Cambridgeshire

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Downham Market - Downham Market

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The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1755LT on November 7 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel. The crew diverted to RAF Oakington but the airplane crashed on approach in Madingley, some 5 km south of the airfield. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt L. T. Richards, pilot,
P/O M. Winfield,
Sgt J. A. Cowell,
Sgt R. Helmer,
Sgt J. E. Odendaal,
Sgt T. J. Harvey,
Sgt A. E. Clark.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Upwood: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

T1931

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Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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The crew departed RAF Upwood on a local training exercise. Just after liftoff, one of the engine failed. The airplane lost height and descended into trees nearby the airfield, bursting into flames. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Partridge, pilot,
Sgt William Robert Hopcraft, observer,
Sgt Frederick Mac Coy Poole, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Somersham: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1942 at 1930 LT

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Registration:

X3811

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Schedule:

Warboys - Warboys

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The airplane departed RAF Warboys at 1910LT on an operation to Aachen. After takeoff, it iced up and was abandoned after a fire broke up. All five crew members parachuted and were injured while the airplane dove into the ground and crashed onto the village of Somersham. Seven houses were destroyed and 11 people were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Thomas Edward Case, pilot,
F/Sgt H. W. Welch,
Sgt H. A. McLennan,
Sgt E. Cuthbert,
F/Sgt P. Y. C. Tremblay.
Those killed on ground were:
Ena Stroud,
Violet Moule,
Vera Cattenach,
Pauline Cattenach,
Eliza Nightingale,
Juliana Davis,
Annie Holdich,
Elsie May Taylor,
Elizabeth Richardson,
Alice Lamb,
Frank Lamb.

Probable cause:

An uncontrollable fire, thought to be a flare, broke out on board the airplane, forcing the crew to bail out.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Upwood

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942 at 1600 LT

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Registration:

L9328

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Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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The pilot departed RAF Upwood at 1555LT on a local solo training flight. Five minutes later, the airplane belly landed about 300 metres from the airfield and was damaged beyond repair. The pilot escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt F. Armit, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Upwood: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

V6315

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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The crew departed RAF Upwood on a local training exercise. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 350 feet, the left engine failed. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed 1,5 km from the airbase. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt George Darbyshire, pilot,
P/O Francis Leslie Austin, observer,
Sgt Frank Alfred Reeve, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Wittering

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1942 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5724

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Schedule:

Syerston - Syerston

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The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2020LT on September 24 on a mine laying operation. It was hit by the German Flak near Viborg and extensively damaged. Soon after this incident, the Lancaster was engaged by two night fighters, but despite great difficulties both fighters were beaten off and the aircraft was crash-landed at 0430LT at RAF Wittering. All seven crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt P. Campbell, pilot,
Sgt L. D. Gunnell, pilot,
Sgt E. H. Corbett, navigator,
Sgt F. C. Bunclark, bomb aimer,
Sgt C. H. Coakley, wireless operator,
Sgt S. Smith, air gunner,
Sgt S. J. Thompson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Upwood

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

R3591

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Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

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The crew departed RAF Upwood on a local training flight. Shortly after liftoff, the left engine failed. The airplane lost height and crashed 1,5 km west of the airbase. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
W/Cdr Cyril Carlile Hodder, pilot,
P/O R. Watkin,
F/Sgt Robert Henry Longhorn.

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Upwood

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L4891

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Upwood - Upwood

MSN:

8906

YOM:

1939

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The pilot was engaged in a local solo training flight at RAF Upwood. During the takeoff roll, the airplane started to swing then went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a tractor. The pilot escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt Beverley Morton Harvey, pilot.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Waterbeach

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1942 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BF352

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site: