Date:	Tuesday 7 May 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX
Owner/operator:	CFE RAF
Registration:	MH849
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF West Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF West Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF West Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk

Narrative:
MH849: Spitfire Mk. IX. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin 63 engine. Delivered to the RAF at 33 MU Lyneham 28-9-43. First issued to 165 Squadron RAF coded 'SK-H' 6-10-43. Between June 1943 and March 1944, 122 Squadron relocated to RAF Ibsley, England (on 30-6-43) before moving to RAF Exeter, then RAF Kenley before moving to RAF Church Stanton, later renamed as RAF Culmhead, and was assigned to provide bomber escort missions over France and Germany. Escorts, convoy patrols, sweeps over northwest France and local air defence occupied the squadron until after the D-Day invasion (6-6-44), with the squadron moving to RAF Colerne on 10-2-44.

To 17 APC South 1-3-44. To FLS (Fighter Leader School) RAF Millfield, Northumberland 5-10-44. To 1 Squadron, RAF 5-10-44, coded "JX-T". No.1 Squadron was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX in April 1944, and in June began anti-V1 patrols, shooting down 39 flying bombs. Missions were also flown over the Falaise Gap, strafing targets of opportunity. Later in the year it reverted to bomber escort duties, based at Maldegem, Flanders, Belgium. It was involved in supporting Operation Market Garden: the parachute drops into the Netherlands, and later in support of the Allied counter-offensive in the Ardennes.

To CFE (Central Fighter Establishment) RAF West Raynham coded 'UX-V' in May 1945, after 1 Squadron re-equipped with the Spitfire F.Mk.21.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 7-5-46 when the engine failed. The No.4 cylinder in the starboard bank of cylinders in the engine failed, and the aircraft lost power. The pilot made a wheels-up landing at RAF West Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk. Damage assessed as FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) 7-5-46. Formally Struck Off Charge 29-5-46.

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.39 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.137
3. CFE RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1348: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101058
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.98: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p065.html
6. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=MH849
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/84641-mh849
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MH849
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._165_Squadron_RAF
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Fighter_Establishment
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_West_Raynham#Postwar

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Jul-2021 16:31	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Jul-2021 20:03	Anon.	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Operator]
28-Jun-2023 21:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Operator]]
16-Sep-2023 12:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport, Operator]]]