Crash of a De Havilland DH.86 Express in Neffatia

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK829
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
2305
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The undercarriage collapsed after the airplane landed near Neffatia while on an ambulance service. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.

Crash of a Martin B-26B Marauder in Le Sers: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-17840
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Teleghma - Teleghma
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Approaching the target area at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Le Sers, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
2nd Lt Harry F. Pardee, pilot,
2nd Lt James Francis Sugrue, copilot +4.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88C-6 in Bizerte: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R4+AC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
360226
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in Bizerte. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Horst Patuschka, pilot,
Ofw Alois Negele, radio operator,
Uffz Gerhard Hentschel, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Amiot AAC.1 Toucan in Tunis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NI+MH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
10009
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
In unknown circumstances, the three engine airplane collided with a Luftwaffe JU.52 registered CH+HO that was carrying 13 people. Both airplanes crashed in Tunis and were destroyed. All five crew members were killed as well as 12 people in the second airplane.
Crew:
Obfw Josef Brandl, pilot,
Obfw Peter Kleim, mechanic,
Uffz Arne Assmus, radio operator,
Uffz Willi Plevka, air gunner,
Uffz Walter Haug.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Tunis: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CH+CO
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
6040
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
In unknown circumstances, the three engine airplane collided with a Luftwaffe Amiot AAC.1 Toucan registered NI+MH that was carrying a crew of five. Both airplanes crashed and were destroyed. Among the 13 occupants, only one crew member survived. All five occupants of the second airplane were also killed.
Crew:
Uffz Ludwig Buchholz, pilot, †
Uffz Alois Offenberger, radio operator, †
Fw Willi Schröer, mechanic, †
Uffz Rudolf Luthe, observer, †
Obfw Lindner, radio operator.

Crash of a North American B-25C-1 Mitchell in Tunis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-13046
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berteaux - Berteaux
MSN:
82-5681
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Berteaux AFB on an operation to the Tunis-Carthage Airport (El Aouina). Approaching the target area at a height of 200 feet, it was shot down by ground fire. The pilot managed to gain the altitude of 1,000 feet when two crew members were able to bail out. Shortly later, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed. Three other crew members were killed.
Those killed were:
1st Lt Robert D. McDougall,
S/Sgt Matthew P. DeLuca,
Cpl Harrison J. Hodnett +2.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg6e in Tunis: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
8T+EK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3048
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane was apparently shot down by enemy fire and crashed at Tunis Airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Rudolf Troppa, pilot,
Uffz Karl Teubert, radio operator,
Fw Heinz Gast, mechanic,
Uffz Josef Kneissle, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim V in Tunis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BA731
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Canrobert - Canrobert
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Canrobert Airfield on an operation to Tunis. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew.
F/O Martin Stanley Morris, pilot,
Sgt Findlay London Mills, observer,
W/O Raymond Marsden, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder off Tunis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK366
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Berka III - Berka III
MSN:
7430
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Berka III in Benghazi on a mine laying operation in the Gulf of Tunis. Approaching the target area, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in into the Gulf of Tunis. The pilot was rescued and became PoW while all five other crew members were killed.
Crew (39th Squadron):
P/O John Trueman Willis, pilot,
F/Sgt Samuel Hart Porteous, copilot, †
F/O Eric William Barr, observer, †
F/O Peter Benson Martell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert Frank Ford, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Frank Barratt, air gunner. †

Crash of a Martin B-26B-1 Marauder in Tunis: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-17759
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Teleghma - Teleghma
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Teleghma Airfield, Algeria, on an operation to Tunis. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Tunis Lake, just south of Tunis Airport. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Ellis E. Arnold, pilot,
Col Charles T. Phillips, copilot,
1st Lt Robert B. Jenkins, navigator,
Sgt John R. Brdeja, flight engineer,
Sgt Joseph Johnson Jr., radio operator,
Sgt Maurice L. Cohen, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.