Date:	Tuesday 12 October 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Seafire FR.47
Owner/operator:	A&AEE Boscombe Down
Registration:	PS948
MSN:	SMAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	North Marden, 7.5 miles northwest of Chichester, West Sussex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Boscombe Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Destination airport:	RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), Arundel, West Sussex
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
PS948: Seafire FR. 47, built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at South Marston, Swindon, Wiltshire with Griffon G87 engine. First Seafire FR.47 with powered folding wings. To RAE Farnborough 2-47. Returned to South Marston 16-3-47. Test flight by Derry Chilbolton from South Marston to HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford, Arundel, West Sussex 28-4-47. Delivered to RNAS Ford by Squadron Leader Morgan for DLT (Deck Landing Trials) 6-8-47. Returned to RAE Farnborough 8-47 for RATOG (Rocket Assisted Take Off Gear) and catapult trials. Drop tanks and ammo boxes installation trials before delivered to the A&AEE at Boscombe Down 15-4-48 for IFOF trials, along with deck landing and handling trials on 'HMS Illustrious' with Seafire FR.47s PS945 and PS949 13-5-48

Substantially damaged 12-10-48 when force landed in a field at North Marden, 7.5 miles northwest of Chichester, West Sussex, after engine failure. The pilot, Lieutenant Commander Richmond RN (Test Pilot, "C" Squadron A&AEE) was unhurt.

Repaired 1949 at a cost £1,550/7/8d. To VAEA (Vickers Armstrong Eastleigh Airfield) for further tests and trial installations 24-3-50. Withdrawn from use to AHU HMS Blackcap RNAS Stretton, Cheshire 6-7-54 for storage pending disposal

North Marden is a tiny village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Marden, in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It is 7.5 miles northwest of Chichester on the spur of the South Downs and on the B2141 road

1. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.436
2. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004)
3. A&AEE Boscombe Down ORB for the period 1-1-1947 to 31-12-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1215: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4100925
4. A&AEE Boscombe Down ORB for the period 1-1-1948 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR29/1216: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4100926
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p091.html
6. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/92131-ps948
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/PS948
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=PS948
9. Photo: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/43425-seafire-47-colours/
10. Photo: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/uk/raf/seafire/seafire-f47-taking-off-from-illustrious/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Marden

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Aug-2023 22:08	Dr. John Smith	Added