Calvados | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft departed RAF Thorney Island at 2200LT on August 18 on a raid over Caen Airfield. While cruising at night and in poor weather conditions, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Bayeux. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Bruce Reynolds, pilot,
Sgt William George Frederic Whiting, observer,
Sgt William Gaston Jules Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Dornier DO.18G near Caen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.18

Operator:

Flight Phase:

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MSN:

878

YOM:

1940

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On a transit flight to Brest, while cruising in the region of Caen, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. A crew was killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
Fw Willi Hagen, pilot,
Lt Siegfried Sott, observer, †
Uffz Raimund Hellmer, wireless operator,
Uffz Osmar Kreutzmann, mechanic.

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

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1940 at 1215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6639

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Thorney Island - Thorney Island

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The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on a reconnaissance mission over Le Havre. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Villerville. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Harold Rigby, pilot,
Sgt Donald Duncan Mackinnon, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Dewoitine D.338 in Ouistreham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dewoitine D.338

Operator:

Registration:

F-ARTD

Flight Phase:

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YOM:

1939

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While flying over the region of Caen, the three engine aircraft was mistakenly shot down by the French Flak. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing in a field located in Ouistreham. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both pilots were unhurt while the radio navigator André Descamps was killed.

Probable cause:

Mistakenly shot down by the French Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Bayeux: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3818

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Odiham - Odiham

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The airplane departed RAF Odiham on a reconnaissance mission over Northern France. It was shot down over Bayeux by enemy fire and crashed. A crew was killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Benjamin Everton-Jones, pilot,
Sgt George William Taplin, observer,
Sgt F. V. W. Thake, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Deauville

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1940 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8749

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1520LT on a bombing mission over German troops based in the area of Rouen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crash landed in a field in Deauville. All three crew members evacuated safely and evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Sims, pilot,
Sgt Vincent Joseph Swallow, observer,
Sgt F. J. A. Gower, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Potez 25A.2 in Tournay-sur-Odon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Potez 25

Operator:

Registration:

1973

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Caen - Caen

MSN:

1973

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The crew was completing a local training sortie out from Caen-Carpiquet Airport. In unclear circumstances, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located in Tournay-sur-Odon, about 13 km southwest of Caen-Carpiquet Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. The aircraft was coded 10.
Crew:
Sgt Gabriel Thénard, pilot,
Pvt Marcel Menant, air gunner.

Crash of a Potez 25A.2 in Fleury-sur-Orne: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1940 at 1750 LT

Type of aircraft:

Potez 25

Operator:

Registration:

2084

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Caen - Caen

MSN:

2084

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The crew departed Caen-Carpiquet Airport at 1710LT on a local gunnery/photo training flight. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, the pilot initiated hazardous manoeuvres when he lost control of the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Fleury-sur-Orne, some 5 km east of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and both occupants were killed. The aircraft was coded 31.
Crew:
Sgt/C André Simon, pilot,
Sgt René Brunet, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Pilot error.

Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 451B4 in Caen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1939 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 45 (451-459)

Operator:

Registration:

L-537

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Caen - Oerange

MSN:

YOM:

1939

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During the takeoff roll, at a speed of 70 km/h, the tail wheel lifted off when the airplane deviated 10° to the right. The crew attempted to correct this deviation but the aircraft veered off runway and eventually collided with a parked Bloch MB.210. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Cdt Jacques Leclerc de la Herverie, pilot, †
Sgt Pierre Beuvin, radio operator,
Sgt Michel Rozoy, mechanic,
S/Lt Emile Borgniet, navigator. †