Date:	Monday 15 April 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IX
Owner/operator:	111 Sqn RAF
Registration:	NH453
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Rastenfeld, district of Krems-Land, Lower Austria -   Austria
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Rastenfeld, district of Krems-Land, Lower Austria
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
NH453: Spitfire LF. IX, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M66 engine. To 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 20-5-44. To 349 (Belgian) Squadron RAF 15-6-44. Cat B accident 30-7-44. To AST (Airwork Service Training) for repairs. Upon completion of repairs, to 33MU RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 7-12-44. To 12FU (Ferry Unit) then 1 OADU (Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit) 24-2-45. To MAAF (Mediterranean Allied Air Force) 21-3-45, then to 111 (F) Squadron, RAF initially in Italy, coded 'JU-V'. No. 111 (F) Squadron moved through Italy with the advancing Allied ground forces and remained there until the end of the war (8-5-45), after which it moved to Austria as part of the BAFO (British Armed Forces of Occupation).

Written off (destroyed) 15-4-46 in mid-air collision with Spitfire MH884 of 72 Squadron. Pilot abandoned aircraft, which crashed at Rastenfeld, district of Krems-Land, Lower Austria. Both aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision, and the pilots of both Spitfires bailed out, and survived by parachuting safely to the ground. During a formation form-up, the pilots of both aircraft failed to keep a good look out; the leading aircraft in the formation was MH453 which was struck from behind by Spitfire MH884, due to the former aircraft being in the wrong position.

Damage Assessed as Cat E 15-4-46. Pilot bailed out safely, and parachuted to the ground unhurt. Struck Off Charge 25-4-46.

Note: Several published sources give the accident location as "Ruttelfeld, Austria" - but no such location exists. It is presumed that the location stated is a mis-recording of/clerical error for "Rastenfeld".

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.39. ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.124
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft NA100-NZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. 111 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-5-1945 to 28-2-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/870/33: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8386382
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.98: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf111
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p079.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/NH453
8. http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=%20NH453
9. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/86791-nh453
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._111_Squadron_RAF#1941%E2%80%931945

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jul-2023 17:24	Nepa	Updated
02-Jul-2023 18:20	Dr. John Smith	Updated
16-Sep-2023 13:22	Dr. John Smith	Updated