Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV at RAF Hemswell

Date & Time: May 7, 1942 at 0010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
R1610
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Hemswell AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie at RAF Hemswell. Upon takeoff, the airplane failed to gain sufficient height, stalled and sank back onto the runway. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and both pilots were unhurt.
Crew.
Sgt Szychowiak, pilot,
Sgt L. Rebinski, pilot.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the throttles retarding, causing the airplane to sink back onto the runway.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1942 at 0232 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1183
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2255LT on May 3 on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Wacław Wolski, pilot, †
Sgt Stanisław Lis, pilot,
F/O Norbert Andrzej Lewald-Jezierski, observer, †
Sgt Zygmunt Samulski, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Bogusław Nowicki, air gunner, †
Sgt Josef Erdt, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Fromelennes

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942 at 0148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1276
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Fromelennes
Ardennes
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2200LT on April 27 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over France, it was intercepted and shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Fromelennes, near the Belgian border. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Jan Mieczysław Fusinski, pilot,
P/O Wacław Piotr Wasik, pilot,
F/O Tadeusz Wawerski, observer,
Sgt Aleksander Małecki, wireless operator,
Sgt Mieczysław Sierpina, air gunner,
Sgt Stefan Miniakowski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV near Ystad

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1942 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1317
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Ystad
Skåne
Country:
Sweden
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2214 on April 26 on an operation to Rostock. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak in both engines. The airplane spun down to 5,000 feet before control was regained. Due to the severe damage, course was set for Sweden and in the event, a force landing was made near Ystad. All six crew members were interned and repatriated to UK 10 months later.
Crew:
P/O Witold Bohuszewicz, pilot,
F/O Jerzy Nowacki, pilot,
F/O Bernard Budnik, observer,
Sgt Zdzislaw Taczalaski, wireless operator,
Sgt Boleslaw Waclaw Bestecki, air gunner,
Sgt Krzysztof Jerzy Grabowski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Terschelling: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1942 at 0155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1267
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2353LT on April 17 on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 25 km off Terschelling. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Józef Jan Kuśmierz, pilot,
F/O Jan Urbaniak, pilot,
F/O Jan Orsza-Matysek, observer,
Sgt Jan Orlewski, wireless operator,
Sgt Franciszek Bay, air gunner,
Sgt Aleksander Hupalo, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV near Bardney

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1468
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Bardney AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2144LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. It was badly damaged by the German Flak but the crew was able to return to England. Short of fuel, the captain attempted an emergency landing in an open field located in Bardney. Two crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Stanisław Michał Krzystyniak, pilot,
P/O Kazimierz Józef Szrajer, pilot,
F/O Radomir Ryszard Walczak, observer,
Sgt Czesław Harmuszkiewicz, wireless operator,
Sgt Ignacy Adamczyk, air gunner,
Sgt Leon Brunon Abakanowicz, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Short of fuel after being attacked by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Ostend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1379
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Ostend
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2143LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. Approaching the Belgian coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed off the coast of West Flanders, region of Ostend. Four crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Mieczysław Rzemyk, pilot, †
F/Lt Stanisław Antoni Reyman, pilot,
F/O Zdzisław Franciszek Zamoyski, observer, †
Sgt Janusz Piotr Truszkowski, wireless operator, †
Sgt Stanisław Niewiadomski, air gunner, †
Sgt Edward Wojan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Crostwick

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0248 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1252
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Crostwick
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2151LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. It was wrecked in a forced landing at a decoy airfield site located in Crostwick, northeast of RAF Horsham St Faith (Norwich). All six crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/O Jerzy Goldhaar, pilot,
Sgt Józef Adolf Stephani, pilot,
F/O Zbigniew Kazimierz Staerz, pilot,
Sgt Józef Tadeusz Piasecki, pilot,
Sgt Zdzisław Zygmunt Twarkowski, wireless operator,
Sgt Ludomir Lucjan Marian Lasocki, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Boekel: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1213
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Boekel
North Brabant
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2143LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Boekel. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Wladyslaw Zalejko, pilot,
Sgt Jan Alojzy Kuczak, pilot,
F/O Poitr Pajer, navigator,
Sgt Wladyslaw Strzelczyk, wireless operator,
Sgt Konrad Lubojanski , wireless operator,
Sgt Josef Balucki, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III near RAF Hemswell: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1942 at 1706 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
W8334
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Hemswell AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Hemswell. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase at a relative low altitude, the pilot initiated a sharp turn when the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Michael Robert MacClancy, pilot,
P/O Thomas Emlyn Davies, observer,
F/Sgt Reginald John Holloway, wireless operator,
LAC Leonard Hale, air gunner.
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