Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM876
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wick - Wick
MSN:
414-2958
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Wick Airport at 1133LT on a maritime patrol flight along the Norwegian coast. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt David Frank Walker, pilot,
P/O John Thomas Watterson Kelly, observer,
Sgt Douglas Leonard Bennett, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Birtwhistle, air gunner.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88D-1 into the Atlantic Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A6+OH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stavanger - Stavanger
MSN:
1521
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Stavanger-Sola Airport on an operation over the Atlantic Ocean. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the sea off the Faroe Islands. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Uffz Hubert Braun, pilot,
Oblt Paul Schmidt, observer,
Uffz Rickard Preiss, radio operator,
Uffz Lee Hager, air gunner.

Crash of a Macchi C.100 off Cagliari

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-PLUS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cagliari - Lido di Ostia
MSN:
4159
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The three engine floatplane departed Cagliari on a flight to Lido di Ostia near Rome. Shortly after takeoff, it crashed for unknown reasons into the sea. There were no casualties among the occupants. The airplane was operated on behalf of Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria with the military registration MM60418.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Donegal: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W3977
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Enniskillen - Enniskillen
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The floatplane departed Enniskillen on a maritime patrol flight. In unknown circumstances, it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Donegal. The wreckage was found but no trace of the 12 crew members.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/Lt Francis Wilfred Smith,
P/O John Percival Bartlett,
F/O Rodney Wyben Smith,
F/O Henry Kitchin,
F/Sgt Harold Stanislaus Mason,
F/Sgt Norman Clare,
F/Sgt John Frederick Charles Smith,
Sgt Arnold Alfred Rolfe,
Sgt Hugh Jones,
Sgt Kenneth Charles Nutt,
Sgt Gordon Walter Eric Jacobson,
LAC Eric Hopkinson.

Crash of a Dornier DO.24T-1 into the Atlantic Ocean

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
KK+VB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
23
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane crashed for unknown reasons in the Atlantic Ocean, some 900 km west of La Rochelle and sank. All crew members were injured and rescued.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Palermo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z9812
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an operation to the harbor of Palermo. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Frederick John Workman, pilot,
P/O Kenneth James Edward Smethurst, observer,
Sgt Vivian Thomas Lewis, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Cape Zafferano: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z9806
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an operation to the harbor of Palermo. Flying along the north coast of Sicily, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Cape Zafferano. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr William Rattray Selkirk, pilot, †
P/O Frederick Clifford Ashley, observer, †
Sgt Sydney Phillips, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas B-18 Bolo off Surabaya: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
36-338
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bandung – Malang
MSN:
1726
YOM:
1936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
En route from Bandung to Malang, the twin engine airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and crashed into the sea off Surabaya. Two crew members were rescued while five other occupants were killed. The next day, both survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Maj Austin A. Straubel, pilot,
Lt Russell Marshall Smith, copilot,
S/Sgt George W. Pickett, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Lt Glenn Harold Boes,
Maj Joseph Adair Burch,
Lt Erwin Roy Kriel,
Col William Herbert Murphy.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Morgat: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7472
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1845LT on January 31 on an operation to Brest. While returning to base on the following night, the bomber was shot down by the German Flak. A crew member bailed out but his parachute failed to deploy and he was killed. Later, the airplane crash landed in the sea off Morgat and was lost. A second crew member drowned while six others became PoW.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Sgt Stephen Joseph MacLean, †
Sgt Geoffrey Herbert Marshall, †
F/Lt Ronald Duncan Fraser,
Sgt Albert William Hadley,
F/Lt William Hugh Hannigan,
Sgt Brian Henderson Mullen,
F/Sgt William Hugh Shorrock,
F/Sgt Thomas William Walsh.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off IJmuiden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE649
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Coates - North Coates
MSN:
414-3002
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Coates to search for enemy shipping. While flying along the Dutch coast, it crashed on a German merchant vessel near IJmuiden. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Walter Jaggard, pilot, †
P/O Hubert Jack Parker, †
Sgt William John Palmer,
Sgt Douglas Sykes.