Date:	Tuesday 29 August 1944
Time:	day
Type:	Gloster Meteor F.I
Owner/operator:	616 (South Yorkshire) Sqn RAF
Registration:	EE222/G
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Plucks Gutter, Stourmouth, near Canterbury, Kent, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Manston, Ramsgate, Kent
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Gloster Meteor F.1 EE222/G: Delivered to 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron 4.8.44 coded 'YQ-G'. On 12-7-44 the unit became the first RAF squadron to receive jet equipment in the form of Gloster Meteor Mk. I fighters, testing them at RAF Culmhead. The first Meteor operational sortie was on 27-7-44 from RAF Manston when it intercepted V-1 flying bombs launched against southern England. The first victories came on 4-8-44 when one V1 was tipped over after a pilot's cannon jammed and another was shot down. The loss rate of the still unproven Meteor Mk. I was high, with three being written off in non-combat incidents between 15 and 29 August 1944

Written off (damaged beyond repair) when ran out of fuel and both engines cut; bellylanded in field, at Plucks Gutter, Kent, 29.8.44. Pilot- Wing Commander A McDowall - survived OK. Not repaired, struck of charge

Note that all Gloster Meteors up to and including EE288 had the "/G" suffix applied to the serial. The "/G" appended to the aircraft serial denoted that the aircraft was always to have an armed guard when it was on the ground. Meteors EE210 to EE229 were designated as F. Mk. I; aircraft from EE230 onwards were F. Mk. III

Plucks Gutter is a hamlet in the civil parish of Stourmouth, Kent, England. The hamlet is situated where the Little Stour and Great Stour rivers meet. Officially, Plucks Gutter is in the parish of Canterbury, although the city of Canterbury itself is some 10 miles to the south west.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft EE100-EZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. 616 (South Yorkshire) Sqn ORB for the period 1-4-1944 to 28-2-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2525: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505163
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._616_Squadron_RAF#First_on_Meteors
4. Air Britain Aeromilitaria Summer 2009: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_2009.pdf p.68
5. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/gloster-meteor/111822-4151186.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plucks_Gutter

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Jul-2023 13:57	Dr. John Smith	Added
27-Jul-2023 14:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated
27-Jul-2023 21:13	Nepa	Updated