Date:	Monday 26 January 1948
Time:	night
Type:	Avro Lincoln B Mk 2
Owner/operator:	EANS RAF
Registration:	RE364
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Shawbury, Shropshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Avro Lincoln B.2 RE364, EANS (Empire Air Navigation School), RAF Shawbury. Written off (destroyed) 26-1-48 when destroyed by fire while parked in a hangar at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire

The aircraft was parked at RAF Shawbury, Lincolnshire with its tail inside the hangar, and was being refuelled at night. A fire broke out in the No.1 fuel tank fuel orifice, probably due to a discharge of static electricity, or from the heat of a torch being used by one of the ground crew

Although the fire spread quickly to the starboard inner engine nacelle, it was quickly extinguished by the RAF Shawbury fire crews. Four members of the fire crew were slightly injured. The aircraft was, however, written off as Cat. E due to fire damage.

Lincoln RE364 was named "AIRES II" and had been modified to what was called by some sources as an "Avro Type 694 Lincolnian". As can be seen from the photograph below (see link #6) this included removal and fairing over of the gun turrets, removal of armour, and fitment of long-range fuel tanks in the bomb bay. The aircraft was a replacement for Avro Lancastrian PD364 "Aires I". Both aircraft were used for long-distance proving flights, including a flight over the North Pole in 1947

The replacement aircraft was RE367 "AIRES III", which was also an Avro Lincoln/Lincolnian

The Empire Air Navigation School was formed on 14-8-42 at RAF Cranage in Cheshire, north of Middlewich, formed out of No. 2 School of Air Navigation, in No. 25 Group RAF. It moved to RAF Shawbury on 11-2-44. On 28-10-44 it became known as the Empire Air Navigation School RAF, returning to the original name on 31-10-49

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings - Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom: 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.367
3. EANS RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-7-1949: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1804: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101514
4. http://britishaviation-ptp.com/avro694.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_Avro_Lincoln#1940s
6. RE364 at Shawbury 1946: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1680477
7. RE364 Aires II [photo]: https://www.flickr.com/photos/doust/5191434635/
8. RE364 Aires II [photo] at RAAF Amberley, Queensland, 13-11-47: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C78453
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Navigation_School_RAF
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Shawbury#Postwar

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Apr-2023 21:11	Dr. John Smith	Added
30-Apr-2023 21:27	Nepa	Updated