Date:	Tuesday 6 April 1948
Time:
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	GCS RAF
Registration:	TE480
MSN:	CBAF IX.4614
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Leconfield (near Beverley), East Riding of Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire
Destination airport:	RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire

Narrative:
TE480: Spitfire LF.XVI, MSN CBAF IX.4614. Built at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. Delivered to CRD (Controller, Research & Development, Air Ministry) at Cunliffe-Owen for modifications 11-7-45. Then delivered to 6MU RAF Brize Norton 28-7-45. To GCS (Central Gunnery School), RAF Leconfield (near Beverley), East Riding of Yorkshire 21-2-46

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 6-4-48 in a wheels-up landing at RAF Leconfield (near Beverley), East Riding of Yorkshire. The pilot of this Spitfire was making a practice cine-camera gun attack on a Vickers Wellington, which was acting as the target aircraft. The pilot pulled out of the mock attack in a vertical climb, during which he experienced severe vibration. The pilot attributed the vibration to either structural failures of the airframe, or damage to the propellers. He then selected the undercarriage "down" for an immediate landing at RAF Leconfield; however, the undercarriage was jammed in the "up" position, and a wheels-up landing at Leconfield was made, severely damaging the underside of the aircraft. No record of any injuries to the pilot.

Damage initially assessed as Cat. B 6-4-48. However, not repaired, re-cat E, struck off charge and sold as scrap to H. Bath 27-10-49

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.385
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. CGS RAF Leconfield ORB 1-1-1946 to 1-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1789: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101499
5. "RAF Write offs 1948": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.1 1979: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p110.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90928-te480
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TE480
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Leconfield#Post_War

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
25-Apr-2023 15:20	Dr. John Smith	Added
24-Aug-2023 20:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated
25-Aug-2023 07:51	Nepa	Updated