Date:	Thursday 21 March 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI
Owner/operator:	349 (Belgian) Sqn RAF
Registration:	RR243
MSN:	CBAF.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Fassberg (ALG B152) Faßberg, Lower Saxony, West Germany. -   Germany
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Fassberg (ALG B152) Faßberg, Lower Saxony, West Germany.
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
RR243: Spitfire LF.XVI, built by CBAF (Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory) with Merlin M266 engine. To 8MU RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire 14-10-44. To 322 (Netherlands) Squadron 9-11-44, initially at RAF Fairwood Common, Swansea, Glamorgan coded "3W-K". Cat C accident 24-9-45 at ALG B116 RAF Wunstorf, West Germany. To 412RSU for repairs. Upon completion of repairs, to 349 (Belgian) Squadron 1-11-45 at RAF Fassberg (ALG B152) Faßberg, Lower Saxony, West Germany coded "MN-W"

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 21-3-46 when collided with Spitfire TD322 when taxying at RAF Fassberg (ALG B152) Faßberg, Lower Saxony, West Germany. The pilot had taxied the Spitfire away from the dispersal pens without the aid of a ground marshaller, and with the radio switched off. He failed to keep an adequate lookout, and collided with Spitfire TD322 at low speed.

Damage initially assessed as Cat. C 21-3-46. To 411RSU 22-3-46 for possible repairs. Not repaired; Struck Off Charge 28-3-46 as Cat. E(FA)

As for the other Spitfire involved - TD322 - it was also sent to 411 RSU on 22-3-46, and not repaired, being Struck off charge on 25-3-46 (see separate entry).

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.44 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.100
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain 1985 page 5)
4. 349 Sqn RAF ORB for the period 1-6-1945 to 31-8-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/1744/39: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8438421
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.97: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/RR243
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/90045-rr243
8. https://www.sergebonfond.be/index.php/en/1wing-history/1st-wing-1940-1946
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._322_(Dutch)_Squadron_RAF#Squadron_bases
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/349th_Squadron_(Belgium)#Royal_Air_Force_(1942%E2%80%9346)
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fa%C3%9Fberg_Air_Base#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Jul-2023 09:08	Nepa	Updated
17-Sep-2023 14:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated
17-Sep-2023 17:45	Nepa	Updated