Date:	Monday 25 February 1946
Time:	night
Type:	Handley Page Halifax B Mk VII
Owner/operator:	644 Sqn RAF
Registration:	PN303
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Qastina (Palistine), 38 km NE of Gaza City -   Israel
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Qastina (Palestine) (LLHS)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.VIII PN303 644 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 25 February 1946 by deliberate sabotage while parked at RAF Qastina in Palestine (now Hatzor Airbase).

In November 1945, the 6th Airborne Division was despatched to Palestine as a quick reaction peace keeping force for the British Empire, and 644 Squadron were ordered to lend them their support and so accompanied them to RAF Qastina in Palestine (now Hatzor Airbase). On 1 September 1946 No. 644 squadron disbanded by being re-numbered to No. 47 Squadron RAF.

On the night of 25 February 1946, Irgun militants attacked the airfield and destroyed several parked RAF Handley Page Halifax transports. Two additional RAF airfields, RAF Lydda (Ben Gurion International Airport) and RAF Kfar Sirkin, were attacked in what became known as the "Night of the Airplanes". Altogether, the attacks destroyed 20 RAF aircraft and damaged several others. Following these attacks, the RAF closed some of its Palestine-based planes to Egypt.

On 25 February 1946, Halifax PN303 was one of eleven 644 Squadron Halifax B.Mk.VIIs that were parked at Qastsina. These aircraft had apparently been withdrawn from use and were parked awaiting a decision on their disposal.

These eleven Halifaxes (along with other aircraft, and airfield facilities) were suppposed to have been guarded by RAF Personnel against possible intrusion by terrorists. However, the terrorists were undeterred, and penetrated the airfield's defences, using intelligence proved to them by civlian contractors on the base. Despite the presence of armed guards, the terrorists attacked the aircraft, and started several fires.

The armed guards took no action to stop the attack, other than to report it to the RAF Qastina Guardroom! Some of the RAF Police Armed Guards were later disciplined for their failure to prevent the attack, and the matter was one of considerable embarrasment to the RAF, and the British Goverment. On a positive note, however, there were no fatalites or injuries among the RAF Personnel. One Irgun fighter was killed during the retreat from Qastina.

The eleven 644 Squadron RAF, Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.VII that were destroyed were: NA358, NA359, NA362, NA430, NA431, NA464, PN255, PN303, PN306, PN310 and PN311.

Qastina (Arabic: قسطينة‎) was a Palestinian village, located 38 kilometers northeast of Gaza City. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.32 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.82
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. Tugwell, Maurice (1971). Airborne to Battle. London: William Kimber. p. 294. ISBN 0-7183-0262-1.
5. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "No. 621–650 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation.
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._644_Squadron_RAF#Post_war
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatzor_Airbase#RAF_Qastina
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_insurgency_in_Mandatory_Palestine#The_Jewish_Resistance_Movement
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qastina

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
21-Sep-2013 02:35	JINX	Added
19-Oct-2018 13:26	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
16-Jun-2021 20:13	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
16-Jun-2021 20:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]