Date:	Wednesday 11 June 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XIV.
Owner/operator:	4 Sqn RIAF
Registration:	TX979
MSN:	KEA.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Okayama, Chūgoku region, Western Honshu -   Japan
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Miho Air Base, Sloustin Island, Japan
Destination airport:

Narrative:
TX979: Spitfire FR. XIV. Built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at Keevil, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, with Griffon G65 engine. To 33MU RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 5-9-45. To 76MU 17-9-45 for crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the ss 'Fort Michipicoten' 22-9-45, arriving India 18-10-45. To ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 8-11-45. To 4 Squadron RIAF in Japan early in 1946

On 8-4-46, HMS Vengeance sailed with 22 aircraft of 4 Squadron RIAF, berthed at Singapore for refueling and set course for Iwakuni, a port of Kyushu Island. The aircraft carrier finally arrived at Air Station Iwakuni and was anchored midstream. The decision taken earlier to fly the aircraft off the carrier was changed since excellent facilities were provided for off-loading and transporting the aircraft.

The squadron was given a temporary base at Air Station Iwakuni until the rest of the personnel arrived. Shortly thereafter, the squadron moved to its permanent location at Miho Air Base on Sloustin Island. From here the squadron undertook various flying tasks which were mainly maritime patrol over the sea to ensure there was no subversive activity or smuggling. The stay at Miho was an interesting one and a lot of extracurricular functions were undertaken.

The squadron returned to India in February 1947 and was located at Kanpur. They were here when the country achieved independence. In October 1947, the squadron was re-equipped with Hawker Tempest IIs and became the training squadron for the Indian Air Force

Written off (destroyed) 11-6-47 when flew into high ground (with SM925) in valley under cloud at Okayama, Chūgoku region, Western Honshu, Japan. The pilot of this aircraft was the second aircraft of a pair of Spitfires, flying over mountainous terrain in adverse weather conditions. The two Spitfires flew up a valley with a cloud base of approx. 300 feet; the cloud base lowered as the aircraft progressed. The leading aircraft made a starboard turn, which the number 2 aircraft followed. Both aircraft then entered a cloud bank, and were destroyed due to a CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain)

Crew:
F/O (IND/2635) Gurdayal Singh Sekhon (pilot, aged 23) RIAF killed on active service 11-6-47; Buried or commemorated at Yokohama Memorial, Yokohama, Japan

Formally struck off charge 31-7-47 as Cat. E(FA)

1. The Indian Express 17 June 1947, p.6 and 19 June 1947, p.8
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.309
3, http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p114.html
4. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TX979
5. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/80173-tx979
6. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/TX979
7. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/2635
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2600700/gurdayal-singh-sekhon/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._4_Squadron_IAF#History
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miho-Yonago_Airport#History
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okayama

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Dec-2018 20:11	TB	Added
20-Dec-2018 20:21	TB	Updated [Source, Narrative]
13-May-2023 21:49	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Source, Narrative]]
14-May-2023 15:03	Nepa	Updated [[[Source, Narrative]]]
14-May-2023 19:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[Source, Narrative]]]]
31-Aug-2023 03:44	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[[[[Source, Narrative]]]]]