Date:	Thursday 12 February 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F Mk III
Owner/operator:	66 Sqn RAF
Registration:	EE399
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.III EE399: Delivered to 124 Squadron, 28.9.45. On 24.8.45, 124 Squadron moved to RAF Molesworth, for conversion to the Gloster Meteor, the RAF's first jet fighter. In October 1945 the unit transferred to RAF Bentwaters, and in February 1946 to RAF Fairwood Common, before being disbanded at RAF Bentwaters on 1.4.46, becoming No. 56 Squadron RAF. To 66 Squadron 16.1.47 coded 'HI-G'.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when undercarriage leg jammed up; crashed while landing on one wheel, RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire 12.2.48. A locking pin was missing from the port undercarriage locking mechanism, and when the undercarriage was lowered, the undercarriage operating jack was disconnected from the main port undercarriage leg, and the port undercarriage would not lock down.

Although the pilot managed to make a successful landing on the nosewheel and starboard undercarriage only, the port wing and engine nacelle made contact with the runway at RAF Duxford when the aircraft's speed was reduced, and the aircraft sustained severe damage. The pilot, Pilot II B F Samuel survived the landing OK.

Damage initially assessed as Cat. C (Repairable). To 32 MU RAF St. Athan 19.3.48 for repairs. Not repaired, re-cat E, and struck off charge 20.12.48

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.374
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft EA100-EZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. Air Britain Aeromilitaria Summer 2009: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_2009.pdf p.77
5. 66 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-9-46 to 31-12-50: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2428: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505066
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._124_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._66_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duxford_Aerodrome#Postwar_use

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Apr-2023 17:26	Dr. John Smith	Added
01-May-2023 19:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated