Region
Europe
code

UK

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Alconbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1942 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Alconbury AFB
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Alconbury. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 50 feet, the right engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the airbase. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt P. C. Thompson, pilot,
P/O Robert Travers O'Neill, observer, †
Sgt J. C. Williams, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Feltwell

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1942 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3746
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Location:
Feltwell AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Feltwell. At night, the airplane crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt A. H. Davies,
Sgt S. F. O. Blackmore,
Sgt G. E. C. Marwick,
F/Sgt Popple,
P/O Kenyon.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off RAF Turnberry: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
L4515
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Turnberry - Turnberry
MSN:
8376
YOM:
1940
Location:
Turnberry AFB
Ayrshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Turnberry on a local solo training flight. The airplane failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed into the sea off the airbase. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Howard Roy Fidgin, pilot.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Retford: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1942 at 1608 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6088
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Location:
Retford
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach on a cross-country navigation exercise. Passing over Retford, it entered a right hand spiral with the port wing ablaze. The port wing then broke away and the bomber crashed in a field and was destroyed. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Milan Roy Scansie, pilot,
Sgt Ernest William Morris, flight engineer,
F/Sgt James Brian Tomlinson,
Sgt David Barr Robinson, observer,
Sgt Raymond George Le Blanc, bomb aimer,
Sgt Jack Titterton Smith, wireless operator,
Sgt Roland Percival Broadbridge, air gunner,
F/Sgt Harry Leverne Johnson, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Caldwell: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1942 at 1105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
BB199
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Caldwell
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a test flight with eight crew members on board. The airplane crashed at 1105LT in Caldwell following a fire in the port inner engine, which quickly spread to engulf the entire wing structure. As no feathering pumps had been fitted, the crew were unable to control the propeller on the burning motor. In the last few seconds of flight, the Halifax smashed through some tall trees, which tore off the rear turret and mortally injured Sgt Hoskins, before crashing in a meadow. The pilot was injured.
Crew:
P/O R. L. Perry,
Sgt H. Coates,
F/Sgt R. Scott,
Sgt R. W. F. Painter,
P/O R. M. Craine,
Sgt L. D. Richardson,
Sgt Bertie Frederick Hoskins, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near RAF Leuchars: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5765
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leuchars - Leuchars
Location:
Leuchars AFB
Fife
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a target practice exercise at the Tentsmuir Range near RAF Leuchars when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Irvine Mair, pilot,
Ac1 William Frederick Dunbar, mechanic,
F/Sgt Douglas William Campbell, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Sunderland: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z6175
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Sunderland
Tyne and Wear
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Aberdeen-Dyce Airport on a navigation training exercise. En route, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in Sunderland. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
Sgt George Stanley Brocklington, pilot, †
Sgt James Dallas Moller, wireless operator, †
Sgt A. C. Sallis.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV at RAF Middle Wallop: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1261
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Middle Wallop - Middle Wallop
Location:
Middle Wallop AFB
Hampshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF Middle Wallop. Almost immediately after takeoff, the bomber crashed and collided with a hangar. A crew was killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt James McMurdie,
Sgt P. F. Wolland,
Sgt A. V. Henshaw,
Sgt E. T. Edwards,
F/Sgt D. Smith.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Brisley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1942 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5455
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Brisley
Norfolk
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 RAF West Raynham at 2338LT on an intruder operation. Less than an hour later, the crew reported an engine failure when the airplane went out of control and crashed in Brisley. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Stuart Graham, pilot,
Sgt Michael Henry Beaufoy, observer,
Sgt Leslie Frederick Harrowell, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Hough-on-the-Hill: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1942 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7283
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Hough-on-the-Hill
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham on a night training exercise with a crew of three on board. Shortly after midnight, one of the engines began to misfire. From a height of 750 feet, the air gunner bailed out and landed in a tree from where he was rescued. Meanwhile, the pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed onto a cottage located in Hough-on-the-Hill. Both crew members as well as two people (Mr. John Ayto and Mrs Annie Sophia Ayto) leaving in the cottage were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Kenneth Jones, pilot,
Sgt Herbert Dawson, observer,
Sgt George Bernard Crawford, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.
Subscribe to United Kingdom