Date:	Tuesday 27 July 1948
Time:
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk 4
Owner/operator:	257 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RA445
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St Faith, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Horsham St Faith (EGSH)

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor RA445: Delivered to 39 MU RAF Colerene, Chippenham, Wiltshire 23.9.47. To 257 Squadron, RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norwich, Norfolk 17.4.48.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when engine caught fire in flight and damaged airframe, 27/07/1948; the Meteor was on a cross-country navigation sortie, but both jet pipe engine temperature gauges were unserviceable. It was only after landing back at RAF Horsham St. Faith that the pilot realised that there had been an in-flight engine fire. The fire was not registered by the u/s jet pipe temperature gauges, gave the pilot no indication of an engine fire; however, the fire had caused serious structural damage to the mainplanes and the wing spars.
Damage initially assessed as Cat B; to Gloster Aircraft at Hucclecote 27.9.48 for repairs. Repairs cancelled and aircraft re-cat E(G/I) for use as Ground Instructional Airframe 6621M 13.12.48; Struck Off Charge as such 30.5.50

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.415
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft RA100-RZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_2009.pdf p.129
5. 257 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-7-1947 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2487/19: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8422541
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._257_Squadron_RAF#Post_War
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Horsham_St_Faith#Postwar_Royal_Air_Force_use

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Apr-2023 21:06	Dr. John Smith	Added