Country
Malta

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Filfla Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z9725
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Filfla Island
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Luqa on a maritime patrol operation along the Libyan coast. While returning to base at the end of the afternoon, the airplane was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea off Filfla Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Gordon Russell Cameron, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Desmond Fletcher, observer,
Sgt George Hancock, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Martin 167 Maryland I off Valetta: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1942 at 1245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin 167 Maryland
Operator:
Registration:
AR721
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Valetta
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on a combat mission off the Maltese coast. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed into the sea off Valetta. Two crew members were killed and a third was rescued.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Noel Dowland, pilot, †
P/O Arnold Potter, observer,
P/O Robert Victor Gridley, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Luqa

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
M7+AK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1346
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a Hurricane and crashed off Luqa. All four crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Oblt Viktor Schnez, pilot,
Fw Arnold Ulrich, observer,
Ogfr Gerhard Heppe, radio operator,
Fw Geinrich Fresse, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Luqa: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1586
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crash landed in the sea off Luqa. A crew was killed.
Crew.
Fw Max Koch, observer. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Luqa: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
M7+AL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3571
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Luqa. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Georg Lust, pilot,
Ofw Bruno Stötzer, observer,
Uffz Alfred Hechter, radio operator,
Ogefr Wilhelm Steinkamp, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Valetta: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
M7+HH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
3594
Location:
Valetta
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Valetta, killing the entire crew.
Crew.
Uffz Werner Lessner, pilot,
Gefr Josef Diesenbach, observer,
Gefr Karl-Heinz Beckenau, radio operator,
Gefr Herbert Mitlerer, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Luqa: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7511
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Luqa. Shortly after liftoff, one of the engine caught fire. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the airfield. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Samuel McAllister, pilot, †
Sgt Edward Harry Brenton, observer, †
Sgt W. E. Martin, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Engine fire upon takeoff.

Crash of a Supermarine Walrus I off Kalafrana

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Supermarine Walrus
Operator:
Registration:
L2182
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Birżebbuġa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane hit swell while taking off from Kalafrana harbor and nosed over. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Martin 167 Maryland in Luqa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Martin 167 Maryland
Operator:
Registration:
AR739
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Luqa
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Luqa Airport, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured. The only survivor died the next day from injuries sustained.
Crew:
F/Lt Paul Raymond Wylde, pilot,
Sgt Richard Saxby Mutimer, observer,
F/Sgt Campbell Clark, wireless operator.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-5 in Malta: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
1H+FM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
3858
Location:
Malta
Malta
Country:
Malta
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in Malta, killing all five crew members.
Crew:
Lt Eberhard Möller, pilot, †
Fw Hans Peick, observer, †
Uffz Franz Zech, radio operator, †
Uffz Herbert Hindenburg, mechanic, †
Gefr Johann Oles, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
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