The answer is C119.

Do you mean this one?

http://www.qattara.it/60-173%20Kittyhawk.htm

Yes!

Qattara appears to have a web page, with quite a lot of information (unfortunately in Italian) and a couple of pictures of the recovery of a certain A/C………

“As for other typos, maybe you’d either send me a list or report the matter to the spelling Police? If you like, and if its important, I could reciprocate”.

Now this is pointless!

I’ll stick my neck out here, I believe the forced landing was survivable, and Copping did indeed survive it; I think he cut the harness maybe to make a carry strap, maybe just to collect “useful” items together for a trek, whether he made one I don’t know.

Did British fighter A/C operating in the desert carry rations/ water?

Tangmere, (note correct spelling) I’m not suggesting that anyone is not trying to help, just that the fixation of the “discovered remains” and the situation r.e the Italians and the Mod (in Egypt) is an impass.

I do wonder whether there was any point in contacting MP’s, as their information (assuming they could even be bothered to ask for it) would come straight from the Ministry for Defence office, doubtless who have a prepared statement, along the lines of “everthing that can be done is being done”.

Am I alone in wondering why we are allowed to discuss this matter, but the thread with all the background information, remains inaccessable; I for one would like the chance to re evaluate the information relative to flt sgt Copping, and his fate.

If his remains were recovered in the scenario you suggest, he would have to have been quite a way from his A/C, for them not to have seen (or indeed looked for) said A/C, because if it were found, the identity was there to be seen.

Having re examined the pictures, the item protuding from the sand in the seat base is definately the lower strap fixing, the webbing has also been cut (along with the removeable section of the shoulder straps) the waist strap laying in the sand has been removed without cutting.

As Tony D has said, waist straps are secured with a folded metal bracket, some have adjustment buckles and are removable at that point.

If you are removing a body/remains, (and as Tangmere says cannot see the pull clip) you would in all reasoning cut the straps, but at least one of them isn’t cut, and the lower back strap is cut as close to the fixing as possible, which means you would have to push the body/remains all the way forward, to get right down there, in reality you would cut the strap much higher up, as there is no need to cut at the bottom (especially as it would be partially obscured by the parachute pack)

I am also unsure how you would open the canopy that was locked shut for flight, without breaking the perspex; the photo linked by Tony T shows the canopy shut and (originally) intact.

Was the very pistol found (I can’t remember now) if it were I wouldn’t be that surprised ; didn’t this bit of desert change hands frequently at that time? in all probability you would be signalling your whereabouts to the enemy.

I still cannot believe how you are all coming up with these “conspiracy” theories whilst seemingly ignoring the one tangible fact, there is body remains in the near vicinity, but you all seem to have him buried beside it, dead on impact, abducted by Germans, Allies or Aliens.. None of which is helping his relatives if searching the web for information..

Are the remains nearby? I thought it was said 5km away; was it not the MOD that discounted these remains? I am just trying to get a better understanding of what might have happened; we have no control over what is or isn’t being done on site.

I personally couldn’t make head nor tale of quattara’s last post, not his fault, my Italian is non existant, his English is much better.