Date:	Monday 12 August 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX
Owner/operator:	73 Sqn RAF
Registration:	MA848
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali) -   Malta
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali), Malta
Destination airport:	Decimomannu, Sicily
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
MA848: Spitfire LF. IX, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M63 engine. To 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 27-6-43. To 129 Squadron coded 'DV-P' 4-8-43. To 405ARF then HAL (Heston Aircraft Ltd) 27-8-43 for repairs. To 131 Squadron coded 'NX-U' 27-9-43. To 165 Squadron 19-3-44. To 453 Squadron RAAF 11-4-44. To 33 Squadron 16-5-44. To Station Flight, RAF Northolt 23-5-44. To 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF 8-7-44. To 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron 15-7-44. To 58 OTU 5-4-45. Thence to 73 Squadron, RAF Hal Far July 1945, later relocated to RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali) Malta.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12-8-46: Pilot experienced undercarriage problems, forcing a flight to Decimomannu, Sicily to be cancelled. Wheels “down” light did not function. After a flypast past the RAF Ta Kali (Ta'qali) control tower, who confirmed the undercarriage looked all right. Pilot landed on the starboard oleo leg, but after 400 yards, the port oleo gave way, forcing the aircraft to swing violently to port, shearing the starboard leg. No injuries.

Struck off charge when sold to Vickers Armstrongs 22-1-47. Converted to T. Mk IX two-seat trainer (fitted with Merlin M66 engine). Test flown in "Class B" markings as G-15-2 on 3-6-48. Delivered to Indian Air Force as 'HS534'

NOTE: Some published sources (e.g. links #2 & #5) state in error that the Spitfire involved was NH848. This is incorrect: NH848 was a Spitfire LF. Mk. VIII, which was sent to 6MU RAF Brize Norton 24-6-45. To 76MU RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire 28-1-46 and shipped on the ss 'Pentakota' 18-2-46, arriving India 17-3-46. To ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 28-3-46. To RIAF 31-12-47.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.198
3. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
4. 73 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2430/4: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8420259
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.102: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/AccidentsMilitary/19401949/tabid/650/language/en-US/Default.aspx
7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p059.html
8. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MA848
9. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/84468-ma848
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._129_Squadron_RAF#World_War_II
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._131_Squadron_RAF#Reformation_in_World_War_II
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._165_Squadron_RAF
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._453_Squadron_RAAF#Europe
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._33_Squadron_RAF#Second_World_War
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._310_Squadron_RAF#History
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._504_Squadron_RAF#In_World_War_II
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._73_Squadron_RAF
18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ta_Kali#Post_war

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Jun-2023 16:19	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Jun-2023 16:20	Dr. John Smith	Updated
12-Jun-2023 16:55	Nepa	Updated
14-Sep-2023 18:24	Dr. John Smith	Updated