Date:	Wednesday 15 June 1949
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	601 (County of London) Sqn RAF
Registration:	RW383
MSN:	CBAF IX.4640
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Shackleford, 5 miles South West of Guildford, Surrey, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex
Destination airport:

Narrative:
RW383: Spitfire LF.XVI. MSN CBAF IX.4640. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Taken on charge at 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 21-7-45. To 601 (County of London) Squadron, RAF North Weald, North Weald Basset, Epping Forest, Essex, 22-3-48

Written off damaged beyond repair) 15-6-49 in a mid-air collision with Spitfire SL725 (also of 601 Squadron) over Shackleford, near Woking, Surrey. Spitfire SL725 crashed into the grounds of the West Byfleet Golf Club, Byfleet Golf Course, Sheerwater Road, West Byfleet, Woking, Surrey (see separate entry). Spitfire RW383 crashed at Shackleford, 5 miles South West of Guildford, Surrey.

Spitfire SL725 collided in flight with Spitfire RW383 during a 'cross over' manoeuvre, while turning into 'battle formation' at 9,500 feet. Spitfire SL725 (the number two aircraft in the formation) dived into the ground at high speed, and the pilot made no attempt to bail out. Pilot of Spitfire SL725 killed, pilot of Spitfire RW383 survived

Spitfire RW383 was not repaired; struck off charge as FACE (Flying accident Cat. E) and scrapped 11-7-49

Shackleford is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Guildford, Surrey, England centred to the west of the A3 between Guildford and Petersfield 32 miles (51 km) southwest of London and 5.2 miles (8.4 km) southwest of Guildford.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.504
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 601 Squadron ORB 1-1-1947 to 31-5-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2504: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505142
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p098.html
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/RW383
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90662-RW383
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._601_Squadron_RAF#Postwar_operations
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shackleford

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