Date:	Wednesday 8 July 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 8
Owner/operator:	257 (Burma) Sqn RAF
Registration:	VZ560
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	north-east of RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wattisham, Suffolk
Destination airport:	RAF Wattisham, Suffolk
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8, VZ560, 257 (Burma) Squadron, RAF: delivered 21/9/1950. Written off 6/7/1953 when collided with Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8 VZ556 (also of 257 (Burma) Squadron, RAF) north east of RAF Wattisham, Suffolk.

Both aircraft were rehearsing formation flying for the Queen's Coronation Review of the RAF. Gloster Meteor VZ556 was flying as the number four aircraft in a 'line astern' formation, but lost his position, and collided with Meteor VZ560, which was the leading aircraft. Both aircraft crashed and were destroyed, and neither pilot survived.

Crew of Meteor VZ560:
Flight Lieutenant (201325) Anthony Herbert BLEWETT (pilot) RAF- killed in service 8/7/1953,
buried at Needham Market Cemetery, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.146 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 385
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1983)
4. 257 Squadron ORB (Operational Record Book)(Air Mininstry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/4/1952 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2671/4 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8426890
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VZ
6. http://www.wattisham.org.uk/wattisham_aviation_accidents.htm
7. http://www.bvror.uk/index.php/articles/post-ww2/151-fl-lt-anthony-herbert-blewett
8. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37423/data.pdf

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-May-2021 16:31	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-May-2021 21:25	i	Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative, Operator]