Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

EB388

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Honeybourne - Honeybourne

MSN:

2823

YOM:

1942

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Honeybourne at 1824LT to drop leaflets in the vicinity of Orleans. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Senonches. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Frederick Paul Saunders, pilot,
P/O Norman Frank Sibley, navigator,
P/O John Pugh Cranstoun, navigator,
Sgt Bertram Kenneth Trubshaw, wireless operator,
Sgt James Henry Carter, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z6629

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tempsford - Tempsford

MSN:

2063

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Region:

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The airplane departed RAF Tempsford at 2210LT on November 22 on a Special Operation Executive (Operation Periwig 3 and Printo) to an airfield located in Belgium. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Gordon Llewelyn Harrison, pilot,
F/Sgt John Alistair Hey, pilot,
Sgt Richard William Andrews, navigator,
Sgt Herbert Metcalf, wireless operator,
Sgt Cyril Raphael Kenzie, air gunner,
Sgt Harry Moxon, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Carew Cheriton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1942 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

Z6751

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

2139

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF St Eval on an anti-submarine patrol mission over the Atlantic Ocean. While returning to base, it ran out of fuel and diverted to RAF Carew Cheriton where it crashed on final approach. The pilot was killed and five other crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Brian Arthur Tidman, pilot, †
F/O Dennis McHarrie, navigator,
Sgt J. Wilson, bomb aimer,
Sgt D. L. Crossley, wireless operator,
Sgt D. M. Shyba, air gunner,
Sgt M. D. Woods, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Armação de Pêra

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1942 at 0915 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z9160

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Gibraltar - Tempsford

MSN:

2294

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a transit flight from Gibraltar to RAF Tempsford. Persistent engine problems forced the crew to turn back from a position off Cape Finistère and at 0915LT, the airplane force landed near Armação de Pêra, 40 km northwest of Faro. All four crew members were interned until 17 January 1943. The airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine problems in flight.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V on Mt Nakkur: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z9376

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Mt Nakkur (Hestur Island)

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Wick - Wick

MSN:

3017

YOM:

1941

Location:

Suðuroy

Country:

Faroe Islands

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in an air rescue operation, searching for a missing Wellington registered HX776. While cruising at an altitude of 1,800 feet in clouds, it impacted the slope of Mt Nakkur located on Hestur Island, some 9 km southwest of Tórshavn. Five crew members were killed and one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Robert Best, pilot, †
F/O Harold John George Haeusler, pilot, †
Sgt Geoffrey Philip Turner, navigator, †
F/Sgt Oliver Geoffrey Davies, wireless operator, †
Sgt Robert Williamson, wireless operator, †
Sgt H. M. Williams, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into The Channel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z9159

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tempsford - Tempsford

MSN:

2293

YOM:

1941

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Tempsford on a Special Operation Executive to France. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into The Channel. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O John Edward Turnham, pilot,
W/O Jack Robert O'Leary, pilot,
F/O Laurence Wheatley, navigator,
Sgt Falconer Morrison, wireless operator,
Sgt Arnold Hallewell, air gunner,
Sgt Sydney White, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Taulé: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z6579

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saint Eval - Saint Eval

MSN:

2050

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a maritime patrol flight over the Bay of Biscay. Passing over Brittany, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Taulé, northwest of Morlaix. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O William Ferries Raffan, pilot,
P/O Malcolm Graeme Grant, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Cheetham, navigator,
Sgt Edward Marsden, navigator,
Sgt James David Maxwell, radio operator,
Sgt Gilbert Charles James Heywood, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Eastbourne

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942 at 0310 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P5029

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tempsford - Tempsford

MSN:

1751

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Tempsford at 2013LT on October 22 on a Special Operation Executive (SOE) called Spruce 2, which involved a flight over the French territory. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and was ditched in The Channel off Eastbourne. All five crew members were rescued. The airplane sank and was lost.
Crew:
P/O G. F. B. Newport-Tinley, pilot +4.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Tempsford: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

BD228

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors: