Date:	Tuesday 15 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	17 SFTS RAF
Registration:	TB525
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Harlaxton, Harlaxton, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Harlaxton, Grantham, Lincolnshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
TB525: Spitfire LF.XVI. Bulit at CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin 266 engine. Delivered to the RAF at 29 MU 3-2-45. First issued in late February/early March 1945 to 302 (City of Poznan) (Polish) Squadron, at RAF ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) B-60, Grimbergen, Brussels, Belgium coded "QH-S" Cat. B damage on operations 18-3-45; repaired on site.

According to the published history of 302 (Polish) Squadron between March and December 1945:

"On January 13 [1945], came yet another move, this time to Grimbergen (B-60) near Brussels, where the Wing received new Spitfire Mk XVIs, capable of speeds over 660 km/h. S/Ldr Bienkowski took over the squadron’s command on January 31, when Sqn/Ldr Duryasz went for a well deserved rest. The former one did not enjoy his post for long, as he was shot down and taken prisoner on February 24. He was replaced by S/Ldr Olszewski, who quickly followed Bienkowski in his misfortune, being shot down over Holland on March 14. S/Ldr Kaczmarek filled the vacated post of the CO.

On April 13 [1945], the Wing found its new location at Nordhorn (B-101) in Germany. From there pilots continued in their ground-attacking role. Their area of operation was established between cities of Wilhelmshaven, Oldenburg, Bremen and Hamburg. Polish Spitfires were taking heavy toll on the remnants of withdrawing German armies. On the 30 [April 1945], the Wing followed the front and moved to Varrelbusch (B-113) near Bremen.

The end of war did not bring the end of the squadron’s roaming. Being still with the 131 Polish Wing, the squadron moved once again to a permanent Luftwaffe airfield at Ahlhorn on September 10, 1945".

Next issued to 17 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire 27-12-45. Based at RAF Cranwell, the unit used RAF Harlaxton as a relief landing ground.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when sank back onto the runway after take-off RAF Harlaxton, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The Spitfire was being flown by a Turkish Air Force Student Pilot. During the take off run, the pilot retracted the undercarriage before the aircraft had safely 'established' itself in the air during the climb out. The Spitfire therefore sank back to the ground, with the undercarriage retracted, and slid on its belly along the runway at RAF Harlaxton until it came to a halt.

Damage initially assessed as FAAC (Flying Accident Cat. C) 15-1-46; however, the decision was taken not to repair Spitfire TB525, and it was re-cat E, being Struck Of Charge 30-1-46.

Despite being written off (deemed "damaged beyond repair") the unidentified Turkish Student pilot was uninjured.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.27 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.36
4. 302 (Polish) Squadron RAF ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1-3-45 to 31-3-45: National Archives (PRO Kew) file AIR 27/1662/30 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8399961
5. 17 SFTS ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1-2-20 to 31-12-49: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/699 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4100408
6. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.93: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p108.html
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=TB525
9. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90528-tb525
10. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TB525
11. http://www.bcar.org.uk/1945-49-incident-logs
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._302_Polish_Fighter_Squadron
13. http://www.polishsquadronsremembered.com/302/302story.html
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Harlaxton#List_of_units_posted_to_RAF_Harlaxton
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1_Flying_Training_School_RAF#Third_formation_(1947_%E2%80%93_1948)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
31-May-2021 22:40	Dr. John Smith	Added
01-Jun-2021 18:16	Angel Dick one	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator]
01-Jun-2021 21:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
01-Jun-2021 21:55	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
01-Jun-2021 21:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]
26-Jul-2023 14:05	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Source]]