Bud Wolfe's Spitfire in Co Donegal

[Chris Johnson]

Search for downed spitfire in republic of ireland. Interesting article BBC News

[Chris Austin]

Well found Chris!
I had no idea that an internment policy existed with the ROI, although I suppose it is obvious when you think about the ROI being neutral; after all internment was the rule with other neutral countries.
Did you read the comments below the story, picky-picky ;D

[Chris Austin]

I'm all in favour, the Hurrican was by far the better fighter but didn't have the glamour of the Spitfire.

That has all the makings of another multi-page argument! ;D
It is certainly something that luckily we never had to find out for real, having both types available.
The Hurricane was certainly a better gun platform, could absorb much more damage, was quicker to repair, was (by accounts) easier to fly as a newbie and probably had many other fine properties. It was also at the limit of its performance development as a dog-fighter and would have been outclassed by any Luftwaffe development, with the Typhoon not an initial success when it became available.
If we had only had Spitfires, I doubt that the kill rate would have changed much, but I believe that we would have had serious problems with getting even lightly damaged machines back into action in time.
As I said earlier, thank God we had both when we needed them.

[Chris Johnson]

Update on BBC Website Irish Army Ordenance Officer suggests firing one of the guns and due to the preservation of them in the peat bog after a little work one does actualy fire!!!