Kinloss

The aircraft left RAF Kinloss at 1800LT on March 13 for a night navigation training exercise. Some 6 1/2 hours after leaving Kinloss, the crew reported that they were approximately 60 miles to the North of Cape Wrath. After this point there was no further radio contact with aircraft, as by the following morning the aircraft had failed to return to base or land at another airfield a search was initiated. This was carried out by numerous aircraft from airfields in Scotland but there were no sightings. On the 17th March as report was received that a red flash had been seen in the Torridon area around the time the aircraft disappeared. An aerial search of the Torridon mountains was carried out and the burnt out wreckage of air aircraft was spotted high on the northern side of Beinn Eighe at the top of the cliffs of the Triple Buttress. Ground units set out to attempt to reach the site to confirm that is was the missing Lancaster but could not reach the site due to deep lying snow and further poor weather, together with a lack of suitable equipment. It was the end of March before members of the RAF Mountain Rescue Team from Kinloss were able to reach the wreck to begin the task of recovering the bodies of the crew. The recovery of the last missing airmen was not carried out until August 1951 when enough snow had melted to uncover his body.
Crew (120th Squadron):
Fl/Lt Harry Smith Reid, pilot,
Sgt Ralph Clucas, copilot,
Sgt Robert Strong, navigator,
Sgt Peter Tennison, signaller,
Sgt James Naismith, signaller,
Sgt Wilfred D. Beck, signaller,
Sgt James W. Bell, signaller,
Sgt George Farquhar, signaller.
Source and photo:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/crash_sites/scotland/avro-lancaster-tx264-beinn-eighe/

Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (236th OCU):
F/Lt Richard Gwynn Williams,
F/Lt Leslie George Harris,
F/Lt Alfred Enos Stephens,
Nav John Cunningham,
Sig Ernest Geal.

The crew was completing a training sortie in RAF Kinloss. The final approach was completed in heavy cross winds (up to 50 knots) and during the last segment, the captain decided to abandon the landing procedure and started a go around maneuver. During initial climb, while at a height of 250 feet, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion. All eight crew members were killed.

The crew (236th OCU) was engaged in a night training sortie from RAF Kinloss. While flying in the vicinity of Tain, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a prairie. All five crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

While flying in a snowstorm, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Turf Law located in the Lammermuir Hills, Huddingtonshire. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Ronald Cameron Ferguson, pilot,
F/Lt Václav Jícha, pilot,
F/O Arthur Scarlett Davidson, flight engineer.

Crew was performing a ferry flight from RAF Kinloss to RAF Kemble, Wiltshire. En route, while cruising at low altitude, aircraft hit Mt Crag located near Keswick. Both crew were killed.

En route from RAF Kinloss to RAF Kirkbride and while flying over the Pennines Mountain Range, east of Penrith, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with icing. He decided to modify his route, passing via the Alston valley. Few minutes later, while cruising in limited visibility, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Cross Fell then slid for few dozen meters and came to rest. All five crew members were injured.
Crew (4th AOS):
Sgt Victor Henry Hill, pilot,
Sgt W. C. A. Hughes,
Lac L. V. Fussell,
Lac A. D. Walker,
Lac J. Henbury.

The crew departed RAF Kinloss on a cross country navigation exercise. While cruising in limited visibility, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of Mt Ben Macdui (1,309 metres high) located about 17 km northwest of Braemar. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Llewelyn, pilot,
F/Sgt Geoffrey Fillingham, observer,
P/O William Gilmour, navigator,
Sgt Kenneth Edmondson Carruthers, wireless operator,
Sgt John Beaton Robertson, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Kinloss at 2035LT on April 28 to attack the German ship 'Tirpitz' moored off Trondheim. Over the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near a farm located west of Movatnet Lake, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Raemonde Roe, pilot,
Sgt Dennis Clancy Garadner Butchart, flight engineer,
Sgt David Reginald Powell Williams, navigator,
Sgt John Stewart Morrison, wireless operator,
Sgt Cyril Frederick Russell, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt William Russell Parr, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Kinloss at 2030LT to attack the German ship 'Tirpitz' moored off Trondheim. Approaching the target area, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak. The pilot was able to reduce his altitude and to make an emergency belly landing on the frozen Hoklingen Lake located 43 km northeast of Trondheim. All six crew members survived and became PoW. The wreckage was recovered and displayed at the RAF Museum London.
Crew:
P/O Donald P. MacIntyre, pilot,
Sgt P. G. Blanchett,
P/O Ian Hewitt,
Sgt D. L. Perry,
Sgt Victor Charles Stevens,
Sgt R. H. D. Wilson.