WWII Fighter Plane Found in Sahara Desert
A World War II plane which had been thought to be lost in the war has miraculously been found in the heart of the Sahara Desert.
The American-made Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk was discovered about 200 miles from the nearest town by a Polish oil worker, Jakub Perka, who was exploring the desert in Egypt, as reported by The Telegraph.
"The aviation historical world is hugely excited about this discovery," according to military historian Andy Saunders.
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The lost Royal Air Force airman is believed to have been Dennis Copping, 24, but verification is still needed.
It is believed that the pilot survived the initial crash because remnants of his parachute had been found and is thought it was used to make a make-shift shelter with part of the plane's fuselage.
"The radio and batteries were out of the plane and it looks like he tried to get it working. If he died at the side of the plane his remains would have been found," Saunders said.
Nobody has yet been found and it is believed that the pilot made an attempt to walk to safety knowing he might not be found.
"Once he had crashed there nobody was going to come and get him. 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," said the historian.
Historians fear that the British government is taking too long to recover the antique war plane and fear that locals in the area will decimate the plane in search of scrap they would be able to sell.
"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," he added.
