Leuchars AFB

Operator:

Registration:

G-AGDF

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Stockholm – Leuchars

MSN:

414-3772

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Stockholm-Bromma Airport to RAF Leuchars, Scotland. En route, the left engine failed, forcing the crew to divert to Göteborg-Såtenäs Airport. Shortly later, while cruising at a height of 1,300 metres, the right engine caught fire. The captain attempted an emergency landing and ditched the airplane into the Gullmarsfjorden (Lake Gullmar) located some 20 km west of Uddevalla. At night, the crew was able to land on the lake and the aircraft slid for several metres before coming to rest. All 10 occupants took refuge in a dinghy and were later rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.

Probable cause:

Left engine failure and right engine fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near RAF Leuchars: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V5765

Flight Phase:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

Location:

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The crew was completing a target practice exercise at the Tentsmuir Range near RAF Leuchars when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Irvine Mair, pilot,
Ac1 William Frederick Dunbar, mechanic,
F/Sgt Douglas William Campbell, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Leuchars

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AT137

Flight Phase:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Location:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances at RAF Leuchars and was destroyed. There were no casualties.

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

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1942 at 1523 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

N1172

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

MSN:

9207

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leuchars at 1315LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching enemy ships, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John G. Morrison, pilot,
F/S Arthur B. Johnson, observer,
Sgt Ernest Shepherd, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Pugh, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

L4514

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

MSN:

8375

YOM:

1940

Location:

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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 Lockheed L-414 Hudson near Dunino: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7396

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

MSN:

414-1795

YOM:

1940

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Few minutes after takeoff from RAF Leuchars, while cruising at low height, the twin engine airplane impacted a hill and crashed 5 km west of Dunino, south of Saint Andrews. The airplane was destroyed and both crewmen were killed. The crew consisted of an instructor and a pilot under training.
Crew:
Sgt WILLEM Hijkoop, instructor,
Sgt Anton Marie Ten Herkel, student pilot.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I in Ancroft: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1940 at 1956 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P5117

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

MSN:

414-1806

YOM:

1940

Location:

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The crew was engaged in a reconnaissance mission over the North Sea. En route, due to the deterioration of the weather conditions, the pilot lost his orientation and decided to return to his base. Unable to locate his position, the crew abandoned the aircraft and bailed out. Few minutes later, the twin engine aircraft entered a dive and crashed in a field located between Scremerston and Ancroft. SAR did not find any trace of the four crew members who fall into the sea and were drowned.
Crew (233rd Squadron):
P/O Gilbert Keith Brackenridge, pilot,
P/O John McIntosh, copilot and radio navigator,
Sgt Donald Bruce, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Andrew Russell, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Solsvik: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1940 at 1610 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7246

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leuchars - Leuchars

MSN:

414-1642

YOM:

1939

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leuchars at 1320LT to attack the German battleship 'Scharnhorst' and eight enemy destroyers which were in the coastal waters off Norway. While approaching Solsvik, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Dunstan Yves Feeny, pilot,
F/O Charles Andrew Wallis, navigator,
Sgt Charles Grant Macnab Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt George William Eric Walton.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Stavanger: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1940 at 0900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N7279

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site: