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Jakub Perka
The discovery of the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk in the Sahara Desert was described by one military historian as "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's Tomb."
A remarkably well-preserved fighter plane that crashed in the Sahara Desert during World War II has been found 70 years later, shedding new light on the pilot's struggle to survive.
The American-made Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk was discovered by a Polish oil worker, Jakub Perka, who was exploring the desert in Egypt, The Telegraph newspaper reported. It was about 200 miles from the nearest town.
It is believed that the pilot, Dennis Copping, 24, ran into trouble while flying in 1942 but still managed to land the plane on the sands, the paper said.
Military historian Andy Saunders said that the British flight sergeant "must have survived the crash" because a photograph of the plane showed a parachute had been put up on the side of the plane, apparently as a form of shelter, The Telegraph reported.
"The radio and batteries were out of the plane, and it looks like he tried to get it working. If he died at the side of the plane, his remains would have been found," Saunders added. "Once he had crashed there, nobody was going to come and get him. It is more likely he tried to walk out of the desert but ended up walking to his death. It is too hideous to contemplate."
He said the discovery was "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's tomb."
Air enthusiasts excited
The Vintage Wings of Canada website speculated that the plane had a mechanical problem, ran out of fuel or that the pilot simply got lost.
The website said there seemed to be a growing consensus that the plane's serial number was ET 574, based on what could be made out from photographs. If this is confirmed, the website said it was possible that Canadian flying ace James "Stocky" Edwards had previously flown the fighter.
Jakub Perka
The plane's cockpit is in remarkable though dusty condition.
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"To say we, at Vintage Wings, are excited by this find is an understatement," the website said.
It expressed concern the plane had been "seriously vandalized -- a travesty the whole aviation world seems unable to stop."
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Michael Creane of the Royal Air Force Museum in London, U.K., told NBC News that it was "incredible" the plane had not been submerged by the shifting sands of the desert.
He said the museum was "hell-bent" on bringing the aircraft to the facility, although he said there were "lots of hoops to jump through."
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Leave a Comment:
That plane is the property of England. They should stop at nothing to get it back and do a complete restore. Seeing it fly again would be a great tribute to the lost pilot.
This Sounds Like Something Out Of Clive Custlers Novel "SAHARA"
Looks like planet Mars.
The pop-up window for this article when signing into messenger states "WW2 fighter jet found in Sahara."
This was most definately a prop driven aircraft, not a jet. So much for the media.
the prop is on the upper right side, behind the plane.
Brian,
Maybe they thought it was one of those experimental jets the Nazis came out with during WWII. What did they call them? Was it V2's? I think they did have an experimental jet fighter. Correct me if I am wrong. My name is Mickey; not Einstein.
Mickey, the Nazis had both jets and rockets. The V2 was an intercontenental rocket that would have been capable of delivering a nuclear warhead if the Germans had been able to develop one. The first operational jet fighter in WWII was the ME 262. The Nazis also had a rocket-powered fighter, the ME 163 Komet.
This has to be a restoration project back to airworthy status, a complete aircraft! the warbird world must be drooling?
The question was asked What side was Egypt on during the war. Your Answer From Wikipedia
In 1882 Egypt became a de facto British colony. This continued until 1922 when Egypt was granted its independence, but British troops remained in the country and true self rule did not occur until 1952 with the rise to power of Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser.
And as Paul Harvey would have said...Now you know the rest of the story ;o)
This has to be a restoration project back to airworthy status,a complete aircraft! the warbird world must be drooling at the thought?
posted twice
God bless the pilot who flew the plane & all the rest of them in WWII. They all deserve the CMH award. The " Greatest Generation " is an understatement, Thank You Tom Brokaw. You are so right.
What an amazing state of preservation. Going by the few photos this plane could fly again. The underbelly is questionable though. If he made the belly landing she'll be scuffed up to a fair thee well. If he managed to get his landing gear down the terrain would have shredded it. The fuselage and right wing look remarkable and the only damage I note on the left is leading edge. Fabric or other covering from rudder and fins gone but replaceable. Prop a loss from nosing in, engine gone. Cockpit AMAZING.
The poor lad who flew this bird did not have a happy end, but in war most "ends" are not pleasant. My beliefs tell me his sacrifice has since been rewarded though. Good men see heaven. I think the best tribute to him would be to get this plane in the air again.
we mothball some of our retired military aircraft out in the desert, near tuscon, az. the avionics and engines are removed, and the desert climate keeps the airframe pretty well intact.
I don't know about fly again, but it will make a wonderful static model for a museum. Did you see the engine to the left hand side of the photo, behind the wreak?
Hopefully this guy did not suffer. At least his family can have closure.
stuck in the sahara without water...not a great way to go.
Just for clarification, the P-36 was the original design of the Hawk series. It was sold primarily to the French where it performed adequately against the 109Ds and Es in the Battle of France. The "Hawk" as it was known had only 2 30 cals in the nose. It wasn't fast but extremely maneuverable. In fact at the outbreak of war the French owned far more Hawks than any other type, including the Dewo and the MS 406(which was perhaps the poorest plane of WWII aside from the Brewster Buffalo)
When the US produced the P-40 B they added 2 50s to the wings and a stronger engine but despite that it was still did not significantly improve it's performance. It too was sold to the French who called it the Hawk 81-B. The P-40 B it was a very solid aircraft but due to a lack of a supercharger it couldn't perform well over 15K feet. Sadly, the Germans and Japanese staged everything at 20K and that made the P-40 rather useless and a sitting duck when it finally did reach altitude.
Next came the P-40 E, the difference being they eliminated the nose guns in order to provide a bomb rack so the aircraft could carry bombs, they also added two more 50s to the wings so the E model sported 4 50s. The E model had an improved engine and supercharger but those still didn't improve performance very much, but it had solid firepower, which made up for it's inadequacies. Despite these faults the French ordered them anyway, referring to them as the Hawk 87-B. However, before they could arrive on French soil the French surrendered. All undelivered P-40 Bs and Es were thus diverted to Great Britain. The Brits called the P-40B the Tomahawk and the P-40E the Kittyhawk.
The Brits thereby diverted the Tomahawks back to the US where they saw action in China and the SE Pacific. They also sent some to Russia where they achieved great success due to the fact the Russians would swarm around ground engagements at low altitude, the perfect environment for the P-40.
The Kittyhawk on the other hand was sent to the desert where it was massively overmatched by the brand new Bf-109 F. It was promptly slaughtered. Only with the arrival of the Spit V did fortunes start to change for the Allies in the desert. Hope you all enjoyed your little history lesson. :)
Paul, well said. The P-40 reached the pinnacle of it's career when the RAF replaced the Allison engine with the Rolls Royce Merlin, which did not go into widespread production, but even then the design was already obsolete and was outclassed in almost every way except diving speed by the BF-109f's then entering service.
While "Flight of the Phoenix" is a good tie in example but the really creepy thing is this: Last night I was watching some old movies from my dvd collection. I watched "Sole Survivor" with Richard Basehart I'd have to check my copy for a date, but I think it's from the late 60's or 70's. After reading this story for the first time today, I felt goose bumps
Basehart play's an Air Force General who was the sole survivor of a similar crash I don't think its in print anymore but you might find it on the internet somewhere. My copy is in poor condition but it very much ties in to this story. Check it out.
they also found an unopened pac of twinkies in the cockpit...and they are still totally fresh after 70 years.
Hahahahah!
Its Bush's fault.
Incredible find to say the least, Unfortunately it would take another miricle to stumble across his remains. Truely a sad end for a fellow aviator God rest his soul. Hopefully his family members will celabrate in this closure.
"It expressed concern the plane had been "seriously vandalized -- a travesty the whole aviation world seems unable to stop." Really?!?! Hey, everyone, if you're ever wandering around in the Sarara or in some jungle, 200 miles from nowhere, and you find an old warplane or tank or halftrack lying around, please DO NOT TOUCH! Get back to civilization and call a preservation society! Historians always cry tragedy that everything can't be preserved for them. That desert or jungle is likely someones backyard, likely they saw something they could use and took it.
Please take a moment to remember the many brave people like this combat pilot who were missing in action in WWII. Their families and loved ones never knew what happened to them, and there was no resting place to visit. Like all of the others who gave their lives, whether in combat or otherwise, they made the ultimate sacrifice so that we and our descendants could live as free men and women. The passage of time does not diminish them or their achievements in the slightest degree. The best way for us to honor them is to wage our own battle to preserve individual liberty.
A far cry from the hustle and bustle of the sea-resorts.
In the depth of the Moroccan Sahara with Berbers as guides
In the souks of Marrakech or Ouarzazate where you are to witness savoir-faire and relish the mysteries of ancient crafts together with the enticing flavors of a colorful cuisine
.The Atlas peaks winding their way down through the rocks
Coastal ports where boats and huge sea freight intertwine their nets in joyful laces.
"Sahara Services" opens the doors to Morroco, a humane and welcoming country.
They meet the local people and help build schools while discovering vast expanses of land , an unforgettable stay that makes you feel how genuine such a greaten people can be.
www.saharaservices.info
www.maroc-secret.com
Filmy - Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk