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‘Almost Perfectly Preserved’ WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert — 70 Years After Disappearing

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingIt’s not quite the same as the opening sequence to “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” but it’s awfully close.

The Daily Mail reports that a Polish oil company worker, Jakub Perka, has discovered an “almost perfectly preserved” Kittyhawk P-40 that crash-landed in the Sahara Desert in 1942.

“Despite the crash impact, most of the aircraft’s cockpit instruments are intact,” according to the report.

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingBecause there are no human remains and because there are signs of the makeshift camp near the WWII aircraft, historians believe RAF Flight Sergeant Dennis Copping, 24, survived the crash.

“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,” British historian Andy Saunders. “The radio and batteries were out of the plane and it looks like he tried to get it working.”

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingSadly, authorities believe Copping died trying to cross the desert. The nearest town from the crash site is 200 miles away.

“Once he had crashed there nobody was going to come and get him,” Saunders said. “It is more likely he tried to walk out of the desert but ended up walking to his death. It is too hideous to contemplate.”

The RAF Museum plans to retrieve the aircraft for historical display.

“The aviation historical world is hugely excited about this discovery,” Saunder said. “This plane has been lying in the same spot where it crashed 70 years ago. It hasn’t been hidden or buried in the sand, it has just sat there.”

“It is a quite incredible time capsule, the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun’s Tomb,” he added.

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingHowever, British authorities believe they are in a race against time. They fear the locals will strip the recently discovered aircraft of parts and equipment. In fact, according to the Daily Mail, the plane’s guns and ammunition (which were perfectly preserved) have already been seized by the Egyptian military for “safety reasons.”

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After Disappearing“The plane is in a very good condition but sadly it is being stripped by some locals who don’t regard it as part of their heritage but as a piece of junk that may have some scrap value,” Saunders said.

“Things are happening very slowly with the recovery, mainly because we are in the hands of the Egyptian authorities,” he added.

“The MoD needs to act and get the plane out of there as soon as possible rather than embarking upon a great deal of hand-wringing and meetings to discuss its future.”

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingBut what happened? What brought the aircraft down?

“It would appear the pilot got into trouble and just brought it down in the middle of the desert,” Saunders said.

The Daily Mail gives a little more background on the nature of Copping’s role in the RAF and what might have led to the crash:

In 1942 he was a member of the RAF’s 260 Squadron, a fighter unit based in Egypt during the North Africa campaign.

By June of that year the Allies were retreating from ‘Desert Fox’ Erwin Rommel and his German forces.

On June 28 Ft Sgt Copping and another airman were tasked with flying two damaged Kittyhawk P-40 planes from one British airbase in northern Egypt to another for repair.

During the short flight Ft Sgt Copping lost his bearings, went off course and was never seen again.
[…]
It was documented at the time that there was a fault with its front landing gear which would not retract and the photographic evidence suggests the aircraft had its front wheel down when it crashed.
[…]
There is also flak damage in the fuselage, which is also consistent with documented evidence of Ft Sgt Copping’s plane.

The report adds that a search will be launched to find the lost airman’s remains.

“The pilot isn’t in the plane but there is evidence to suggest he got out,” Captain Paul Collins, the British defence attache to Egypt, said, “it is extremely unlikely that we will find any remains.”

It’s believed Cooping doesn’t have any immediate family members left in the UK

Almost Perfectly Preserved WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert 70 Years After DisappearingConsidering the crash was 70 years ago, its equipment is still great condition.

All photos courtesy Jakub Perka/BNPS

Comments (117)

1 2 3
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:12am

    Something does not appear right, in Denmark! I see one of the tires still inflated after 70 years? Just supposing….

    Report Post »  
  • BlackCrow
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:10am

    P-40′s are not all that rare or unusual. Now had it been one of the Italian fighters that would have been something different. Very few of the Italian built WWII fighters still exist.

    Report Post » BlackCrow  
    • CMDR6
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:20am

      If an Italian p-40 was found, it would be in perfect condition because it would have never seen combat! Similar to the Italian WWII rifle I saw once….marked “not new, not used, never fired and only drpped once”……joking

      Report Post » CMDR6  
  • IhaveOneToo
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:44am

    If the brits don’t get it out of there soon the locals will sieze it and try to copy its technology.

    Report Post »  
  • RinkyDink34
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:32am

    What a shame that the retarded Moozlums would be so backward they sell this historic discovery for scrap; just further proof of how stone age minded the Arab dirt bags are and Comrade Moozlum Obama is.

    Report Post » RinkyDink34  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:51am

      The same retarded Muslims tried to sell the leather dead sea scrolls to use the leather for the soles of shoes.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • python287
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:36pm

      Yeahy the same moron muslims who think Pork is unclean but wipe their ass with their hand !

      Report Post »  
  • scrapadapolis
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:20am

    How come google earth didnt see this years ago?

    Report Post » scrapadapolis  
  • wntsmallgov
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:56am

    I hope that they do recover his remains so the Brits can bury him with honors.

    Report Post » wntsmallgov  
    • Avi8or
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:25am

      Agreed. I can’t imagine surviving a crash like that, and end up dying from exposure. Pretty amazing story, though.

      Report Post » Avi8or  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:00am

      I would have rather died ina firery ball than have the life slow drained out of you.

      Report Post »  
    • chips1
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 12:04pm

      JOHN:
      So your going to vote Obama OUT?

      Report Post »  
  • sillyfreshness
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:27am

    They better get that plane out of there fast before those Islamic barbarians (cavemen) destroy it.

    Report Post » sillyfreshness  
    • Dio fan
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:27pm

      With the way Main stream media propaganda news works (on all sides) Aljezera probably has a crew out there now filming 100 Muslims jumping on it claiming they just took down a F-15 or something.

      Report Post » Dio fan  
    • bobdog19006
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:55pm

      Better do it during daylight or the Sand People will get them.

      Report Post » bobdog19006  
  • a113dean
    Posted on May 11, 2012 at 12:15am

    This is like that Twilight Zone episode where the war plane crashes in the desert and the pilot goes crazy. I think it’s called “King Nine will not Return”

    Report Post » a113dean  
    • Quiata
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:17am

      Thank you! Looked it up…if you have Netflix, it’s available on instant streaming: Twilight Zone (Original Series), season 2, episode 1.

      Report Post »  
    • hlrothe
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:59am

      I love that episode! I have the complete definitive collection on DVD. All 156 original episodes.

      Report Post »  
    • MammalOne
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:19am

      ha, that’s exactly what I thought when I first saw the picture.

      Report Post » MammalOne  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 12:17pm

      that is the first thing I thought of also….

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • webrat55
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 2:47pm

      @hlrothe…..wowzie….we sure are impressed. Thanks for telling us about your neato Twilight Zone collection.

      Report Post » webrat55  
    • Quiata
      Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:05pm

      @WEBRAT55 =(

      @HLROTHE It’s a great series to have.

      Report Post »  
  • ChiefGeorge
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:41pm

    I’m sure some rich Shiek from the UAE will swoop in and claim it to fix. They love airplanes.

    Report Post » ChiefGeorge  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:50pm

      I certainly hope not.
      Guys, I have always been fascinated with military history and this has been a hoot tossing obviously more than my two cents worth, as well reading everybody else’s input.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:37pm

    I’d like to see Kermit Weeks at FoF do a full restore on it. : )

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • santabob
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:30pm

    The P-40 did not have a nose gear. The P-39 had a nose gear. From the pictures this is a P-40 and it is in very good condition compaired to aircraft found in other parts of the world.

    Report Post »  
    • Smokey_Bojangles
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:30am

      “…front wheel down when it crashed….” The picture of the rear wheel is plainly seen in the photograph. Maybe they meant Wheels instead of Wheel? Then again the story describing the wreckage is from The Daily Mail. As a side arm the pilot carried a 100,000 round automatic 80 caliber pistol that was designed to shoot nuns and school children……………..You know how the media works hahahhaha.

      Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:54am

      The P-40 did have a problem with keeping the tail wheel retracted. You can see photos of them in formation with the tail wheel hanging out. It was just common for them not to retract.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • okredstate
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:12pm

      P-39 had what is commonly referred to as “trycicle” landing gear

      Report Post »  
  • BOMUSTGO
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:19pm

    Looks like a P-40E.

    Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
  • tomacz
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:02pm

    the p 40 was among the items churchill & stalin asked for in fdrs lend lease program,stewart honeys
    tanks with v8s that were fast,never shredded a tread,could operate in sandy conditions,& this p 40.
    brits in the middle east commonly flew the hurricane or the spitfire.
    we might do well in retooling the p 51,whadda pony,& republics ‘jug’ aka p 47,kevlar skin.lighter weight,avionics up to date,,& buryem in cosmoline,
    for a rainy day

    heh heh

    Report Post »  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:18pm

      TOMACZ, The M3 and M3A1 Stewart tanks were powered by Continental W-670-9A, 7 Cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines. Just like the M3/M4 medium tanks the turtle decks were were very tall to accept those radial engines. The M5 Stewart had dual Cadillac V8s.
      Just as the American tanks were named for U.S. Civil War generals, Stewart, Grant, Lee, Sherman, they also named named the American aircraft. The P40 variants were called the Kittyhawk, Tomahawk, and Warhawk.
      Now that I have mentioned the two versions of the M3 medium tank, the Grant and the Lee. Most associate only the Grant with the British. It was a specific version used exclusively by the Brits with a specified larger turret designed to hold more of their radio (wireless) equipment. Primarily used in North Africa. The Lee version in the Lend Lease program were well used by the Brits in the Pacific Theater, mostly in the Burma campaign.
      Sorry, not trying to be a know it all, but I have spent a life time studying military history. But, I am sure JZS will come along shortly to tell me that I am wrong again.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • IDONTTHINKSO
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:38pm

    Shouldn’t that read: Almost Perfectly Preserved “Wrecked” WWII Fighter Discovered in Sahara Desert — 70 Years After Disappearing

    Report Post »  
  • chips1
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:34pm

    If it so well preserved after 70 years and worth a lot of money, maybe we can park all of Obama’s green cars out there and they might be worth something in 70 years?

    Report Post »  
    • dshevlin
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:34pm

      LOL!! Good one. But they would not last 70 days out there in the desert, they are catching on fire in 60 days in a garage. The Karma this week. Ironic name isn’t it!?

      Report Post »  
  • txjb
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:33pm

    Had it been kept quiet the locals , that are 200 miles away may not of had cared about it. But put it on the news and there you go .

    Report Post »  
  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:32pm

    When things were “Made in America.”

    I’m curious if there is any sign of him trying to burn the tires for a signal, or siphoning the fuel to do the same.

    Report Post »  
  • Bryan B
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:25pm

    Neat story,

    A few years back I herd they found a WWII Bomber in the same condition, in the Desert.

    If I remember right it was a B-25J Mitchell……

    Report Post » Bryan B  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:37pm

      Lady Be Good, a B24. Crashed in ‘43 and found in ’58. The bodies of the crew were finally located by 1960. A loosely based TV movie had the presumed crew talking to each other until they started disappearing one at a time. Turned out that they were ghosts and disappeared as their remains were located and removed. Ben Casey’s Vince Edwards portrayed the final crew member likely to have played the part of 1st LT William Hatten.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:10pm

      Reminds me of the lost squadron and the American planes they found ( actually went back for) around 50 years later in the Artic completely intact (some were crushed) as they landed them (if I recall ) they were found 100′ deep in ice and a mile from where they landed. This discovery was/is used to show how quick things can happen to point to the biblical time frame. They did drill down and recover one of the plane and restored it to flying condition …fantastic story .. I suggest googling it … in fact I think I will to see if it is there …peace

      Report Post »  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:16pm

      This reminded me of the B-24 “Lady be good” also.This plane looks like it will fly again.Worse looking wrecks have been restored.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • Bryan B
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:18pm

      @RJJinGadsden

      I know about the one your talking about, it was a Twilight-Zone episode…..

      But there was another one found from WWII, the Crew lived, and where reunited with their aircraft, like 50 years after the war.

      Report Post » Bryan B  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:22pm

      4TRUTH2ALL, Yeah, those were P38s I believe. I recall first reading of that find in the Stars & Stripes sitting in the Heilbronn Wharton Brks‘ snack bar in the mid ’80s.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • 4truth2all
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:30pm

      I did google it .. go to Creation Internationals site …
      it was actually in greenland and they were 250′ below the surface!
      6 -P-38′s and 2 B-15′s
      They don’t tell you these things in the news or in school ….

      Report Post »  
    • santabob
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:50pm

      B-24 Liberator. Lady B Good. Sad story

      Report Post »  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:01pm

      BRYAN B, Thanks for that correction. Will be 60 next year and think that I saw that early in Jr High. Still recall it was in B&W though. I occasionally get to watch the Twilight Zone on SyFy. I’d like to see that one again. It seems to me that they tend to run the same few over and over again. Or at least when I get to watch. Again, thanks.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:18pm

      BRYAN B, Okay, found the episode listed, “King Nine Will Not Return” and I must correct myself. It aired in September, 1960 so I was still in grammer school. Also Vince Edwards did not play the part of the pilot. But it still seems to me that Edwards was in that episode. The info that I just found only lists the name of the actor who did play the pilot. The episode was inspired by the Lady Be Good finding though. And, it’s filming likely occurred at about the same time as the last of the remains were located.
      I do vaguely recall a crash site where the crew(s) were reunited, but was thinking that was those P39s located in the Arctic or Northern Greenland. I would imagine that there were more than one similar reunions. The Lady Be Good was a participant in the Ploesti Oilfield raid in Czechoslovakia and was supposed to have been the first and probably only 1,000 bomber raid. A number of craft had mechanical problems and turned back, but those that continued on suffered heavy losses. From that rain only I would imagine there were a good number that crashed in the desert during their return to North Africa.
      Jimmy Stewart was one of those B24 pilots in that raid too.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:28pm

      4TRUTH2ALL, Glad that you Googled that. I was busy looking for that Twilight Zone episode instead. Missed your post before I mentioned that I thought that it might have been the Arctic or Greenland. Good find.
      Oh yeah, big time correction in the post above. I meant P38s instead of P39s. Big difference.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:00am

      Look up “Glacier girl” a restored P-38 found among other P-38s and B-17s. Glacier is flying today. It was one hundred feet below the ice and miles away from the landing spot. And they say there is global warming??? In fifty plus years it got covered in a 100 feet of snow and ice.

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
  • JGraham III
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:15pm

    Too bad many do not have a sense of history; it is a wonder that so much of ancient Egypt and other very old cultures have survived the onslaught of Islam which has apparently very little regard for anything historical except their own little corner of time.

    Report Post »  
    • rawmilker
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:59pm

      C’mon, you know those moozlems will treat that wreckage with recpect, according to obozo they’re going to be the ones that bring our space program to the next level, lol….

      Report Post » rawmilker  
  • REPUB1
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:14pm

    Almost Perfectly Preserved’ not even close

    Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:01am

      The story says the desert apes are stripping what’s left anyway.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • OlefromMN
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:14pm

    Did anybody else notice the cockpit was shut in the first photo? This pilot either died in his aircraft (the most likely situation) or he was a very tidy man and shut the cover as he exited the aircraft. Cool plane and photos!

    Report Post » OlefromMN  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:22pm

      The text of the story said that a parachute was draped over a portion of the aircraft presumably used as a shade from the sun. Also, that the craft’s battery and radio had been removed and were under the chute assumedly where the pilot tried to get it working again. I imagine the pilot closed the canopy out of his trained instinct. But, just guessing on that part.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • 1TrueOne55
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:26pm

      It could have over the years been blown shut by wind storms in the area. But you could also be correct since it was noted that he removed the radio and battery, so closing the cockpit cover would be about preserving or hiding items from animals in the area.

      Report Post » 1TrueOne55  
    • OlefromMN
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:35pm

      Do the two holes in the center windshield offer any ideas? I am loving this aircraft, just not buying the “lore” being built around it.

      Report Post » OlefromMN  
    • Dismayed Veteran
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:22am

      Click on the Dailymail link. There are more photos including the camp spot with the parachute.

      Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
  • idarusskie
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:11pm

    if you found this why would you tell anyone until you got it out. its worth hundreds of thousands of dollars as is.

    Report Post »  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:08pm

    Impressive find. Was surprised to see that the plane had still maintained it’s .50 cal guns since the British all too often replaced these on American made aircraft with Browning .303 guns. I have no idea why considering the power of the M2s. At least the Brits should still maintain a good number of the
    Browning M2 Flexibles or light weight barrels for a full set up when the aircraft goes on display. Would love to see it then.

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • chips1
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:49pm

      Lucky it didn’t land in Los Angeles. The wheels and radio would have been missing also.

      Report Post »  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:24pm

      CHIPS1, LOL. Wasn‘t Clark Griswald’s Family Truckster stripped while in motion there, or was that Watts?

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • Wild_Woody
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:58pm

      The family truckster was stripped in my hometown of St.Louis MO. And we are damn proud of it!

      Report Post »  
    • tyuchic
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:18pm

      st louis, ok to be proud of, but i thought it was east st louis… not so much.

      Report Post »  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 11:37pm

      WILD_WOODY, LOL. I stand corrected again. Can’t stand Chevy Chase now, but dang near laughed my @$$ off watching that movie when it came out.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • Wild_Woody
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:59am

      No, they were in North St.Louis (which is just as bad if not worse than East St.Louis). They had already crossed the bridge over the Mississippi. And “what I look like, Christopher Columbo?”

      Report Post »  
    • dshevlin
      Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:37pm

      Love your logo! Haven’t seen that one yet. :)

      Report Post »  
  • Alky
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:06pm

    No water, no food… sad way to go. Hopefully he had his service revolver in good working order :(

    Report Post » Alky  
  • lordjosh
    Posted on May 10, 2012 at 8:59pm

    Anyone else read the headline and thought they were gonna see a mummy?

    Report Post » lordjosh  
    • myptofvu
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:12pm

      your talkin bout the mummy breastfeeding her kid

      Report Post »  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:13pm

      Nah, knew that it meant a fighter aircraft and even figured that it was one of three versions of the P40 heavily used by the British at this time.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • P8riot
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:15pm

      I’ll admit it – yes :)

      Report Post » P8riot  
    • Archstone
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 9:18pm

      As long as it’s not another mummy breast-feeding a four year old.

      Report Post »  
    • Two Sheds
      Posted on May 10, 2012 at 10:09pm

      Nope I thought of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

      Report Post » Two Sheds  
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