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

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Member for

15 years 3 months

Posts: 923

hi,
I wish you luck with your proposal, at least it will nudge the media who hopefully will pressure the aurthorities to pull there finger out.Although your "survivor will do his best,at the back of his mind he will know a surport crew are at hand.
In the case of the Lady be Good,her surviving crew of 8 travelled 85mls on only 1/2 canteen of water,then 3 carried on, 1 for a extra 21mls,and a second a further 26mls.

But something needs to be done,so I hope you succeed.

regards
jack...

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 93

Jack thanks for the encouragement, I hope others can support this idea !
First of all for such initiative must have the consent of the family of Copping so who
is in contact with the family could seek advice.
For the competitors we have to find three RAF pilots,young and brave that lend themselves
to a voluntary search of their old colleague.
The aim is noble ... then by all means are justified !

Member for

11 years 3 months

Posts: 150

The contrast I've witnessed between the UK and the USA in their attitudes towards their deceased war heroes is a revelation.

its disgraceful, the American's have a unit called JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) dedicated to finding service personnel who are still missing in action/killed in action body not recovered. Its just a shame that our government don't seem to take the same pride in finding/bringing home the remains of our personnel who gave their lives on active duty.

Member for

18 years

Posts: 2,123

I second that. In spite of all our attempted openings to the diplomatic and ministerial services, we are getting nowhere (officially). That said, to go exploring the Egyptian desert in today's social climate in that country would not be easy, or recommendable.

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 93

The "Arab Spring" began in 2010 and since then it has been found the P40, "visited" by several expeditions and it was dismantled and taken away. Tourism in Egypt has continued without any restrictions!
So I think that today's social climate is not different from that of yesterday and that is not the main issue for this type of search.

Member for

15 years 3 months

Posts: 923

I second that. In spite of all our attempted openings to the diplomatic and ministerial services, we are getting nowhere (officially). That said, to go exploring the Egyptian desert in today's social climate in that country would not be easy, or recommendable.

hi,
is this not a ready made excuse, for our embassy doing nothing? I wonder what help they gave to the a/c recovery,?

regards
jack...

Member for

18 years

Posts: 2,123

dko: by "today's social climate" I was referring to the widespread unrest in Egypt over the last few days. That is, indeed, different from what happened in the "Arab Spring". It may even be difficult to get permission to look for remains in the desert, let alone export them legally. The idea of "three RAF pilots,young and brave" being "abandoned or parachuted" in the desert would be hard to sell at this time.

Jack: "is this not a ready made excuse, for our embassy doing nothing?" I was already told last year that the Embassy was busy with other problems, presumably related to the Arab Spring. If you remember what I said a few months ago, the Defence Attaché informed me that the case was "closed".

I however applaud any legal attempt to recover Dennis Copping's remains.

Member for

15 years 3 months

Posts: 923

Jack: "is this not a ready made excuse, for our embassy doing nothing?" I was already told last year that the Embassy was busy with other problems, presumably related to the Arab Spring. If you remember what I said a few months ago, the Defence Attaché informed me that the case was "closed".

I however applaud any legal attempt to recover Dennis Copping's remains.[/QUOTE]

So the D.Att. was doing dogsbody duties then,helping sort the other problems ,but I wonder if he knows of the saying "chickens coming home to roost",if he thinks this case is closed...

regards
jack...

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 93

Laurence,
if we do not find in the RAF three young pilots available
we will have to fall back on three brave pensioners, I'm there ... who else ?

Member for

18 years

Posts: 2,123

It's a bit warm out in the desert now, but later .. I'm on! (Note my avatar photo of me recording some tyres I found in the Arabian desert!)

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

I would have a very serious discussion about all this with the Italians first.

All may not be quite as it seems.

Mark

Some very serious discussions have been had with the Italians.

All is certainly not as it seems.

However, the facts remain; Flt Sgt Copping is still missing, somebody (possibly more than one somebody) has not been playing with a straight bat and the British authorities have been shambolic in delivering facts to the family which have been, variously, misleading, incorrect and untruthful. It needs all players to be open and honest about all that has gone on. That includes factual information from the P40 salvor.

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 93

Mark, I agree with you, but we have to start something!
Perhaps the idea of the pilots or pensioners is curious but it is important
to join forces and do something with our own strength because no other
is more interested in the research of Dennis!

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 93

It is funny how the people today care more about planes buried rather than trying to bury their pilots!
(Spit Burma over 3000 posts - Pilot unburied in the desert less than 500 posts)

Member for

18 years 9 months

Posts: 4,796

saw a pic yesterday of the P40 being dismantled, the wing was separated from the fuselage.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 9,780

dko -I think the 500 posts have a high value . The majority of the 3000 posts are of little consequence -just hunting shadows!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,029

saw a pic yesterday of the P40 being dismantled, the wing was separated from the fuselage.

It was dismantled by a team of professional Warbird engineers at night under flood lights. Top Job.

Mark

Certainly enlightening and troubling, although at least the US has officially made some kind of effort to bring home their MIAs across the years.