Manston

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Site:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 1924LT on September 20 on an operation to Berlin. For unknown reasons, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing at Manston Airport where it crashed on approach after it collided with trees. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
P/O Cyril William Abrey, pilot, †
Sgt Laurence Douglas Kissack, pilot, †
P/O John Benjamin Ruston, observer, †
Sgt John Aitken, wireless operator, †
Sgt Ivan John Green, wireless operator, †
P/O L. W. White.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Manston

Date & Time: Sep 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1712

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 1931LT on September 20 on an operation to Berlin. Approaching Münster, it was severely damaged by the German Flak but was able to leave the combat area and to return to Manston. It crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. A crew member was injured.
Crew:
P/O Barnard,
Sgt Avent,
Sgt Emmerson,
Sgt Harvey,
Sgt Kitney,
Sgt Nash.

Probable cause:

Severely damaged by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Dunkirk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1941 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z7274

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1023LT on an anti-shipping operation off the Belgian coast. While approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea some 6 km off Dunkirk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Kevin Harrold Walsh, pilot,
Sgt George Henry Brook, observer,
F/Sgt Alfred George Hole, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc II off Schouwen-Duiveland Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 0123 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AW404

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schouwen-Duiveland Island

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

Location:

Zeeland

Country:

Netherlands

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 2315LT on August 31 to attack the airbase of Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea. Two crew were killed and the pilot was injured and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O William Edward Thomas, pilot,
Sgt Royston Sidney Bryer, observer,
F/Sgt William David McAdam, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Rye: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1941 at 1845 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

V6175

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1715LT on an operation to Marquise. It was hit by the German Flak and later crash landed in East Guldeford, one mile northeast of Rye. A crew member was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt H. Vickers, pilot,
Sgt G. A. Lowe, observer,
Sgt Vernon Arkwright Stevens, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Manston: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1941 at 1755 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R3816

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

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Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The crew was engaged in a local test flight out from RAF Manston on this aircraft that have been repaired. Upon takeoff from a grassy runway, it appears that the airplane became airborne sooner than normal due to a bump in the surface of the airfield. Shortly after liftoff, it entered a right turn then stalled and crashed. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
P/O Harold Andrew Thomas Lind, pilot,
Sgt Norman William Paples, observer,
Sgt Eric Douglas Kennedy, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

The report, which fails to list details of the crew, carries on to describe the accident which befell the Blenheim. It appears that it became airborne sooner than normal due to a bump in the surface of the airfield ( Manston was, of course, a grass airfield in those days) and, almost immediately, it commenced a right-hand turn at a low speed, and the undercarriage was lowered as if the pilot was attempting to land again. Unfortunately the Blenheim stalled and crashed. Examination of the wreckage at the scene of the accident showed that the main controls were in order, but after removal of the aircraft for more detailed examination it was found that the starboard elevator was jammed 'solid' in the neutral position. Unbroken dope showed that this tab had not moved from the neutral position in which it had been left after the inspection on 26.7.41. The port tab was fully down in the tail heavy position but this was considered to be due to impact. All three hinges on the starboard tab were rusted tightly on the sleeves which form the bearing journals and which are pinned on to the elevator framework tubing. In the centre bearing which is nearest to the tab actuating lever the bearing journal locating rivet had sheared, possibly during an effort to alter the tab settings. There was no sign of lubrication on any of the hinges. The report concludes by running through the likely sequence of events that lead to the accident, beginning with the Blenheim being left outside for so long, which allowed the parts to rust solid, continuing with the suggestion that the pilot had relied on the tab position indicator being in neutral and hadn't tested the circuit, and ending with his decision to land so that the trim problems could be investigated. The ultimate cause of the crash was, of course, the low-speed stall.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Vlissingen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1941 at 1525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

X8919

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

MSN:

9541

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Manston on a maritime patrol flight. Approaching the Dutch coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances 11 km west of Vlissingen. A crew was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Howard Dulwich,
F/Lt Arthur Philip Culverwell,
W/O Harold Charles Friend,
W/O Ronald Tanfield.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Ostend: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z7498

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Schedule:

Manston - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed Manston at 1119LT on an anti-shipping operation. While approaching the Belgian coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Ostend. The pilot was killed and two other crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Cullen Eric Powell, pilot, †
Sgt Henry Emmanuel Hunt,
Sgt Michael Roberts.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc in Manston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AW402

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: