Den Helder | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith at 1539LT on an anti-shipping operation. While approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Den Helder. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Igor William Braye,
Sgt John Hutchison,
F/Sgt Kenneth Charles Peek.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Den Helder: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1941 at 0350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

X3001

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Schedule:

Scampton – Scampton

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The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2248LT on February 10 on an operation to Hanover. While returning to base the following night and flying over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter. All crew bailed out and became PoW, except Sgt Cruickshank who was killed.
Crew:
Sgt David Alexander Cruickshank, observer, †
P/O J. H. Green,
Sgt A. L. Bryceson,
Sgt H. E. Fisher.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Den Helder: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1940 at 1425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

L9889

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

North Coates - North Coates

MSN:

9037

YOM:

1940

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The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Den Helder. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Frank Howard Roberts, pilot, †
Sgt Stephen Frederick Martin, observer, †
Sgt Stanley Norman Douglas, wireless operator/air gunner, †
W/O T. Pickering.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Den Helder: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1940 at 1824 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1894

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1630LT on a reconnaissance mission of the Dutch coast. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed off Den Helder. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis Derrick Raymond Hodson, pilot,
Sgt Edward Bartle Palmer, observer,
Sgt Rendle Green, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Den Helder: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1940 at 0425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3620

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to bomb the Den Helder-De Kooy Airport. Approaching the target, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Ernest Reginald Berry, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Peter Sully, observer,
Sgt Henry Bentham, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I off Den Helder: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1940 at 1900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8772

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Detling - Detling

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The crew departed RAF Detling at 1710LT to attack nine German boats. While approaching the Dutch coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed into the North Sea, some 35 km southwest of Texel. No trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.
Crew (48th Squadron):
F/L Stephen Dodds, pilot,
P/O Bryan Seymour Booth,
LAC Arthur Herbert Gumbleton,
LAC Norman E. Jacobs.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe near Den Helder

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1940 at 2320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe

Operator:

Registration:

198

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Texel – Den Helder

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The twin engine airplane departed Texel on a night flight to Den Helder-De Kooy Airport. En route, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog and lost his orientation. After being short of fuel, he attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed on a beach located 3 km northeast of Den Helder, on the border of the Waddenzee. All four crew members were rescued.