I too was somewhat mystified by the lack of any reports conerning the crew, who by the declared finds, were definately in the aircraft at the time of the crash.
I have asked myself the question why I would want to dig up such a huge aircraft at what must be a fair cost , judging by the number of diggers and the depth involved.
I was more than a little surprised to read the figure of 400 previous recoveries by Mr Graves. With such a vast experience, what was the reason for the dig, and where is the benefit if there is to be no recognition of the crew i.e. memorial or burial service.
Surely not the evil-bay ??

“I have 3 greens”……………………………….Oooh!!sh.t..sh.t..sh.t….

As a young man, I started life in a Quantity surveyor’s office. After one year I was hoping for some promotion, but was informed I would have to joinn the LLA union for office workers.
I paid a small membership fee and was informed how to gain my promotion…..

LICK LOTS of A..E

Sure you can work that one out…(it doesn’t always work)

What you mean….we didn’t find it….we just didn’t tell you…..

,
Andy, if the VdK rattle a tin near me I will drop a note in – enough of my family lie in foreign fields…,

Me too Andy……

Faberplatz….Mmmmm..could be…jawohl mein heir..

The wartime Rapide has had original frosted glass fitted. The reason for this was given that during flights around Scotland, there were certain Royal naval bases hidden away around the coastline experimenting and training with all sorts of ‘hush.hush’ weaponary. The X craft trials would have been one such base that the Navy would not have wanted civilian or any prying eyes,to see.It was therefore decided to fit frosted perspex to the passenger windows of the aircraft so that no one could see out….sounds rubbish, but its true.

I think I am correct in saying that Xtangomike was there, on the ground, as a very young lad.

Absolutely right Andy…my father took me to my first airshow that day and I can remember the 110 streaking across in front of us with a white shimmer around it…I saw it pull up into the last climb, but to be truthfull, I did not see the actual break up. What I remember was two dots in the sky which seemed to be coming towards us. We were in front of the hill as I remember and one of the ‘dots’ whistled ovehead and apparently hit the hill. A large portion of the aircraft hit the grass about 30 yards from where we were and I was told later that the body of Tony Richards had fallen alongside or amongst the wreckage. My father covered my head with a raincoat and quickly marched me away from the accident scene.
My mother was waiting by our front door when we arrived back in dad’s Austin 10, and surprised me with a big hug.
I was only to learn much later, the full details of what had happened that day
and I have to admit, it was yet another little spark that led me down the path of my aviation and wartime aircraft hobby/career.