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WW2 aircraft still buried in UK

Interesting article & group.
Not just crashed aircraft! I know of 2 sites in the UK where complete aircraft & all the associated support equipment are buried. One is ex US & there are over a dozen Flying Fortresses buried & the other is/was Canadian - but not sure as to what types of aircraft.
 
used to work with an ex airframe instructor who told me that they ordered an airframe for a spitfire just after the war and got a complete armed aircraft so dug a hole and buried everything they did not need. Sorry he's long gone and I cant recall if he said where he was at the time.
 
The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is worth a visit if your that way on. There are some good displays of recovered items from crashed aircraft. They also have the Lancaster Bomber Just Jane there which they fire up on bank holidays and take out for taxi runs. You can pay to ride on her but its not cheep. Ive found the location and parts of the wreckage of two wellingtons that crashed locally during the war. I find this sort of thing very interesting. Cheers Mick.
 
The 1970s / 1980s series of Action Stations books is a nine volume set that gives information about all the UK's WW2 airfields. In one of the volumes it described the crash of a bomber on return to its base, hitting a wood a couple of miles short of the airfield. I had an OS map and found the likely wood, went there and found pieces of wreckage in the edge of the wood. In 1989 two Tornados clipped each other over Northumberland and one crashed close to the A68. I was passing by a few weeks later and although there had been a quite thorough tidy-up I found what appeared to be an accelerometer, something a little smaller than a pack of ten cigarettes.
 
I was brought up near a former WW2 HCU (heavy conversion Unit) which flew Halifaxes ,Most of these aircraft were worn out and many crashed localy, aged about 14 whilst digging on one of the crash sites i found an Oxygen meter and a nice piece of mangled airframe,so like you do when your 14 i took them home to wash and clean,on cleaning i found a clump of human hair stuck to the airframe ,(all crew members had died in the crash),, I quickly took all the pieces back to the site and reburied them ,,i didnt dig any more after that......
 
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The 1970s / 1980s series of Action Stations books is a nine volume set that gives information about all the UK's WW2 airfields. In one of the volumes it described the crash of a bomber on return to its base, hitting a wood a couple of miles short of the airfield. I had an OS map and found the likely wood, went there and found pieces of wreckage in the edge of the wood. In 1989 two Tornados clipped each other over Northumberland and one crashed close to the A68. I was passing by a few weeks later and although there had been a quite thorough tidy-up I found what appeared to be an accelerometer, something a little smaller than a pack of ten cigarettes.


Hi Ammotechxt,
bit of a long shot,if you have the above volumes,is there any mention of Middle Wallop airfield in Hampshire and a German aircraft coming down near the airfield at the back of Danebury Ring?
Been on the trail of one there for years now and each year the ground gives up a few clues,a few years ago burst 20mm cannon shells were surfacing.

Cheers
Tony
 
I have been involved with aviation archeology since the early 70s,I have been involved with many"digs"and during research have spoken to many people,(farmers were the best scource of information)many stories abound regarding buried "Spitfires",Merlins in crates etc,but records of any being discovered are few and far between,there are "supposed" to be German fuselages buried at a local Quarry,and at Wem tip,engines and aircraft parts at Cosford,Shawbury,High Ercall,up north there were supposed to be Albermarle fuselages in a quarry,agreed,many parts were disposed of in holes in the ground,usually tools and worn out parts etc,but the logistics involved in digging huge holes to accomodate scrap aircraft seem to discount that theory,,,,,but not in all cases,natural holes in the landscape were utilised as dumps and covered over,in the case of Lend Lease aircraft being returned from the far east they were just pushed over the side of the carriers or shot off the catapult with wings folded,(the seabed must be littered with them,)no doubt some were buried,unfortunately the persons directly involved have now passed on and knowledge is second hand,details forgotten,rumours generated,I have dug for buried "Merlins"etc,only to find worn out tools a few crumpled aircraft panels,and domestic scrap/rubbish,sooner or later someone will find some larger aircarft or engines/parts buried in the UK,but I doubt it will be a long search,the vast majority of aircraft that were no longer useful were scrapped and turned into pots and pans caravans and cars etc,it would be great to hear of someone finding one of these hidden dumps that do contain engines or larger plane parts,
Cheers,
Don,
 
many thanks Will,
there are a few marked crash sites around my area like this and another German one out on Sailsbury Plain training area,we had three operational airfields in the area,Andover airfield,now devoloped as as industrial park,Chilbolton,now abandoned but a countryside park but the blast shelters are still standing but very 'grown' over and of course Middle Wallop which is still in use by the Army Air Corps...all of which would have become targets for German aircraft I should imagine.
Also Danebury Ring(Iron age hill fort) may have been a target at one time as U.S. troops were bivouacked there during WW2 (much to the annoyance of archaeologists in thhe 70s and 80s when large amounts of ammunitions and grenades appeared in their excavations).
I have never found any record of a aircraft coming down at Danebury,but.............................

Cheers
Tony
 
Tony,

Chilbolton is still an active airfield. Most of the buildings are used for light industry, but a lot of flying still goes on there.

Will.
 
Hi Will,
yes sorry,there is still a small civil landing strip up by the radio telescope,but the WW2 airfield has long gone,I believe the HCC used a great deal of it as a depot for many years and as you say the 'old' buildings are now used as a industrial park.

Tony
 
Hi Ammotechxt,
bit of a long shot,if you have the above volumes,is there any mention of Middle Wallop airfield in Hampshire and a German aircraft coming down near the airfield at the back of Danebury Ring?
Been on the trail of one there for years now and each year the ground gives up a few clues,a few years ago burst 20mm cannon shells were surfacing.

Hello Tony,
Just found your post. Middle Wallop appears in Vol 5 - Military airfields of the South-West. There is no mention of German aircraft shot down or crashing near the airfield or Danebury Ring. Will (Glevum) posted interesting info. 234 Squadron tallies with the info in Vol 5 but there is very little specific info and nothing of what you seek.

Regards from Matthew
 
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