Here’s a true story to add a little intrigue to this favourite debate!
Some years ago, I was shown a highly magnified, vertical photo of an aerodrome where large scale scrapping of airframes was underway, circa 1946. (Very like the one published in this month’s Aeroplane Monthly).
The ‘drome was in the U.K. but the exact location was withheld from me for “security reasons”. (But the aerodrome code letters in the Signals Square outside the Watch Office weren’t much of a challenge to interpret!)
The reason for the security was contained in an area in one corner of the airfield. There were a number of airframes lined up around the perimeter of what appeared to be a large hole. There were airframes clearly visible in the hole. Types recognisable were Spitfires and Wellingtons, what looked like Lancaster fuselages and sundry other types.
The story was that the hole (actually a disused quarry), was viewed as a hazard and the end of the war, with the suddenly available suppy of redundant airframes, was a golden opportunity to fill it and level it. After the hole was filled, a layer of stone, then topsoil, was applied to complete the transformation.
There was a plan to excavate the hole and reap the rewards. I heard later that the excavation took place. I’m told the digger went down to thirty feet until it hit what the driver decided was bedrock.
What was found? Zip, nix, nicto, nuttin’!
So what was that all about? Mis-interpretation of the photo? Wrong location (should have been twenty feet to the left or right?) Post-war scrappies beat them to it all? A cleverly forged photo by someone?
I’m fairly certain that I was not the only one to be told about this project, so maybe someone else can add more to the story as I’ve lost touch with the guy who was running it?
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