Date:	Tuesday 21 December 1948
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk XVIII
Owner/operator:	208 Sqn RAF
Registration:	TZ240
MSN:	ALD.
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAF Kabrit (LG-213), Kabrit -   Egypt
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Ramat David, Palestine
Destination airport:	RAF Kabrit (LG-213), Kabrit, Egypt

Narrative:
TZ240: Spitfire FR XVIII, built by Vickers Armstrong (Supermarine) at Aldermaston with Griffon G67 engine. To 33MU RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire 12-1-46. To RAF St. Mawgan, Cornwall 16-5-46. To Mediterranean Air Force (Middle East). To 208 Squadron at Gebel Hauz, Palestine 12-7-46

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 21-12-48 when crashed in emergency landing at RAF Kabrit (LG-213), Kabrit, Egypt. While in flight, during a tactical reconnaissance, the pilot became aware of serious vibrations emanating from the engine, which was caused by the propeller having shed several propellor blade tips, which caused the engine to run "out of balance". An emergency landing was made on the airfield at RAF Kabrit, Egypt. In his hurry to get the aircraft safely down on the ground, the pilot forgot to lower the undercarriage, and the Spitfire bellylanded at RAF Kabrit, causing severe damage to the aircraft's underside

Not repaired; damage assessed as Cat E 21-12-48 and Struck Off Charge 13-1-49

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.458
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain 1985)
4. ORB 208 Sqn RAF for the period 1-1-1946 to 31-12-1949: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/2465: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2505103
5. "RAF Write offs 1948": Air Britain Aeromilitaria No.1 1979: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p114.html
7. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/TZ240
8. https://www.avialogs.com/spitfire-and-seafire-registry/item/80492-tz240
9. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=TZ240
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._208_Squadron_RAF#After_World_War_II
11. Oral History of 208 Sqn in 1948-49: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80032975
12. 208 Squadron Association Newsletter: http://www.naval8-208-association.com/History1945-50Page09.html
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibrit_Air_Base#History

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Aug-2023 21:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated
14-Aug-2023 08:19	Nepa	Updated
14-Aug-2023 21:28	Dr. John Smith	Updated