Mystery solved

Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

ACES HIGH: Karl von Moller filming a crated Spitfire at the Temora Aviation Museum, and above left, a Spitfire five-ship formation in the UK.  Historical photos from the Air Force Image Gallery

By Andrew Stackpool

WHERE are the Spitfires? The answer to a six-decade-old legend may about to be revealed.

According to the legend, at the end of WWII, hundreds of superseded Air Force aircraft, their names now aviation folklore, were scrapped: Lancasters, Mosquitos, Liberators, Bostons, Hudsons, Mustangs – and Spitfires.

The legend claims that a number, from one or two to several dozen Spitfires, were somehow buried in a secret location. A common claim has been that the aircraft were brand new, still in their crates and buried in the Queensland outback.

Now, a civilian documentary team may be on the verge of sorting fact from fantasy once and for all.

James Carter, a senior advertising copywriter, and Karl von Moller, a leading cinematographer, are warbird enthusiasts who have teamed up while making a number of ADF recruiting advertisements.

“We stumbled upon the story by accident, through our work with Defence Force Recruiting,” Mr Carter said.

“Over the past six years, we have interviewed hundreds of Defence personnel and, along the way, the story was recounted to us by a number of people.”

“We have no doubt whatsoever that buried aircraft do exist,” he said. “We base this belief upon the extensive research we have done, including first-hand accounts by a number of people.

“We are convinced there are crated aircraft. There are a number of reasons why they are there,” he said.

“We have already uncovered a number of parts, including oleo legs and aircraft engine parts. The chief engineer at the Temora Aviation Museum has confirmed that they are Spitfire parts.

“We intend to try to locate the aircrafts’ location through new evidence that has come to light during our research and then use cutting-edge technology to pinpoint the actual site.”

Now, the men are producing a documentary of their endeavours to resolve the mystery. It is called “Broken Wings”.

“We’re looking to take the viewer through the history of the base in question before exposing them to the legend,” he said.

“We’ll show our research and discoveries along the way as we attempt to locate the aircraft. However, we also want people to learn something about Air Force and Australia’s Spitfires, and hopefully be there when we discover something.

“Just as importantly, we hope to convey Defence’s interest in maintaining its heritage.”

 If you have a story regarding buried aircraft, email jimmy@netspace.net.au

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