Cosmoline FTW!

[bedlamite]

Spitfires buried in 1945 have been found:

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Lost_Spitfire_Squadron_206526-1.html

[Northwoods]

We'll see if this is really for real if/when they actually make it UK soil.  And, good as cosmo is, I'd honestly be surprised if the airframes were still rebuildable.  My guess is, if they can Frankenplane a few flying examples from all the non-corroded bits from all the different airframes they'll be lucky.

[geronimotwo]

i wonder if the engines were installed?  the military has been known to store radials in nitrogen filled containers for decades without problems.

[Northwoods]

The airframes were still in crates, so I'd guess the engines were not installed.  I think the chances of the airframes or engines surviving in rebuildable condition are slim at best.  They were buried under mud in the Burmese jungle, not some desert.  The moisture they've been subjected to will not have done any good.  And who knows what, besides water, is in that mud that could attack the metals.  If the pH is significantly off from 7.0 that will only accelerate any corrosion.

[Tallpine]

The airframes were still in crates, so I'd guess the engines were not installed.  I think the chances of the airframes or engines surviving in rebuildable condition are slim at best.  They were buried under mud in the Burmese jungle, not some desert.  The moisture they've been subjected to will not have done any good.  And who knows what, besides water, is in that mud that could attack the metals.  If the pH is significantly off from 7.0 that will only accelerate any corrosion.

That won't matter in the movie version 

[41magsnub]

That won't matter in the movie version 

In the movie version they would hose the mud off, pour in some gas, fire them up, and fly in to combat as a last ditch effort against some aliens.

[MillCreek]

In the movie version they would hose the mud off, pour in some gas, fire them up, and fly in to combat as a last ditch effort against some aliens.

Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Northwoods]

In the movie version they would hose the mud off, pour in some gas, fire them up, and fly in to combat as a last ditch effort against some aliens.

With the Griffon engine they'd need a tanker truck full of fuel.  A few Jerry cans worth wouldn't even warm one of them up. 

[41magsnub]

With the Griffon engine they'd need a tanker truck full of fuel.  A few Jerry cans worth wouldn't even warm one of them up. 

Shush..  don't ruin the suspension of disbelief for the audience.