Frozen in the sands of time: Eerie Second World War RAF fighter
plane discovered in the Sahara... 70 years after it crashed in the
desert
- Pilot of the Kittyhawk P-40 was thought to have survived crash, but died trying to walk out of the desert
- Aircraft was found almost perfectly preserved, unseen and untouched, after it came down in 1942
- Historian describes find as 'an incredible time capsule' and 'the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's Tomb'
He was hundreds of miles from civilisation, lost in the burning heat of the desert.
Second
World War Flight Sergeant Dennis Copping took what little he could from
the RAF Kittyhawk he had just crash-landed, then wandered into the
emptiness.
From that day in
June 1942 the mystery of what happened to the dentist’s son from
Southend was lost, in every sense, in the sands of time.
Shifting sands: The final resting place of the Kittyhawk P-40 has been discovered in the Sahara 70 years after it crashed there
Time capsule: Aside from the damage it sustained
during impact, the aircraft appears to have been almost perfectly
preserved in the sands of the Sahara
Chance discovery: The single-seater aircraft was
found by a Polish oil company worker exploring a remote region of the
western desert in Egypt
But 70 years later, the ghostly remains of his battered but almost perfectly preserved plane has been discovered.
Like a time capsule that could provide
the key to his disappearance, it had lain intact alongside a makeshift
shelter Dennis appears to have made as he waited, hopelessly, for
rescue.
Now a search is to begin for the
airman’s remains – as aviation experts and historians begin an operation
to recover and display the P-40 aircraft in his memory.
The chance find was made by an oil
worker exploring a remote region of the Western Desert in Egypt. It is
more than 200 miles from the nearest town in a vast expanse of largely
featureless terrain.
Flight Sergeant Copping, part of a
fighter unit based in Egypt during the North Africa campaign against
Rommel, is believed to have lost his bearings while flying the damaged
Kittyhawk to another airbase for repair. All that is known is that he
went off course and was never seen again.
At the controls: The plane's cockpit, but there
are fears over what will be left of it after locals began stripping
parts and instruments for souvenirs and scrap
Unseen and untouched: Equipment and controls
from the plane were found scattered around the craft at the crash site.
The plane is still in very good condition
Intact: Most of the plane's cockpit instruments
were untouched and it still had it guns and ammunition before they were
seized by the Egyptian military for safety reasons
Remarkably, the plane remained almost
untouched for the next seven decades – right down to the guns and
ammunition found with it. Most of the cockpit instruments are intact,
and the twisted propeller lies a few feet from the fuselage.
Crucially, the P-40’s identification plates are untouched – allowing researchers to track its provenance and service history.
There is flak damage in the fuselage,
which is consistent with documents on the aircraft. Historian Andy
Saunders said: ‘It is a quite incredible time capsule. It’s the
aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
‘This plane has been lying in the same spot where it crashed 70 years ago.
‘It hasn’t been hidden in the sand, it has just sat there.
‘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. The radio and
batteries were out of the plane and it looks like he tried to get it
working.
Second World War weaponry: The machine gun on
the wing of the crashed plane. It appears the pilot got into trouble and
brought it down in the middle of the desert
Bullet holes: The Kittyhawk appears to have been
shot at (left), while its broken propeller lays nearby (right).
Historians have described the find as the 'aviation equivalent of
Tutankhamun's Tomb'
Well-preserved: The Kittyhawk's magazine of
bullets were also found in the wreckage. The radio and batteries were
discovered out of the plane
‘If he died at the side of the plane
his remains would have been 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.’
The RAF Museum in Hendon, North
London, has been made aware of the find and plans are already under way
to recover it before anyone tries to strip it for scrap or souvenirs.
Efforts have also been made to trace any immediate members of Flight
Sergeant Copping’s family in the UK, but it is believed that none
survives.
Captain Paul Collins, British defence
attaché to Egypt, confirmed a search would be mounted for the airman’s
remains but admitted it was ‘extremely unlikely’ it would be successful.
The spot could be marked as a war grave after the aircraft is
recovered.
Heading home: The RAF Museum at Hendon, north
London, has been made aware of the discovery and plans are underway to
recover the aircraft for exhibition in the future
Sign of the time: The Kittyhawk's factory stamp
(left) and gun loading instruction panel (right). However, some locals
see the aircraft as a piece of junk
Signs of survival: Flight Sergeant Dennis
Copping's parachute was part of what is believed to be a makeshift camp
alongside the fuselage
Remote: The crash site is about 200 miles from
the nearest town. No human remains have been found but it is thought the
pilot's decomposed body may lay anywhere in a 20 mile radius of the
plane
Captain Collins added: ‘The scene is close to a smuggling line from Sudan and Libya.
‘We will need to go there with the Egyptian army because it is a dangerous area.’
Ian Thirsk, of the RAF Museum, confirmed staff are working with the MoD to recover the plane.
The P-40 was a US-made fighter and
ground attack aircraft. It was outclassed by later German fighters and
saw little combat in Europe but performed a key role in North Africa
and Asia where high-altitude performance was less critical. Around 20
are still airworthy.
Did you know Flight Sergeant Dennis Copping? Are you related to the brave pilot? Contact editorial@dailymailonline.co.uk
In flight: Ft Sgt Copping and another airman
were tasked with flying two damaged Kittyhawk P-40 planes (like this
one) from one British airbase in northern Egypt to