Date:	Thursday 3 January 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Avro Lancaster B Mk VII
Owner/operator:	39 MU RAF
Registration:	LM649
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Pushback / towing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Avro Lancaster LM649, 39 MU RAF Colerne: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3-1-44 while being towed at RAF Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire. The aircraft was being towed into a hangar at RAF Colerne (there was no one on board the aircraft) but the ground crew failed to ensure that there was sufficient clearance, and a wingtip struck the hangar door.

Despite that damage being apparently superficial, the Lancaster was written off as "damaged beyond repair" and struck off charge

LM649 brief history: Built by A. V Roe at Yeadon, West Yorkshire to contract Acft/1807. Delivered 15-7-44, service with 49 Squadron, 619 Squadron, 630 Squadron (7 days), 44 Squadron (1 day), and 75 Squadron. Struck off charge at 39 MU RAF Colerne 27-1-46

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.25 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.24
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft LA100-LZ999 (James J Halley Air Britain)
4. https://www.avro-lancaster.info/lm2series/lm649
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.93: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Colerne

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Jul-2023 20:30	Dr. John Smith	Added
23-Sep-2023 20:20	Nepa	Updated