Date:	Friday 16 April 1943
Time:	day
Type:	Boulton Paul Defiant Mk II
Owner/operator:	286 Sqn RAF
Registration:	AA407
MSN:	745
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
Destination airport:	RAF Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset

Narrative:
Boulton Paul Defiant AA407, 286 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 16 April 1943 when swung off the runway on landing at RAF Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset and undercarriage collapsed. Airframe not repaired and struck off charge as FACE (Flying Accident Cat.E) on 22 September 1943

286 squadron was formed at RAF Filton on the 17 November 1941 from No. 10 Group AAC Flight. From the 24 January 1942 the squadron was headquartered at newly operational RAF Lulsgate Bottom. However, as the facilities there were still unfinished, from the 2 March to the 30 April 1942 the headquarters used RAF Colerne. It returned to Lulsgate only briefly before leaving for RAF Zeals on the 26 May 1942.

In October 1942, RAF Weston Super Mare became the headquarters of 286 Squadron RAF that operated a variety of aircraft, including Hawker Hurricanes, Boulton Paul Defiants and Airspeed Oxfords, to provide targets for anti-aircraft gun practice in the west country of England. 286 Squadron was replaced in November 1943 by a detachment of No. 116 Squadron RAF.

The squadron served at various locations and detachments around the west country and Wales before finally moving to RAF Weston Zoyland, where it was disbanded on the 16th of May 1945.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft AA000-AZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain (2nd Edition) 2000 p.6)
2. 286 Squadron ORB for the period 1.11.1941 to 31.5.1945: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1621: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504263
3. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=AA407
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._286_Squadron_RAF
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Weston-super-Mare#RAF_use

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