Date:	Saturday 29 June 1946
Time:	afternoon
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX
Owner/operator:	32 Sqn RAF
Registration:	MJ238
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Ramat David, 4 km south of Ramat Yishay, Palestine -   Israel
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Ramat David, Palestine
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
MJ238: Spitfire LF. IX, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M66 engine. To 39MU RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire 12-10-43. To 83GSU 27-10-43. To GAL (General Aircraft Ltd) at Hanworth, Middlesex 23-11-43. To 12FU (Ferry Unit) then 1 OADU (Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit) 7-3-45. To MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Force) 10-3-45. To 32 Squadron, RAF Ramat David, 4 km south of Ramat Yishay, Palestine later in 1945 coded "GZ-H".

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 29-6-46 due to engine failure on takeoff RAF Ramat David, 4 km south of Ramat Yishay, Palestine. Just after takeoff, at an altitude of 500 feet agl (above ground level) the engine failed due to valve springs fracturing. and the exhaust flame traps being burnt through. The pilot then turned the Spitfire away from nearby high ground, but was compelled to make a 'wheels up' forced landing on rough ground.

The subsequent Board of Inquiry criticised the pilot for not using flaps, and thereby causing more damage to the aircraft than might otherwise have been incurred. However, as the Spitfire Mk. IX was obsolescent by mid-1946, such comments may have been rather harsh, as it was unlikely that a Spitfire IX would have been repaired and returned to service.

Airframe damaged declared as Cat E 29-6-46. No repaired, Struck Off Charge 30-4-47 as Cat. E2(FA).

RAF Ramat David was a Royal Air Force station in the British Mandate of Palestine between 1942 and 1948, located approximately 4 km south of Ramat Yishay (Northern District) 80 km north-northeast of Tel Aviv.

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.172-173
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 32 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1950: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2409/1: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8674237
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.100: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p066.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/MJ238
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/85142-mj238
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?29864-Spitfire-MJ238&p=178026#post178026
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._32_Squadron_RAF#Post-war
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramat_David_Airbase#RAF_Ramat_David

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
22-Jun-2023 00:31	Dr. John Smith	Added
22-Jun-2023 00:35	Dr. John Smith	Updated
22-Jun-2023 09:23	Nepa	Updated
15-Sep-2023 11:50	Dr. John Smith	Updated