Lichfield AFB (Fradley)

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

L7815

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

Lichfield AFB (Fradley)

Staffordshire

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield at 2331LT on an operation to Bremen. Nine minutes after takeoff, while climbing, the crew informed ground he encountered technical problems with the left engine and elected to return. While turning on final, the airplane stalled and crashed few km short of runway, bursting into flames. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (27th OTU):
Sgt William John Percival Fletcher, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Albert Turnbull,
Sgt Frederick William Lewis, observer,
Sgt James Gordon Milne,
Sgt Fairfield Thompson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Huldenberg: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0317 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

DV552

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield at 2341LT on July 31 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Huldenberg, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Mervyn George McNeil, pilot,
Sgt Clifford Douglas Luedeke,
Sgt Owen Morgan,
Sgt Charles Henry Robert McKee,
F/O Arthur Frederick Richard Nash,
Sgt John Daniel O'Halloran.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Bracht: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1526

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

Bracht

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield at 2327LT on July 31 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Approaching the target area, it was probably shot down by the German Flak and is believed to have crashed near Bracht. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Eric Walker, pilot,
W/O Andrew Steel Patterson, observer,
F/Sgt John Knight Stone, wireless operator,
F/Lt Alexander William Court, air gunner,
F/Sgt Norman Keith Judd.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC on Mt Carnedd Dafydd: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1942 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

DV800

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield in the morning on a cross country navigation exercise on behalf of the 27 Operational Training Unit. While cruising over the north part of Wales, the crew failed to realize that the airplane was off course by 16 km north from the intended route. After noon, it is believed that the pilot decided to descent below the clouds, most probably to ascertain his position, when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Carnedd Dafydd located in the Snowdonia. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Rupert Theodore Bannister, pilot,
Sgt Richard Ivor Bowen, observer,
Sgt Eric Harvey Longbottom,
Sgt Lionel Denis Traylen, observer,
Sgt Samuel James Wilson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Milford Haven: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1942 at 0235 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2749

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield on a cross country exercise with a crew of six on board. While passing over Pembrokeshire at night, one of the engine failed. The airplane lost altitude then stalled and crashed on the dock building of the fish docks in Milford Haven, bursting into flames. All six crew members were killed. There were no injuries on ground.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Henry Charles Steinbach,
Sgt Keith James Bradley,
Sgt William Harry Condon,
Sgt Maurice Cooke, air gunner,
Sgt Edward Douglas Reginald Jennings,
Sgt George Ernest Warburton.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC on Rud Hill

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z8980

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a night navigation exercise. Few minutes after its departure from RAF Lichfield, the airplane impacted the slope of Rud Hill located near Sheffield. While all five occupants were injured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (27th OTU):
Sgt Thomas Frank Thompson, pilot,
P/O John William Moore, navigator,
Sgt Joseph Howe Levett, navigator,
Sgt Kennington John Hythe Harris, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Jacob Henry Roden, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew reportedly misidentified the town of Nottingham for Leicester. Navigational error.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1162

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

Country:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield at 2247LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Thomas Fraser Lamb, pilot,
Sgt Neville Holt Cox, observer,
Sgt James Bruce Mathers, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Hastings Poynting, wireless operator,
Sgt James Murray Synnott, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Sautour: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z8901

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lichfield - Lichfield

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lichfield at 2241LT to drop leaflefts in the Lille region. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Sautour, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt George Anthony Dale, pilot,
Sgt Walter James Jewell, observer,
Sgt Arthur William Greer, wireless operator,
Sgt Wilfred George Mutton, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric Charles Inder, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Hamoir: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

X9635

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site: