Kittyhawk Found in Sahara

[Revi16]

Originally Posted by ahafan

yes great ..one thing there are bullit holes..and flak? .was he flying on a solo combat mission..if he was with his flight? then why didnt he stay with them;? ferry flight.-

sharon

It wasn't a combat mission. He was ferrying a broken aircraft to the repair depot for repairs. That is why the landing gear was locked in the down position. It is presumed he got lost and landed in the desert.

[markjsheppard]

Nick,

Think it is more than a passing interest.

Media have been bombarding RAFM, Andy S, Peter A and myself as well as the surveyor who found (as part of a team) who discovered and posted the photos. I'll stick to my day job and do this as a hobby with an article at the end. News broke yesterday and in nearly all UK papers, BBC, ITN news, now CNN etc.

Think there is a bit more than a passing interest.

Only concern is they are talking about it being Copping's aircraft - evidence supports it but still have no serial (just squadron codes and other hints).

It is gradually being stripped. Most loose items, radio, IFF, battery and all tags and ID plates have already gone.

Lets hope it gets secured. Otherwise we are just going to have 100 photos and two videos as memories.

regards

Mark

[Nick Beale]

It was included on ITV News At Ten tonight, so I imagine the item will be available on the web somewhere before long.

[Dénes Bernád]

Yes, indeed. CNN's web site runs it as a front page story (including comments by "British military historian Andy Saunders"):
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/11/wo...html?hpt=hp_t3

[byron-]

http://pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com/2...g-post_14.html

The RAF pilot Denis Hopping lost his life in the desert, 300 km away of an inhabited area.

[dp_burke]

Byron,

please read some of the thread above, the SUGGESTED name of a the possible pilot is Dennis COPPING. Nothing is confirmed yet.

[Andy Saunders]

I would echo what Mark Sheppard says in his post.

As of yet, the pilot i/d has not been confirmed. Thus, when CNN and BBC World Service asked to talk to me about it (just bcause they wanted to tal to someone!) I made it clear that I wouldn't talk to them about the name of the pilot for obvious reasons. However, the supposed name was already out there on the net and thus the news outlets used it anyway. I'm afraid that some of the media did manage to rather garble what facts they were given, anyway!

C'est la vie.

[Ludovico Slongo]

Hello to all,
I received from my friend Daniele Moretto
the request to publish this link

http://www.qattara.it/60-173%20Kittyhawk.htm

Ciao

Ludovico

[markjsheppard]

Ludovico,

Now that 1035 has been reported and with the link, it is safe to report that the P40E Kittyhawk in the desert is now confirmed as Curtiss P40E-1-CU Curtiss shipping number 1035, construction number 19761, US serial 41-35928 and British serial ET574.

From the loss card for ET574 we know F/Sgt Dennis Copping was flying this plane.

The Copping family were made aware of the confirmation early last week but although the Kittyhawk has been found, F/Sgt Copping is still missing.

RIP

Mark