Date:	Thursday 29 July 1948
Time:	day
Type:	de Havilland Vampire F Mk 3
Owner/operator:	27 MU RAF
Registration:	VT870
MSN:	EEP42428
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Shawbury, Shropshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
De Havilland Vampire F.Mk.3, VT870, 27 MU RAF Shawbury, Shropshire: Delivered to the RAF 15-3-1948 to 27 MU RAF Shawbury. Written off (damaged beyond repair) 29-7-48 in a take-off accident at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire.

During the take-off run, the pilot raised the undercarriage prematurely and the aircraft sank back onto the runway at RAF Shawbury. As a result, the Vampire skidded along the runway at RAF Shawbury on its belly for 300 yards. The sparks generated by the friction from this even started a fire, and the aircraft was written off as "destroyed by fire"

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.86. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.414
3. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=vt
4. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=VT870
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Royal_Air_Force_Maintenance_units#No._1_MU_%E2%80%93_No._100_MU
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Shawbury#Postwar

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Apr-2023 20:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
23-Sep-2023 20:24	Nepa	Updated