Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF at RAF Great Massingham

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1942 at 0305 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5515
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local night training flight at RAF Great Massingham. For unknown reasons, the airplane overshot and crashed. A crew was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Albert Leonard Lush, pilot,
Sgt William Wallace Collens, observer,
Sgt Eric Walter Cole, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I in Hawling

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6436
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered a double engine failure in flight and crash landed in an open field in Hawling. It lost its undercarriage and collided with a hedge. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7568
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
131
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local night training exercise at RAF Waddington. After landing, the airplane failed to stop on the remaining distance, overran, hit a hedge and came to rest in a field. While all seven crew members escaped uninjured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (83th Squadron):
F/Sgt William Herbert Day, pilot +6.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF High Ercall

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1942 at 0255 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BB909
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
High Ercall - High Ercall
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local night training flight at RAF High Ercall. Upon landing, control was lost and the airplane veered off runway and collided with a parked Lysander. The pilot was seriously injured and the radio operator escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Great Yarmouth: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1489
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ingham - Ingham
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ingham at 2347LT on July 8 on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. Over the target area, it was badly shot about by the German Marine Flak. Nevertheless, the crew was able to leave the area and elected to return to England. Approaching the British coast, the airplane was ditched 26 km off Great Yarmouth. Four crew members were rescued and a fifth drowned.
Crew:
Sgt Leon Szychowiak, pilot,
F/O Eugeniusz Slomkowski, observer,
Sgt Benendykt Władysław Molik, wireless operator,
Sgt Zenon Jelonek, air gunner,
Sgt Jan Rawski, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Wellingore

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1942 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3669
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wellingore - Wellingore
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a local solo training flight at RAF Wellingore. Shortly after takeoff, one of the engine lost power. The airplane stalled and crashed near the airfield and was destroyed. The pilot was rescued.
Crew:
F/Sgt Donald Irvine Grant, pilot.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Upwood

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1942 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1197
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
MSN:
8480
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a local solo training flight at RAF Upwood. In unclear circumstances, the airplane crashed upon landing and came to rest against a second Blenheim registered L9328. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt R. M. Overns, pilot.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Llangrove: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2962
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Edgehill - Edgehill
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Edgehill on a cross country training exercise with a crew of six on board. As they were about to cross into the high ground of the Welsh leg of the course, with the weather being bright sunshine and no winds, they were flying at 5,000 feet, with Goodrich Castle below, they suddenly power in the starboard engine which stopped completely with the propeller in the full position. They tried to feather the propeller, but it refused to move and began to windmill. The aircraft began to rapidly loose height and started a turn to starboard due to the drag created by the dead engine and propeller. Ahead on a slight rise lay the village of Llangrove. The crew tried to gain height but as they crossed over the village, the starboard wing sliced into the high Popular trees in the churchyard, they had enough force to swing the doomed bomber to starboard and after narrowly missing a full school below next to the churchyard, the amazed children in the school yard saw the Wellington disappear over the hedge opposite and crashing into the field beyond. Two crew members were killed as well as two people on the ground. Four other crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Henry Stuart Bush, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Jack McKean, observer, †
Sgt T. Baycroft, wireless operator,
Sgt L. C. Baker, air gunner,
Sgt A. Hill, air gunner,
Sgt H. A. E. Hill, air gunner.
The civilians who were killed were:
Reverend Frank Reginald Easton,
Mrs Sarah Watkins.
Probable cause:
Failure of the starboard engine.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near RAF Watton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5851
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training sortie out from RAF Bodney. While engaged in a low level bombing exercise, the airplane impacted trees and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Brown Graham Heron, pilot,
F/Sgt George Douglas Maluish, observer,
Sgt George Edward Step, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Oare: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1597
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall to lay mines off Lorient. While returning to base at night, it descended below the clouds when it impacted trees and crashed in hilly terrain near Oare. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick Louis Murphy, pilot,
F/Sgt Cecil Baker Smith, pilot,
P/O Ivan Thomas Hugh Evans, observer,
F/Sgt John Gordon Holmes, wireless operator,
F/Sgt James McMillan Ferguson, air gunner,
WO Clayton Penrose Lindon Brown, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.