Date:	Friday 18 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	443 (Hornet) Sqn RCAF
Registration:	TB915
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	1 mile northwest of Brunsbüttelkoog, Brunsbüttel, BZG, West Germany -   Germany
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Utersen, Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
TB915: Spitfire LF XVI, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. To 19MU RAF St. Athan 27-2-45. To 84GSU 21-3-45. To 66 Squadron at Twente, Netherlands by 31-3-45. Cat C (repairable) accident 7-4-45. To 84ARF 30-4-45 for repairs (66 Squadron disbanded the same day, so this aircraft was not required)). To 421 Squadron RCAF 19-9-45 in Germany as part of the BAFO (British Armed Forces of Occupation). To 416 ("City of Oshawa") Squadron RCAF 26-9-45. To 443 (Hornet) Squadron, RCAF 15-11-45

Written off (destroyed) 18-1-46: Mid-air collision with USAAF P-47 44-33258 of 512th FS, 406th FG, 9th AF. (Pilot Stewart R Bross). The Spitfire was number 2 in a formation of three Spitfires when it was the subject of a mock/practice combat attack by a USAAF P-47 Thunderbolt. However, the pilot of the P-47 misjudged the point where he should have pulled away from the diving attack, and collided with Spitfire TB915

The diving P-47 chopped one wing off the Spitfire and set it aflame. Aircraft came down 1 mile northwest of Brunsbüttelkoog, Brunsbüttel, BZG, West Germany. Pilot of Spitfire TB915 was Flt Lt V.H. Rassenti RCAF, who bailed out and survived with some minor injuries. Both pilots of both aircraft bailed out safely, and parachuted to the ground. Although history (and the squadron ORB - see link #4) does not record what was said after this incident, but it can be summarised that "strong language" was used!

Some published sources give the crash location as "Belmhusom" - no such location could be found. There is however, a locality called Behmhusen in Eddelak, about five or six km (3.72 miles) to the north of Brunsbüttel, which could be the place. Eddelak is a municipality in the district of Dithmarschen, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

USAAF Overseas Accident Reports for January 1946 incorrectly identifies this aircraft as a Spitfire Mark XXI and the pilot's name as "Passenti".

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.27 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.42
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 443 Sqn RCAF ORB for the period 1-8-1946 to 31-3-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1883/33: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8405120
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.94: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/listpages/airforce/asp/AF_Monthly_1946.asp
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p109.html
8. http://www.mcmanus.ca/02CofC/443history_files/history1.htm
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=TB915
10. http://www.accident-report.com/world/europe/germany/ger46.html
11. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?14227-Spitfire-Mk-21-destroyed-in-collision-with-P-47-January-1945&p=84029#post84029
12. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TB915
13. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90648-tb915
14. https://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_2.html
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddelak

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
17-Aug-2011 12:21	Uli Elch	Updated [Location]
11-Sep-2011 04:33	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Nature, Narrative]
27-Dec-2011 03:06	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Narrative]
03-Jan-2012 03:30	Uli Elch	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative]
22-Jan-2012 15:02	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration]
11-Nov-2012 17:56	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative]
10-Jan-2013 13:25	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Phase, Nature, Narrative]
13-Jan-2013 20:51	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator]
13-Jan-2013 21:00	angels one five	Updated [Source, Narrative]
13-Jan-2013 22:17	angels one five	Updated [Source, Narrative]
11-May-2013 08:16	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
01-Jun-2013 09:06	Nepa	Updated [Operator]
04-Jun-2013 08:48	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Nature, Narrative]
15-Jun-2014 15:28	TB	Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport]
07-Jul-2014 06:17	angels one five	Updated [Operator, Location, Nature]
27-Mar-2015 18:56	TB	Updated [Operator]
11-Jan-2018 20:25	angels one five	Updated [Narrative]
24-Feb-2020 19:22	Xindel XL	Updated [Operator, Nature, Operator]
24-Jul-2023 00:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Operator, Nature, Operator]]
25-Jul-2023 19:08	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[Operator, Nature, Operator]]]
18-Sep-2023 12:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[Operator, Nature, Operator]]]]