Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7891

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pershore - Pershore

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew left RAF Pershore at 1655LT on a cross country training flight. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (23rd OTU):
F/Sgt Charles George MacDonald, pilot,
P/O Cyril Dinham Chant, navigator,
P/O Arthur Walter Smith, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Lloyd George Morrison, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Francis William Sims.
Source: http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.co.uk/styled-5/styled-9/styled-176/index.html

Probable cause:

The accident was a consequence of the dinghy breaking from its stowage and fouling the controls.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Cologne

Date & Time: May 31, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L7802

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Finningley - Finningley

Location:

Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew left RAF Finningley at 2246LT on May 30 on a bombing mission to Cologne, Germany. While approaching its target at 13,500 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. Fire spread from the right engine to the right wing. The crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Without crew, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All six crew members were unhurt.
Crew (25th OTU):
P/O C. G. Hughes,
Sgt B. C. Whittle,
F/Sgt R. Baker,
F/Sgt R. V. C. Oliver,
Sgt F. G. Greensides,
F/Sgt L. R. Read.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Broadwater: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L7818

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Harwell - Harwell

Location:

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Circumstances:

While cruising in low visibility due to heavy rain falls, the Wellington collided with a RAF Supermarine Spitfire registered R6686. Both aircraft crashed in a field located in Broadwater, near Bath. All seven occupants of both aircraft were killed.
Crew (15th OTU):
W/O George Ernest Leeke, pilot,
Sgt Walter Frank Good, observer,
F/Sgt Stanley William Pook, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Eric Coleman, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Frederick Keith Fairclough, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Wilson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0209 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

X9913

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 1945LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Over the North Sea, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea, maybe off the Danish coast. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Gordon James Maygothling, pilot,
Sgt Francis John Cassells, pilot,
P/O Leo Joseph Convey, observer,
Sgt Frank Graham Bower, wireless operator,
P/O Richard James Cussen, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Ronald Arthur Walker, air gunner,
LAC Robert Frank Rendell, special equipment operator,
P/O Basil Elgar Percy Sadler, special equipment operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Heligoland Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0107 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1061

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2055LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and is believed to have crashed in the sea somewhere off Heligoland Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Edward Ward, pilot,
Sgt Erskine Peter Wright, pilot,
Sgt John Robert Dodd,
Sgt Hugh Ian Fraser,
Sgt Andrew Albert Sidney Harris, wireless operator,
F/O Bertram John Fyson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Vriezenveen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 2350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z1143

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

Location:

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Region:

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall on an operation to Essen. Shortly before midnight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Vriezenveen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew.
P/O Eric William Cuthbert Creed, pilot,
Sgt William Wykes Robey Norton, pilot,
Sgt Walter Irvine Christsen, observer,
Sgt Alfred Frederick Mons Emms, wireless operator,
Sgt John Routledge Payne, wireless operator,
Cpt Arnold Peter Mair, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Orford Ness

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 0005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1393

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2027LT on March 25 on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak, which holed petrol tanks and rendered the airplane's hydraulic system unserviceable. Shortly after midnight, while approaching the British coast, the crew ditched the airplane some five miles off Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast. All six crew members were rescued and the airplane was lost.
Crew:
Sgt G. O. John,
Sgt A. Talky,
Sgt C. S. Campbell,
Sgt S. Albiston,
Sgt T. K. Wright,
Sgt G. Thompson.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1802

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1916LT on an operation to Kiel. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Jiri Fina,
Sgt Oldrich Soukop,
F/Lt Jaroslav Kula,
P/O Josef František Cibulka,
Sgt Alois Meznik,
Sgt Frantisek Raiskup.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Mildenhall

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1942 at 2340 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

Z1077

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: