Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P6953

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

West Raynham - West Raynham

MSN:

9463

YOM:

1940

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2108LT on December 16 on an operation to Mannheim. The following night, while returning to base, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Fairlight. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Skipworth, pilot,
Sgt Walter Edward Need, observer,
Sgt Donald Stephenson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF near RAF Catterick

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1940 at 1510 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

L8723

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Drem - Catterick

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The crew departed RAF Drem on a transfer flight to RAF Catterick. While descending to the destination airfield, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and made an emergency landing near RAF Catterick. All occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV on Titterstone Clee Hill: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L4835

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

8850

YOM:

1939

Location:

Titterstone Clee Hill

Shropshire

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a cross-country exercise when weather conditions worsened. Flying at an altitude of 1,200 feet in clouds, the airplane impacted the slope of the Titterstone Clee Hill located five miles northeast of Ludlow. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Munro Curror, pilot,
Sgt Alfred James Victot Secker, observer,
Sgt John Pinchard, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in El Salloum: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L8465

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The bomber was shot down by the pilot of an Italian fighter and crashed near El Salloum. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Patrick Cullimore Traill-Smith, pilot,
P/O Vincent Dennis Fry, observer,
Sgt Tom Osborn Liggins, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Oulton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1940 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

R3672

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Oulton - Oulton

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Region:

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The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Oulton. On final approach, the airplane crashed short of runway. A crew was killed and a second was injured.
Crew:
Sgt M. G. Jackson,
Sgt Eric George Fisher. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Zedelgem: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T1897

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1902LT to attack aerodromes. In the evening, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Zedelgem, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick Ranby Richardson, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Donlon, observer,
Sgt Vivian Charles Gifford, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Cologne

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z5794

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Wilfred Hnry Culling,
Sgt Arnold Brown,
Sgt Edwin Thomas Perry.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Dedham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1940 at 0330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T1797

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

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Took off from RAF Wattisham in the evening of December 9 but failed to gain sufficient height and collided with trees, causing major structural damage to the airframe and resulting in one of the engines falling from its mountings. The bomber was eventually abandoned by the crew at 0330LT and crashed near Dedham. The pilot was killed and two other occupants were unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt John St Clair Robertson, pilot, †
Sgt H. Teeton,
Sgt I. H. Adkins.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Ekeren: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T2225

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: