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By: - 15th August 2008 at 18:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ive never heard about this.
How many extant are there claimed to be?
By: - 15th August 2008 at 23:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Syrian Spitfire mk 22
Hi Phantom Phixer,
The spits are the remnants of a delivery of 20 mk 22's and about 14 were discovered in the desert north of Damascus 1967/8.
A purchase was attempted in the early 1980's but without success.
Their scrapping has not been noted so they are assumed to still be there.
Graham
By: - 16th August 2008 at 00:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Their scrapping has not been noted so they are assumed to still be there.
Graham
Comon man!!! What is the year you are living in?? If you want to know about the Syrian Spitfires, do a little Google earth research. If they were there in 1967/68 you would see them there to day, would´t you?? Or were they taken to some hide a-way cave or underground hangar (or hanger like some like to say) in the early eighties?
Go to google earth, Syria, and start looking "Norht of Damascus":D
By: - 16th August 2008 at 06:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How many Spitfire were bought by Syria ... 10, 12, ?
'In 1955 ten Spitfires were sold to Syria...'[/I]
http://ourstory.com/thread.html?t=235016
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/aa-africa/zim/af/types/spitfire.htm
'Bob Diemert took the photo(s) in the mid 1960's and I recall there were about twelve Mk 22s in total at Damascus and Hama.'
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19910
By: - 16th August 2008 at 09:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Comon man!!! What is the year you are living in?? If you want to know about the Syrian Spitfires, do a little Google earth research. If they were there in 1967/68 you would see them there to day, would´t you?? Or were they taken to some hide a-way cave or underground hangar (or hanger like some like to say) in the early eighties?Go to google earth, Syria, and start looking "Norht of Damascus":D
I don't belive they still exists, but having used GEarth quite a lot in looking for aircraft, I'll have to add; that its not that easy.
If they were spread out so you could recognise them, then GEarth would help you. If stored among scrap-heaps, or piles on top of each other, you will not see them. There are also quite a few very low resolution areas in Syria, nothing the size of a Spitfire could be seen there.
IF they still exist, or parts of them exist, they might be semi-scrapped like the Hinds from Afghanistan and not visible from GEarth.
No matter what, its a topic that someone should investigate. The Spitfire is generally a very well documented aircraft and you can find the full life history of most Spitfires. Adding the 20 Syrian aircrafts final fate, would seem appropriate. Besides, there is a tiny chance that something has survived, even if just some parts.
By: - 16th August 2008 at 09:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What a great find that would be!
Off to Google Earth...sadly that's the nearest I'll get to Syria!
Peter
By: - 16th August 2008 at 14:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I will post a list of Syrian airports (im not home ATM), then you can find them on GEarth.
I have been looking a few months back, but found no spits (did not actually search inch by inch, but i had a good peek).
By: - 16th August 2008 at 15:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
According to Spitfire International the Syrian Government signed contract No. C 148/53 on 26th January 1953 with Vickers-Armstrongs for the supply of 20 Spitfire Mk F-22. The aircraft were overhauled and refurbished by Airwork General Trading Ltd at Gatwick, probably under sub-contract. Six, selected by agency of D Squire on 24th February 1953, were to be ready for shipment on 31st may 1954 and the balance in two batches on 30th June 1954 and 31st July 1954. They were test flown in England under Class B registrations G-15-232 to G-15-251, before being given Syrian serial numbers 501 to 520. Later the Royal Rhodesian Air Force sold seven Mk 22s (16th March 1955 SR60, SR65, SR67, SR80, SR87 and SR88) for £1,200 each plus £2,000 for spares but the order was never completed.
Some went to a scrapyard at an airfield near Damascus around 1960, but 14 still existed around 1967. Four near Damascus and ten in the desert, north of the city. Eventually only one Spitfire survived, fate and location unknown. PK658 (Syrian No. 504) reported near Damascus probably in the 1980s.
By: - 16th August 2008 at 17:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There's a pic in Spitfire Survivors around the world
G-ORDY would know more;)
Cheers
Cees
By: - 17th August 2008 at 18:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There's a pic in Spitfire Survivors around the worldG-ORDY would know more;)
Cheers
Cees
I think Graham has another shot besides the one we used in the book - I'll check.
By: - 4th June 2009 at 22:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does this help, Cees?
By: - 5th June 2009 at 07:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Oxcart,
No it doesn't as the airframe I was aiming at wasn't among this infamous batch (of course I know about these topics). I was reading Spitfires International the other day and there was a reference that in the eighties near Damascus this particular aircraft was said to be a survivor.
So hint hint;)
Cheers
Cees
By: - 5th June 2009 at 12:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sorry, i found it, but didn't notice you'd already posted on it!-OOPS! (i TRIED to help!)
By: - 5th June 2009 at 12:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
If the Spits are in the desert there is a good chance that they may not be visible anyway as the sands do tend to shift around at various times altrnately burying and uncovering whatever is laying around.
By: - 5th June 2009 at 15:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ok I noticed too late that this "surviving" Spit is also mentioned in one of the threads, but as the book has been written by very knowledgable historians I gathered that there must have been some truth in this, even quoting the serial.
Cees
By: - 6th June 2009 at 18:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Syrian Spits
has anyone had a good look on google earth, because I did and north of
Damascus appears completely baron of anything! No old airfields/ no old scrapyards! maybe a camel and a couple of tents!:D
Graham
By: - 6th June 2009 at 21:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
has anyone had a good look on google earth, because I did and north of
Damascus appears completely baron of anything! No old airfields/ no old scrapyards! maybe a camel and a couple of tents!:DGraham
A Camel! I didn't know that the Syrian Air Force operated any Sopwith types. Now if that's still there, it would be a better find than a Spitfire. And might the tents be Bessoneau hangars!
Posts: 439
By: GrahamF - 15th August 2008 at 17:33
Does anybody have any decent photographs of the derelict Syrian
Spitfire mk22's. Even a good quality one of the usual side view shot
that always crops up would be appreciated!
There must have been more?
thanks
Graham