Date:	Monday 4 February 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk VIII
Owner/operator:	36 FU RAF
Registration:	JF277
MSN:	EA.3671
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Bankura, West Bengal -   India
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Dum Dum, Calcutta, West Bengal, Brit.India
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
JF277: Spitfire LF. VIII, MSN EA.3671. Built by Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) with Merlin M61 engine. First Flown 26-11-42. To 33MU RAF Lyneham 1-12-42. To AST (Airwork Service Training) for modifications. To 222MU RAF North Luffenham 10-8-43 for packing and crating for shipment overseas. Shipped on the SS 'Fort Thompson' 14-8-43, arriving Casablanca. Morocco 1-9-43. To North African ASC (Aircraft Servicing Centre) 31-10-43. To MAAF (Middle East Allied Air Forces) 30-11-43. Transferred to India 1-1-44. Taken on charge by ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 21-6-45. To 36 Ferry Unit, RAF

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 4-2-46: wrecked in a forced landing near Bankura, West Bengal India. The engine failed in flight, and the pilot was unable to jettison the belly auxiliary fuel tank, as part of the standard emergency procedure prior to a forced landing. A 'wheels up' 'engine out' landing was made, which meant that the Spitfire skidded along the ground on the belly fuel tank. The tank split, and sparks from the aircraft skidding along the ground caused the fuel in the tank to ignite, leading to a fire which destroyed the aircraft.

Not repaired, damage assessed as Cat E and Struck Off Charge 5-2-46.

Bankura is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bankura district

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.59
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft MA100-MZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.95: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
5. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=JF277
6. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/101367-jf277
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/JF277
8. https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Aircraft/JF277
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankura

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Jul-2023 01:56	Dr. John Smith	Added
18-Jul-2023 08:26	Nepa	Updated