Date:	Tuesday 1 June 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	604 (County of Middlesex) Sqn RAF
Registration:	TE439
MSN:	CBAF IX.4573
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Spitfire TE439: CBAF IX.4573. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to 9MU RAF Cosford, Shropshire 19-6-45. To 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron, RAF Hendon, Colindale, Middlesex 9-6-47 coded "NG-R".

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 1-6-48 when collided with Spitfire LF XVI RW374 which was static, while waiting to turn on to the runway at RAF Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire. Spitfire LF.XVI TE439 was taxiing at low speed, also awaiting permission to move onto the runway and begin the takeoff run. Accident assessed initially as Cat. C 1-6-48. Repairs on site begun, but abandoned, airframe re-cat E 20-7-48 and struck off charge

The other Spitfire involved (RW374, also of 604 Squadron) was also written off as damaged beyond economic repair in this incident (see separate entry)

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.400
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 604 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-6-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2508: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505146
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p112.html
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TE439
7. https://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/hancrash.html
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._604_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Thorney_Island#Post-war_units

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Apr-2023 19:03	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-Aug-2023 21:53	Dr. John Smith	Updated