Date:	Saturday 22 March 1947
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XIV
Owner/operator:	355 MU RAF
Registration:	SM840
MSN:	6S 672219
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Salawas, Jodhpur, Rajasthan -   India
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Salawas, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Destination airport:	RAF Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
SM840: Spitfire FR. XIV, MSN 6S 672219. Built by Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) at Keevil, Trowbridge, Wiltshire with Griffon G65 engine. To 6MU RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire 24-3-45. Shipped on the ss 'Samsacola' and the 'LS.2861' 15-4-45, arriving India 21-5-45. To 355MU RAF at Salawas, Jodhpur, India by June 1945 for erection and preparation for service.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 22-3-47 when tyre burst on take-off for ferry flight from RAF Salawas, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. The port tyre burst during the take-off run from RAF Salawas; the pilot therefore abandoned the takeoff run, and the Spitfire crash when it swung off the runway.

The Subsequent Board of Inquiry and the convening officer in charge of the Inquiry were critical of the pilot for not continuing the takeoff run, and instead opting to make a belly landing, thereby sustaining damage. Although this seems to be something of a harsh judgment to make, given that this particular Spitfire would not have been repaired after a wheels-up landing. Ever more so, given that the engine was still turning at the point of impact, which caused severe 'shock loading' damage to the engine and propeller when the Spitfire touched down.

Damage initially assessed as Cat E 22-3-47. Not repaired, Struck Off Charge 24-4-47

Salawas is a small village 22 km (13.67 miles) from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and is famous for durries (rugs) made by the local craftsmen. The file at the National Archives at Kew describes the unit as "355 Maintenance Unit, Jodhpur and Salawas (India MU)".

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.283
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. ORB 355 MU RAF for the period 1-10-1944 to 31-1-1947: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/1083/5: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7162572
5. "RAF Write offs 1947": Air Britain Aero militaria No.2 1978: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1978.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p101.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/SM840
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/102215-sm840
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=SM840
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salawas

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Sep-2023 17:43	Dr. John Smith	Added
23-Sep-2023 20:24	Nepa	Updated