Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Sumburgh: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
R9438
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kinloss - Sumburgh
Location:
Sumburgh
Shetland (Zetland)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kinloss to attack the German battleship Tirpitz moored in the Fættenfjord northeast of Trondheim. While returning to base at Sumburgh, the crew encountered poor visibility. On final approach to the airfield, the airplane crashed on the 1,000 feet high Fitful Head located about 5 km northwest of the airport. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Joseph Bryan Bushby, pilot,
Sgt Anthony John Peach, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Noel Edward Powell, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Meredith, flight engineer,
P/O Moses Lewis Usher, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Peter Burton Buckley, wireless operator,
Sgt John Allan Wood, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Out Skerries: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5433
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Out Skerries (Grunay Island)
Shetland (Zetland)
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh Airport on a maritime patrol flight off the Norwegian coast. While returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on Grunay Island when the airplane crashed and burnt. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Charles Douglas Grant Brown, pilot,
F/Sgt James Henry Oliver, observer,
Sgt Thomas William Coy, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Trondheim: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
N3528
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Trondheim
Sør-Trøndelag
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh on a reconnaissance mission over the Trondheim area. While approaching the city, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Kenneth Ian Mackenzie, pilot,
Sgt James William Barrie Craig, observer,
AC2 Herbert John Twinn. air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Saint Abbs

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L9456
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Saint Abbs
Berwickshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While returning to Sumburgh, the crew was forced to ditch the airplane off St Abbs due to fuel exhaustion. All three crew members were rescued. The aircraft was recovered but was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O Richard Haviland, pilot,
P/O M. L Wells, observer,
Sgt Archibald Kay, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1940 at 1720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
N7377
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
MSN:
414-1773
YOM:
1940
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Sumburgh on a maritime patrol flight. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.110 and crashed into the sea off the Shetland Islands. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Munro Buchanan, pilot,
P/O Loris Jardine Ernest Ewing, pilot,
Sgt Donald Clifford Sinclair, observer,
Sgt Robert Glenday Ireland, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1940 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
P6950
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
MSN:
9460
YOM:
1940
Location:
Stavanger-Sola
Rogaland
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh on a raid over German positions in Norway. Approaching Stavanger-Sola Airport, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. Two crew members bailed out and survived while a third was killed.
Crew:
P/O Vincent James Pattison, pilot, †
Sgt R. D. McLaren, observer,
Sgt A. P. Savage, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1940 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8842
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Bergen
Hordaland
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh Airport on a raid over Bergen. Approaching the Norwegian Coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 50 km west of Bergen. A crew member was killed and two others were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Albert W. Tubbs, pilot,
Sgt Robert Alexander McVeigh, observer, †
Sgt Arthur C. Johnstone, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Stavanger: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1940 at 1425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3622
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Stavanger
Rogaland
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh at 1248LT to attack enemy ships between Stavanger and Bergen. It was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea. Two crew were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Arthur Joseph Hill, pilot,
Sgt George William Henry Kendall, †
Sgt Richard Charles Trowbridge. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1940 at 1425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
N3604
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Østhusvik
Rogaland
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh at 1248 to attack enemy ships between Stavanger and Bergen. It was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Østhusvik. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Percival Gordon Cory, pilot,
Sgt David Ferguson Sharpe Campbell, observer,
Sgt Francis George Kinghan, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1940 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3826
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Sumburgh - Sumburgh
Location:
Stavanger-Sola
Rogaland
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Sumburgh to bomb the airport of Stavanger-Sola. Approaching the target, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh Glanvor Hughes, pilot,
Sgt James F. Borrows, observer,
Sgt Stanley Longstaff, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Subscribe to Sumburgh