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Date: | Friday 11 January 1946 |
Time: | day |
Type: | North American P-51K-10-NT Mustang IVA |
Owner/operator: | 303 (Warsaw-Kosciusko) Sqn RAF |
Registration: | KM238 |
MSN: | 111-30494 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | Approach |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland |
Destination airport: | RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland |
Narrative:North American P-51K-10-NT Mustang: ex-USAAF 44-12361 [MSN 111-30494] to RAF as Mustang IVA KM238. To 303 (Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki" (Polish)) Squadron, RAF. During 1945, 303 Squadron continued to operate over the Netherlands, and on the 3-4-45, 303 squadron joined 133 Squadron at RAF Andrewsfield, Essex, where it was re-equipped with the North American Mustang Mk. IVA, including KM238. On 25-4-45, 303 Squadron made its last wartime operational sortie, escorting Avro Lancasters in a raid on Berchtesgaden. After the victory in Europe, (8-5-45) and the end of the war, 303 Squadron relocated to RAF Wick, Caithness, in the far north of Scotland
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 11-1-46 when crashed at RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland. The pilot approached to land at RAF Wick at too high a speed and too high an altitude. The pilot realised this, and in response, opened up the throttle to initiate an overshoot and to go around again. During this manoeuvre, the port wing dropped, the aircraft swung around the port wing (as the wingtip had dug itself into the ground), and the Mustang tipped up onto its nose, damaging the propeller.
Although the aircraft was written off ("deemed damaged beyond repair") the pilot was uninjured.
Sources:
1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents. Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.27 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949 by Colin Cummings p.32
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft KA100-KZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
4. 303 (Polish) Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book) for the period 1/1/1946 to 31/1/1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 27/1666/50 at
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8400102 5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.93:
https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf 6.
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html 7.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Squadron_RAF#Postwar 8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick_Airport#History Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
31-May-2021 18:30 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
31-May-2021 18:31 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Aircraft type] |
31-May-2021 18:35 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Cn, Narrative] |
31-May-2021 20:57 |
Fanda |
Updated [Operator, Operator] |
04-Jun-2021 22:47 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
27-Jul-2023 21:10 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [[Narrative]] |