Date:	Tuesday 7 May 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	19 Sqn RAF
Registration:	SL610
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire (EGXT)
Destination airport:	RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire

Narrative:
SL610: Spitfire LF.XVI. Built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin 266 engine. Delivered to the RAF at 33 MU Lyneham, Wiltshire 23-8-45. First issued for service to 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron, RAF Hethel, Norfolk 6-3-46. However, 126 Squadron disbanded just one week later on 10-3-46. Thence to 19 Squadron, RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire 21-3-46

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when ran off peritrack, hit pothole and tipped up while landing in strong crosswinds at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire. According to Colin Cummings' book "Final Landings" (see link #2):

"The pilot allowed the aircraft to drift when landing in a strong crosswind" [presumably RAF Wittering, where 19 Squadron was based at the time] "and the undercarriage was damaged. The pilot then overshot the landing and flew on to another airfield" [RAF Waterbeach] "On touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed, and the airframe was badly damaged".

Damage initially assessed as FAAC (Flying Accident Cat C) 7-5-46. Then upgraded and re-cat B 1-7-46, with a view to possible repairs. To 351 RU (Repair Unit) 29-8-46 for possible repairs to be carried out. However, repairs abandoned and Spitfire SL610 was re-cat FACE (Flying Accident Cat. E) 31-08-46 and Struck Off Charge

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.41 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.138
3. 19 Squadron ORB for the period 1-1-46 to 31-12-50: National Archives (PRO Kew) file AIR 27/2402/1 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8419272
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.99: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p099.html
6. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=SL610
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SL610
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90128-sl610
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._126_Squadron_RAF#Reformation_in_World_War_II
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._19_Squadron_RAF#Cold_War
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Waterbeach#Transport_Command,_1945-1949

RAF Waterbeach in 1945

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
15-Jul-2021 19:18	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Jul-2021 19:19	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Category]
15-Jul-2021 20:04	Siczak	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]
16-Sep-2023 12:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Aircraft type, Operator, Operator]]