Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near Rodeo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1942 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6473
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Phoenix - Abilene
MSN:
9478
YOM:
1940
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a series of demo flights in the US. En route from Phoenix to Abilene, the left engine failed and later fell off. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a desert area located between Rodeo and Lordsburg, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and three others were slightly injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
S/L N. K. Lloyd, pilot,
F/Lt P. A. Kimpton, navigator, †
Cpl J. R. Berth-Jones, rigger,
AC1 R. West, fitter.
Probable cause:
The crankshaft of the port engine failed in flight, causing severe vibration and fire. The engine later fell off.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near Tingwall: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4514
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leuchars - Leuchars
MSN:
8375
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leuchars on an operation off the Norwegian coast. Approaching the target area, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to return to base. Doing so, the airplane went through an area of severe icing when the engines got iced. It crashed near Tingwall and was destroyed. Three crew members were killed and a fourth was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Arthur Blanchflower, observer, †
P/O Tom Thornley Braithwaite Stoker, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur James Woolsey, wireless operator, †
Sgt W. H. Bond, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing conditions.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Cape Espichel: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6474
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
9479
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was en route from UK to Gibraltar when it probably crashed in the sea off Cape Espichel. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O William Austin Thornton, pilot,
F/O Ernest Peter Brinkworth, navigator,
Sgt Andrew Lawrence Brigstocke, wireless operator,
Sgt Cyril Norman Byron Bohling, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off RAF Chivenor: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1942 at 1031 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4445
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chivenor - Chivenor
MSN:
8306
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Chivenor. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase at low altitude, the airplane impacted the water surface and crashed in the River Taw. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
P/O Rafe Sherme Brimacombe, pilot, †
P/O Reginald Allan White, navigator, †
Sgt P. Scott, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the primary cause of the crash was the aircraft hitting the water of the River Taw, causing the port propeller to come off. A secondary cause was the stalling of the port wing during an attempt to carry out a forced landing due to:
a) the pilot attempted to reach the aerodrome with insufficient power or height to do so and
b) the use of flaps in the final stages of the approach.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW273
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9951
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1610LT on 'Operation Fuller'. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the North Sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Thomas Ivor Mathewson, pilot,
F/O William Henry Stephens, observer,
F/Sgt Ronald Ernest Howett, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric Young, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II off Schouwen-Duiveland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW278
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9956
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1420 on 'Operation Fuller'. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed off the Schouwen-Duiveren Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Arthur John Heneage Finch, pilot,
F/Sgt Albert Henry Leeds Jackson, observer,
Sgt David Yule Fyfe, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas McNeill, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Scheveningen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L9877
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9025
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1606LT on an anti shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Scheveningen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Matthew White, pilot,
F/Sgt Hedley Albert Goldsmith, observer,
F/Sgt John Arthur Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt Basil Warwick Hammersley, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I at RAF Chivenor: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1942 at 2032 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L9935
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chivenor - Chivenor
MSN:
9049
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from RAF Chivenor, while climbing, the pilot initiated a turn to the left when the airplane stalled and crashed one mile east of the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Meldrum, pilot,
Sgt Clarence Colville McLennan, observer,
Sgt George Alexander Blackwood, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Battram, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I at RAF Chivenor: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942 at 0605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4499
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chivenor - Chivenor
MSN:
8360
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Chivenor, while on a local training exercise, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed near the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Robert Frank Spencer-Schrader, pilot instructor.
P/O Anthony Hugh Denison Reffell, pilot,
F/Sgt william Leonard Hheavisides, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II in Plouguerneau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AW253
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
9948
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was on an operation to Brest when it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Plouguerneau. The entire crew was killed.
Crew:
P/O Mehdi Khan, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Denham, observer,
Sgt Robert Stewart Abbey McLarty, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Willison Turnbull, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.