Calshot AFB

Crashed while landing off Calshot. There were no injuries but the aircraft was lost.

While overflying the Isle of Wight, enroute from Jersey to Blackbushe, the pilot encountered technical problems with both engines that lost power. He reduced his altitude and ditched the aircraft on the Solent, off Calshot. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all 11 occupants were quickly rescued by the crew of a yacht and then transferred to shore.

The crew left Pembroke Dock for RAF Calshot and was detached to take part to a presentation to the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) celebrations at Eastbourne, and was supposed to be displayed to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh. While landing on rough sea, the airplane hit waves, nosed down and plunged into the water before coming to rest few dozen yards off shore. Four crew members were killed, two other were injured and eight were unhurt. The aircraft was destroyed.

The takeoff from Southampton was attempted by night. During the takeoff roll on the Solent, the seaplane was unstable and the captain was unable to maintain the aircraft on the right course so he decided to abandon the takeoff procedure. A float located on the left wing hit the water surface and the left wing was submerged to the outer engine. All 31 occupants were quickly rescued and were uninjured while the aircraft sank.

The seaplane landed hard, bounced and eventually plunged into the sea and sank off RAF Calshot. Both pilots were killed while three others crew members were injured. The aircraft was lost. The crew was completing a training sortie on behalf of the 236th OCU.

In the early hours of February 13th, 1946, VB885, an almost new Sunderland took off from RAF Calshot on a ferry flight to Karachi. Immediately after takeoff, an engine failed and the pilot decided to return to Calshot. The first attempt at landing was aborted and the aircraft went round for another approach. However, in the dark and with apparently poor visibility, the pilot apparently misjudged his rate of descent and at 0448LT, after a flight lasting 22 minutes, the aircraft crashed into the sea 100 yards off Lee-on-The-Solent. All ten crew were killed.
Crew (302nd FTU):
P/O K. Dollin, pilot,
F/O R. B. Couchman, copilot,
F/Sgt Hamish Ian Sandison,
F/Sgt R. M. Anderson,
Sgt H. Barker,
Sgt G. Granger,
Sgt M. O'Donoghue,
Sgt H. O'Keefe,
F/Sgt L. E. Snook,
F/Sgt R. C. Stevens.
Source: http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/airfields/vb885.html

En route from Oban to Calshot, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and continued to Holyhead where another London was already moored. On final approach in poor visibility (less than 200 yards), the crew completed a right turn at low height when the right float touched the water surface, causing the aircraft to crash in the Holyhead Bay. Both crewmen were injured and the float plane sank 10 minutes later.
Crew:
P/O Willis,
P/O H. A. B. Porteous.

During the takeoff roll from RAF Calshot (off the Calshot Pier), the float plane collided with a steamer cruising from Southampton to Hyde. The right wing was shattered and the airplane came to rest in water but did no capsize. All six crew members evacuated safely and no one on board the steamer was injured.

The crew was performing a training sortie out from RAF Calshot near Southampton. While taking off from the seaplane base, the float plane hit waves with its wings. Control was lost and the airplane overturned and partially sank. Three crew were killed and two others were seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O David Lewis Davies, pilot, †
P/O Stephen Patrick Crawley, †
P/O Ian Malcolm Brodie,
LAC Ronald Harold Phillips,
AC2 Douglas Frederick King. †

While taxiing, the float plane hit a metallic structure adjacent to the takeoff and landing area and came to a halt. Nobody was injured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.