Polebrook AFB

While approach RAF Polebrook, the Boeing B-17 registered 43-38080 collided with a second USAAF Boeing B-17 registered 43-37595 and carrying a crew of 9 and that was approaching the same airfield. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Lutton, east of the airbase. All 19 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew on board B-17 43-38080:
T/Sgt James S. Allman,
1st Lt Edward R. Ashton,
F/O George Y. Bowman,
Sgt John C. Connelly,
S/Sgt Bruce Shaffer Cook,
2nd Lt Donald A. Cornell,
S/Sgt John P. Folks Jr.,
2nd Lt John F. McNeill,
Sgt John Y. Nelson,
Sgt Harold R. Wieland.

Crew on board B-17 43-37595:
St Albert Bingham Cantrelle,
Sgt Emerald G. Cutting,
F/O Stanley L. Dietel,
Sgt Francis T. Leonard,
Sgt Philip M. Singleton,
F/O Robert Earle Sollers,
Sgt Joseph E. Ventress,
2nd Lt Reinhold W. Vergen,
S/Sgt Robert L. Wheatley.

While approach RAF Polebrook, the Boeing B-17 registered 43-37595 collided with a second USAAF Boeing B-17 registered 43-38080 and carrying a crew of 10 and that was approaching the same airfield. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Lutton, east of the airbase. All 19 crew members on both aircraft were killed.
Crew on board B-17 43-37595:
St Albert Bingham Cantrelle,
Sgt Emerald G. Cutting,
F/O Stanley L. Dietel,
Sgt Francis T. Leonard,
Sgt Philip M. Singleton,
F/O Robert Earle Sollers,
Sgt Joseph E. Ventress,
2nd Lt Reinhold W. Vergen,
S/Sgt Robert L. Wheatley.

Crew on board B-17 43-38080:
T/Sgt James S. Allman,
1st Lt Edward R. Ashton,
F/O George Y. Bowman,
Sgt John C. Connelly,
S/Sgt Bruce Shaffer Cook,
2nd Lt Donald A. Cornell,
S/Sgt John P. Folks Jr.,
2nd Lt John F. McNeill,
Sgt John Y. Nelson,
Sgt Harold R. Wieland.

The four-engine aircraft left RAF Polebrook on a bombing mission to Frankfurt. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field located 3 km southeast of Vlissingen. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (351st BG):
1st Lt Daniel D. Nauman, pilot,
2st Lt William R. Keister, copilot,
1st Lt Walter A. Blair, navigator,
S/Sgt Mario Suozzo, bombardier,
T/Sgt Foy A. Rush, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Robert F. Martin, radio operator,
S/Sgt William R. Towsley, air gunner,
S/Sgt Lewis W. Burgess Jr., air gunner,
S/Sgt Ralph G. Robeson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Willard O. Hunter, air gunner.

The four engine aircraft left RAF Polebrook at 1030LT on a 30 minutes flight to RAF Burtonwood. En route, the bomber hit the east slop of Berwyn ridge located northwest of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant. The wreckage was spotted few hours later. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and all 11 occupants were killed.
Crew (97th BG):
2nd Lt Henry L. Gilbert, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert Earl Beers, copilot,
2nd Lt Lawrence G. Schmitt, navigator,
2nd Lt Leonard Holm Phillips, bombardier,
M/Sgt Stanislas Lepa, air gunner,
S/Sgt Robert A. Kemp, radio operator,
Sgt Kenneth H. Branum, air gunner,
Sgt Wallace V. Sidders, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpl Marvin A. Koepke,
Cpl Stanley G. Aldridge,
Pvt Fidel A. Villarreal.

The airplane departed RAF Polebrook at 0903LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area at an altitude of 32,000 feet, the airplane was attacked by the pilots of two German fighters. The crew was able to evacuate the combat area and later initiated a descent to RAF Roborough located 6 km north of Plymouth. On approach, the airplane crashed near the airfield, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew (90th Squadron):
F/Sgt Sidney Ambrose, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Michael John Leahy, wireless operator, †
Sgt Harold Needle, wireless operator, †
P/O Sturmey,
P/O Franks,
P/O Mulligan,
F/S Goldsmith.

The airplane departed RAF Polebrook to complete a high altitude test flight. It entered very severe turbulences and this was followed by a structural failure of the right wing. The bomber entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Wilbarston, 4 miles weest of Corby. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (90th Squadron):
F/S Reginald G. Bradley,
F/S Hubert C. G. Brook,
Sgt Robert Henderson,
F/S Ronald C. A. Muir,
Sgt Philip S. Pugh,
Sgt Roy Smith.

The crew departed RAF Upwood on a low-level bombing exercise. After takeoff, the airplane suffered a loss of engine power and crashed two miles east of RAF Polebrook. Both crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O A. J. Taylor,
P/O T. E. Wootton.

The pilot departed RAF Polebrook on a local solo training exercise. Shortly after takeoff, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed near the airfield. The pilot was injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. H. Tolman, pilot.

The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Polebrook. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, one of the engine failed. The crew elected to return but was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft belly landed in a field and was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt G. H. Wood, pilot,
Sgt L. C. Crossley, observer,
Sgt T. Collier, wireless operator.