Flt Sgt Copping's P-40 From The Egyptian Desert

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13 years 3 months

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Told you so!!! (To all the cynics).

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13 years 2 months

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Since joining this forum Jan 2011 this has to be in my top 5 threadsMods feel free to move this if you think it warrants. Any way fantastic

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

Still looks good for my 'Spitfitre'. :)

Al Wadi al Jadid Desert...very very big...The Western Desert, Eygpt.

Mark

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17 years 6 months

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I’m a little worried that whoever is there is taking the ammunition; while I understand the situation in that part of the world I hope they don’t come back with a power-grinder for the guns!

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 282

P40E

Not convinced!!!:)

Looks like a film set, painted backdrop and GRP aircraft. Not real of course!!:D:D:D

OMG and Holly Cow.

Real it is and more importantly March 2012 - 70 years most likely after loss!!!!!

A very happy person

Mark

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20 years 1 month

Posts: 401

Now that this seems to be officially "out" in the public domain I can't be the only one who is worried about the fate of this aircraft, especially considering how LBG has ended up. It would be wonderful to think that it could be recovered and preserved as a "time capsule" in the truest sense, but unfortunately I can't see it being that simple. I second beachcombers view that has has been a superb thread. Great arguments from both parties! I'm so used to a certain website that I keep looking for the "like" button on comments!

Member for

16 years 10 months

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Amazing footage. Such a pity that there doesn't seem any evidence of serial or codes, despite the camera panning over the correct bits. Looks like the pilot slid the hood shut and set off.

Member for

20 years 9 months

Posts: 608

Best I can do for you D1566, seems to have been shot on a mobile phone, so its not the clearest...

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss333/LEMB/p-40-01.jpg

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss333/LEMB/p-40-02.jpg

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss333/LEMB/p-40-03.jpg

Cheers
Pete

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12 years 1 month

Posts: 442

Would be interesting to know what the bloke in the browny-orange is saying, maybe something like 'we'll have this back in the air in no time so don't bother coming looking for it' or 'Cameron, this is OURS!'

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15 years 10 months

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Now its been officially found, that P40 is facing its most uncertain & dangerous time since WW2, the vultures will be gathering to pick her clean & the bickering over ownership & purchase will commence.

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 282

P40

Lovely video

Shows the canopy was jammed. They tried to open with a bit of oil and failed. As mentioned, standard procedure to close after landing.

Outline of serial should still be there but need to look at photos not video.

Shows lots of damage to underside as you would expect.

I would hope that the ammo boxes and even ammo can be made safe and returned.

No evidence of parachute?

Trying to work out if the radio is missing in the rear fusealge (looking aft?)

A beautiful time capsule and I am now more worried than ever about how long she will survive (after being there for 70 years with literally NO previous visitors).

:(

Mark

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24 years 2 months

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For my money I would like to see it preserved exactly as it is at the El Alamein museum.

Mark

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17 years 11 months

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Best I can do for you D1566, seems to have been shot on a mobile phone, so its not the clearest...Cheers
Pete

Pete, many thanks, much appreciate it :)

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24 years 2 months

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No, I think they're almost certainly re-enactors.

I think re-enactors may have been used for the motion capture, but in the finished movie the 'people' are definitely CGI.

I have also had those footprints in the sand analysed and they are definitely Neil Armstrong's size

Moggy

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17 years 11 months

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Shows the canopy was jammed. They tried to open with a bit of oil and failed.

Hence the oil drops visible on the 'hatch' photo ... it all falls into place ... :) (eating hat as he types!)

Member for

12 years 1 month

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Judging by the fool standing on the canopy I doubt that preservation is top of their agenda.

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16 years 10 months

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It's a pity they took the ammo boxes away, they probably had the serial on them. The vid reminds me of the scene in Star Wars with the Jawas.

Member for

16 years 10 months

Posts: 151

Knowing its true my thoughts are with the pilot, since the likelihood that he made it out is very slim. Crashing way out in blue like that, knowing there's very little chance of making it home, and having to take a long walk in that heat with very little water, its not an ending I would choose.

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 282

P40

Ian,

Ammo boxes might have had painted serials but were interchangable so could not be relied on to ID the airframe.

FHC Fw190A-5 had four ammunition boxes and one had the serial from another A-4 model. The battery box cover had a serial from another as well. Need to look at the aiframe.

Pilot back armour has construction number. Serial would be fainly visible in a good photo. There are other plates. Trouble it is not in front of me (and most of the others on this site) to confirm :(

The original poster did confirm the ID is known and the RAFM are aware of it so obviously officialdom are keeping quiet as you would expect if there are discussing the options with Egypt!

Could well be put on display at El Alamein museum but would prefer to see her side by side with Black 6. Give the P40N at the RAFM to Egypt!!!

P40N rebuild from bits against wartime veteran. No other wartime surviving P40's from ME exist (except the Italian one recovered from Anzio if that counds).

regards

Mark