LONDON, England (AP) -- Archaeologists say that they have unearthed parts of a World War II fighter plane that crashed after downing a German bomber near Buckingham Palace.
Archaeologist Christopher Bennett said the plane's engine and control panel were located late Sunday during excavations in Buckingham Palace Road in the center of the capital.
The Battle of Britain was raging over the skies of London when pilot Ray Holmes spotted the German Dornier bomber on September 15, 1940.
Historians believe the German plane may have been on a mission to destroy Buckingham Palace.
Holmes had run out of ammunition so he flew his Hurricane directly into the German plane.
He managed to use his aircraft to slice off the bomber's tail and parachuted out of his plane before it hit Buckingham Palace Road. The Dornier plunged into part of Victoria Station.
Holmes's plane, which hit the ground at around 350 miles an hour (560 kph), was largely buried under a water main and never recovered. The road was later paved over.
Holmes, 89, was present as the engine was lifted to ground level.....
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