Second World War RAF P-40 Discovered In The Sahara

Remarkably, the plane remained almost untouched for the next seven decades – right down to the guns and ammunition found with it. Most of the cockpit instruments are intact, and the twisted propeller lies a few feet from the fuselage.

Crucially, the P-40’s identification plates are untouched – allowing researchers to track its provenance and service history.

There is flak damage in the fuselage, which is consistent with documents on the aircraft. Historian Andy Saunders said: ‘It is a quite incredible time capsule. It’s the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

‘This plane has been lying in the same spot where it crashed 70 years ago.

‘It hasn’t been hidden in the sand, it has just sat there.

‘He must have survived the crash because one photo shows a parachute around the frame of the plane and my guess is the poor bloke used it to shelter from the sun. The radio and batteries were out of the plane and it looks like he tried to get it working.


Source: 10 May 2012 - dailyairforce News

Photo: WW II War RAF P-40 Discovered In The Sahara (Photo by dailyairforce.com)

(10.05.2012)