Date:	Wednesday 23 July 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire F Mk XIV
Owner/operator:	17 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RN152
MSN:	6S 381835
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Miho Airbase, 11 km NW of Yonago, Tottori Prefecture -   Japan
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Iwakuni Air Base, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Destination airport:	Miho Airbase, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. Japan
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
RN152: Spitfire F. XIV, MSN 6S 3817835. Built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at Keevil, Trowbridge, Wiltshire with Griffon G65 engine. To 9MU RAF Cosford, Shropshire 2-1-45. To 215MU RAF Locharbriggs, Dumfries 25-2-45 for packing and crating for overseas shipment. Shipped on the ss 'Fort Camosun' 17-3-45, arriving India 11-5-45. Shipped to Japan 26-9-46. To 17 Squadron RAF in October 1946. In April 1946, No. 17 Squadron arrived in Japan to form part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. The squadron remained here until it disbanded on 23-2-48.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 23-7-47 when bounced on landing, swung off the runway and tipped up onto its nose at Miho Airbase, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. Japan. During the final approach to land at Miho Airbase, the pilot's goggles were blown back over his head, and the pilot was thus distracted in the final stages of the landing. In particular, he failed to check the rate of descent of his aircraft. The Spitfire struck the ground heavily, the aircraft then ground-looped, and undercarriage collapsed, and the aircraft came to a halt when it tipped up onto its nose.

The incident was the first of two 17 Squadron RAF Spitfire F. XIVs to crash at Miho Airbase on consecutive days; see also Spitfire RM985 on 24-7-47

Damage assessed as Cat E 23-7-47. Struck Off Charge 30-10-47 as Cat. E2(FA)

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.323
3. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999
4. ORB 17 Sqn RAF for the period 1-4-1946 to 23-2-1948: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2400: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505038
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No. 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p097.html
7. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/102141-rn152
8. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=RN152
9. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/RN152
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._17_Squadron_RAF#Post-War
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miho-Yonago_Airport#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Aug-2023 11:56	Dr. John Smith	Added
30-Aug-2023 18:09	Nepa	Updated