Date:	Tuesday 8 April 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk VIII
Owner/operator:	1 Sqn RIAF
Registration:	MT662
MSN:	CHA.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RIAF Yelahanka, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka -   India
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RIAF Yelahanka, Bengaluru, India
Destination airport:	RIAF Yelahanka, Bengaluru, India
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
MT662: Spitfire LF VIII, built at Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) at Chattis Hill, with Merlin M66 engine. To 9MU RAF Cosford, Shropshire 7-5-44. To 215MU RAF Locharbriggs, Dumfries 15-5-44 for packing and crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the ss 'City of Agra' 30-5-44, arriving India 4-7-44. To 1 Squadron RIAF in December 1945.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 8-4-47 when tyre burst on landing and aircraft belly-landed at RIAF Yelahanka, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The pilot made a heavy landing, which resulted in a tyre bursting and consequent damage to the undercarriage. Chunks of the burst tyre struck and damaged the Spitfire's oil cooler. The pilot then overshot the initial landing, climbed to 'go around' and fly another circuit, and then landed the Spitfire in a wheels-up belly landing at the end of the second circuit.

Crew of Spitfire MT662:
Pilot Officer (IND/3208) Walter Harold Walmsley, RIAF (pilot) - apparently survived uninjured

The same pilot had also been involved in an incident with Spitfire F Mk. VIII MD347 at Raja Bhoj Airport, Bairagarh, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 6-5-1946 (see separate entry). On 2-1-52 the same pilot was involved in a third incident, when he "pranged" a Hawker Tempest II. He resigned his commission upon completion of his tour of duty on 11-8-52

Damage assessed as Cat E 8-4-47. Not repaired, Struck Off Charge 1-6-47

Yelahanka is a suburb and Taluk of Bangalore Urban district in the Indian state of Karnataka

1. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.291
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
3. 1 Sqn RIAF ORB for April 1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/17/46: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8406326
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p074.html
5. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MT662
6. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/89674-mt662
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=MT662
8. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/MT662
9. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/2994
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Squadron_IAF#History
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yelahanka_Air_Force_Station#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Sep-2023 20:32	Dr. John Smith	Added
04-Sep-2023 08:14	Nepa	Updated