Date:	Monday 7 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang Mk III
Owner/operator:	64 Sqn RAF
Registration:	KH457
MSN:	MSN 111-28912
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near RAF Horsham St Faith, Norwich, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Horsham St Faith, Norwich, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Horsham St Faith, Norwich, Norfolk

Narrative:
North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang: Ex-USAAF 44-10779 [MSN 111-28912] to RAF as Mustang III KH457. Issued to 64 Squadron, RAF in November 1944

Written off (destroyed) when bellylanded near RAF Horsham St Faith, Norwich, Norfolk, January 7, 1946 following engine failure. While in flight, shortly after takeoff, the aircraft sustained a failure of the ignition system, which, in turn, caused the engine to stop. The pilot then made a wheels-up belly landing in a field near RAF Coltishall, Norfolk.

Although the aircraft was written off ("deemed damaged beyond repair") the pilot was uninjured.

In November 1944, 64 squadron received the North American Mustang III and flew these for the rest of the war covering daylight raids of the RAF Bomber Command on Germany. After the end of hostilities (on 8-5-45) the squadron moved to RAF Horsham St Faith and received the Mustang IV in August 1945.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.26 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.28
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft KA100-KZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 64 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1/1/1946 to 31/12/1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/2427/37 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8420252
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html
6. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.93: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
7. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=KH457
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._64_Squadron_RAF#1940_to_1967
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Horsham_St_Faith#Postwar_Royal_Air_Force_use

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-May-2021 20:53	Dr. John Smith	Added
30-May-2021 22:33	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type]
31-May-2021 08:42	MiG19	Updated [Operator, Operator]
31-May-2021 19:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
31-May-2021 19:06	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
29-Jul-2023 20:37	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Narrative]]