near Myaitkyina, capital of northern state Kachin, last year.

Project spokesman Tun Kyaw said the search had been hampered by the location of the sites.

“Many limitations make it hard for us to search in the area,” he said. “The most possible site out of three is at Mingaladone air base, a restricted area near Yangon International airport.” Authorities had held up operations, citing concerns that digging would damage underground cables supplying the airport, he said.

Excavations in Kachin state were interrupted by clashes between government troops and local rebals, he said.

“We left the site as the fighting became stronger.”