<p><strong>Recently discovered in <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/egypt-guide/">Egypt</a> by an oil-exploration team, a World War II fighter plane<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/9256879/WWII-fighter-plane-hailed-the-aviation-equivalent-of-Tutankhamuns-Tomb-found-preserved-in-the-Sahara.html"> called "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's tomb"</a> bears the scars of 70 years in the Sahara <a href="http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/desert-profile/">desert</a>—but is nevertheless considered to be in "time capsule" condition.</strong></p><p>"I've never seen anything like it," said Ian Thirsk, head of collections at the<a href="http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/"> Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum</a> in London. The Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk is "the best preserved example of a Second World War aircraft I've seen for many, many years."</p><p>The plane's pilot is thought to have been Flt. Sgt. Dennis Copping, though no trace of his body has been found at the crash site.</p><p>(Related <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/photogalleries/samurai-subs-submarines-pictures/">pictures: "World War II 'Samurai Subs' Found-Carried Aircraft."</a>)</p><p>—<em>James Owen in London</em></p>

Ghost Fighter

Recently discovered in Egypt by an oil-exploration team, a World War II fighter plane called "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's tomb" bears the scars of 70 years in the Sahara desert—but is nevertheless considered to be in "time capsule" condition.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Ian Thirsk, head of collections at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum in London. The Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk is "the best preserved example of a Second World War aircraft I've seen for many, many years."

The plane's pilot is thought to have been Flt. Sgt. Dennis Copping, though no trace of his body has been found at the crash site.

(Related pictures: "World War II 'Samurai Subs' Found-Carried Aircraft.")

James Owen in London

Photograph by Jakub Perka, BNPS

Pictures: World War II "Time Capsule" Fighter Found in Sahara

See the "aviation equivalent of Tut's tomb"—a World War II fighter plane newly found in the Egyptian desert.

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