70 Year old Spitfire machine guns still fire after being buried in a bog for decades!

[Cabinetman]

I found this amazing as I'm sure you will.

Rome

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15652440

 

[glockstar]

Very Cool

 

[hminsky]

awesome!

 

[me109g4]

Google "P9374",,, for those interested in Spitfires, this particular plane was rescued off a beach in France in 1982, it flew again for the first time in 70 yrs. just a few weeks ago!

 

[jasons]

The machine guns will now be made safe and join the rest of the aircraft on permanent display in Derry, where Wolfe was based, a city on the edge of Europe that played a pivotal role in the war.

They mean de-milled. [sad2]

 

[ISOTOX]

Absolutly sweet!!!!

 

[flintoid]

I wonder who will get that .303 browning parts kit?

N/M- it's europe- they get holes drilled in their barrels and their bolts welded. Flippin shame, that's what that is.

But it's still pretty cool that they were functional still.

 

[Coyote33]

70 years under the Irish peat and it is fine. A few days in the hands of a "historian", and it is ruined!

 

[cekim]

They mean de-milled. [sad2]

I saw that and cried a little on the inside...

 

[terraformer]

70 years under the Irish peat and it is fine. A few days in the hands of a "historian", and it is ruined!

That's the amazing part. Peat bogs are abiotic and will preserve soft tissue yet these idiots destroy what the bog preserved.

 

[s4mt3k]

That's awesome! I would've loved to hear that thing spit fire (see what I did there?)

then I read the 1st comment and closed the article with disgust

Firing restored guns such as this for fun is wrong. Guns can be dangerous and should only be used to kill people during wars. They are not toys, and I think it is irresponsible to use them in any way other than that for which they are intended.

 

[me109g4]

And the BBC cut off the comments section very quickly when they started seeing a negative feedback on the "safeing" of these artifacts.

 

[securityboy]

I guess I am the only one who found it kinda "gay"... yeah its an old gun, but you don't need to wear helmets/armor and hide in a trench to fire it... WTF!

 

[flintoid]

I guess I am the only one who found it kinda "gay"... yeah its an old gun, but you don't need to wear helmets/armor and hide in a trench to fire it... WTF!

typical Euro spin to an otherwise interesting event.

The editor emphasizing it as necessary to be overly careful when handling such "dangerous" items made it as gay as AIDS.

 

[atilla]

they should be shot for de-milling it.

 

[CRSIII]

Bog storage? Who knew?

NES bog group buy?

 

[George D]

I would have laughed my ass off if it discharged while they were manhandling it out of the bog.

 

[Boris]

there are tons of bogs in mother Russia, it provides a great environment to safe store milsurp munitions and guns from the war. There are tons of youtube vids on that. You can even get a guided tour with a provided shovel.

Firing restored guns such as this for fun is wrong. Guns can be dangerous and should only be used to kill people during wars. They are not toys, and I think it is irresponsible to use them in any way other than that for which they are intended.

These FUDDs obviously never heard of the upcoming zombie apocalypse.

 

[jamesvt]

Firing restored guns such as this for fun is wrong. Guns can be dangerous and should only be used to kill people during wars. They are not toys, and I think it is irresponsible to use them in any way other than that for which they are intended.

I hope this comment is a joke. [sad2]

 

[cekim]

These FUDDs obviously never heard of the upcoming zombie apocalypse.

They ARE the upcoming zombie apocalypse...

 

[Broc Tuah]

They mean de-milled. [sad2]

I could tell that was coming when they mentioned the Irish army stepping in.

 

[FreeWillie]

70 years under the Irish peat and it is fine. A few days in the hands of a "historian", and it is ruined!

Brilliantly said!