+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18

Thread: Spitfire guns fire after 70 years

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Contributing Member Gil Boyd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Last On
    02-28-2024 @ 11:09 AM
    Location
    Home of The Parachute Regiment & 16 Air Assault Brigade
    Posts
    4,772
    Real Name
    Gil Boyd
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:40 AM

    Spitfire guns fire after 70 years

    Spitfire redux: The WWII guns firing after 70 years buried in peat - BBC News
    Information
    Warning: This is a relatively older thread
    This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.
    'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA

  2. The Following 16 Members Say Thank You to Gil Boyd For This Useful Post:


  3. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  4. #2
    Legacy Member Vincent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    02-27-2020 @ 09:22 PM
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,890
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    01:40 AM
    Interesting to see it fired with a pneumatic solenoid.

    I have seen pictures of a .303 BSA MKII Browning converted for land use. It had spade grips was mounted on a tripod. Haven’t been able to find any details so far.

  5. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  6. #3
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    Seaspriter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Last On
    09-23-2019 @ 02:42 PM
    Location
    Naples, Florida USA
    Posts
    718
    Real Name
    R. Porter Lynch
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    03:40 AM
    Amazing and touching story.
    There is a comparable story on this side of the pond -- WWII Wildcat fighters being fished out of Lake Michigan;
    One is on display in Chicago's O'Hare airport and is beautifully displayed:
    http://www.airclassicsmuseum.org/Schools/Butch%20O'Hare%20Story.htm
    Several years ago the lost squadron was exhumed from the ice in Greenland. Glacier Girl is one of the P-38s that has been resurrected.
    http://www.damninteresting.com/exhum...-glacier-girl/
    And for those Spitfire fans, you may be happy to learn about the Pickled Spitfires in Burma:
    http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news..._206526-1.html
    Last edited by Seaspriter; 04-15-2016 at 01:13 PM.

  7. #4
    Moderator
    (M1 Garand/M14/M1A Rifles)
    Bob Womack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 01:07 PM
    Location
    Somewhere Between Clever and Stupid
    Posts
    3,396
    Real Name
    Bob Womack
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    03:40 AM


    My dad was station on Naval Pier in Chicago and spent his lunch breaks watching flight ops on the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, America's paddle-wheel aircraft carriers, as they plied Lake Michigan. The two ships were converted to train Naval aviators to trap onto and take off from aircraft carrier decks. My father watched as several aircraft either missed or over-ran the deck during his lunch breaks.

    Bob
    "It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "

    Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring

  8. The Following 5 Members Say Thank You to Bob Womack For This Useful Post:


  9. #5
    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 11:01 AM
    Location
    South West Western Australia
    Posts
    7,734
    Real Name
    CINDERS
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    03:40 PM

    Glacier Queen

    Thought this may be in the realms of the Spitfire story as well;
    https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...19745492,d.dGY

    The story in full well worth the watch all of it I enjoyed it a true labour and resto project ~
    Last edited by CINDERS; 04-16-2016 at 05:20 AM.

  10. #6
    Legacy Member Brit plumber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 02:00 PM
    Posts
    1,807
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    08:40 AM
    I have an early BSA MkII, the majority were MkII* guns. The air solanoids were a fighter wing fitting, hydraulic and hand fired were usually found in bombers. The Mk I was the Colt ANM2 initially purchased and I don't know of any that have survived.

  11. Thank You to Brit plumber For This Useful Post:


  12. #7
    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 11:01 AM
    Location
    South West Western Australia
    Posts
    7,734
    Real Name
    CINDERS
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    03:40 PM
    Well if the P-38 Glacia Girl is valued at considerably more than 2 million the discovery of those Spitfires will be a great thing I wonder if Britainicon still has ownership of them considering they were never used...........be great to see them in the air again if possible.............

  13. #8
    Legacy Member garrettbragg12's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 11:50 AM
    Location
    Texas, US
    Posts
    281
    Real Name
    Garrett Bragg
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    03:40 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Seaspriter View Post
    Amazing and touching story.
    There is a comparable story on this side of the pond -- WWII Wildcat fighters being fished out of Lake Michigan;
    One is on display in Chicago's O'Hare airport and is beautifully displayed:
    http://www.airclassicsmuseum.org/Schools/Butch%20O'Hare%20Story.htm
    Several years ago the lost squadron was exhumed from the ice in Greenland. Glacier Girl is one of the P-38s that has been resurrected.
    http://www.damninteresting.com/exhum...-glacier-girl/
    And for those Spitfire fans, you may be happy to learn about the Pickled Spitfires in Burma:
    http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news..._206526-1.html
    I never realized they actually found the spitfires! I thought it was just a bunch of hype but digging found nothing. I'm really glad you posted that link, thank you!

  14. Thank You to garrettbragg12 For This Useful Post:


  15. #9
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    earlwb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Last On
    11-03-2016 @ 06:26 PM
    Location
    Grapevine Texas USA
    Posts
    30
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    02:40 AM
    That is great. They got to try one out and fire a belt of ammo through it. I like the history and story that some guns can tell about things that were going on way back then.

    Didn't they use a number of the aircraft machine guns with the Britishicon Commando teams "Long Range Desert Group", in North Africa during WWII when they were fighting the Germans. If I remember right the commandos used various vehicles to travel across the desert to raid Germanicon supply dumps and depots behind the enemy lines. But they used whatever they could get for machine guns, and weapons from various aircraft they salvaged in the desert. They did a American TV show series called the "Rat Patrol" based on the them too,

  16. #10
    Legacy Member Brit plumber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 02:00 PM
    Posts
    1,807
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    08:40 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by garrettbragg12 View Post
    I never realized they actually found the spitfires! I thought it was just a bunch of hype but digging found nothing. I'm really glad you posted that link, thank you!
    As far as I know, they didn't. What they thought were Spitfires in a crate turned out to be something else. The images even convinced some at BBMF but it was all a mistaken identity.

    Of course the may be hiding the truth......

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 10-06-2014, 07:41 PM
  2. Amazing - Browing guns firing after 70 years underground
    By newcastle in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 11-15-2011, 05:13 PM
  3. MMJ 5.7mm Spitfire Headspace?
    By alco3 in forum M1/M2 Carbine
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-15-2010, 02:38 PM
  4. British troops fire 12m bullets in three years
    By Alan de Enfield in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 08-17-2009, 02:15 AM
  5. A few pics of milsurp guns w/butchers wax, used for years
    By sdh1911 in forum Milsurps General Discussion Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-26-2008, 07:58 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks