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

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3672
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Oakington. After landing, while trying to avoid a collision with a tractor, the undercarriage collapsed. All crew members escaped uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt W. J. Runciman,
F/O C. W. Gwilliam,
Sgt R. W. Pratt,
Sgt E. W. Weston,
Sgt Harry Kirkland,
Lt H. N. Denny,
Sgt F. W. Bryant.

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

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3668
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wyton - Alconbury
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on a training exercise to RAF Alconbury. On final approach, a wing dropped and the airplane crashed short of runway. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt L. E. Lucas.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Brest: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7428
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on an operation to Brest. Over the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109, caught fire and crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Bunce,
P/O Roland Niall Chancellor,
Sgt David Ferguson,
Sgt Kenneth Ainslie Jeffreys,
Sgt Patrick George Osman,
F/Sgt James Lloyd Ruthven,
Sgt Robert Shearer,
F/Sgt Wilfred Wooldridge.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Plouguerneau: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3665
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 0950LT on an operation to Brest. Last seen over the target with smoke pouring from one engine and trying to repel a strong fighter attack. Believed to have crashed near Plouguerneau, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt John Francis Bente,
F/Sgt Raymond Exelby,
F/Sgt Clarence Phillip Goulding,
F/Lt Gilbert Gresley Heathcote,
F/Sgt William Henry O'Neill,
Sgt David Glass Penman,
F/Sgt Jack Peters,
P/O Charles Leslie Smith.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I Off Brest: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3680
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 0940LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Nicholas Frederick Durban,
F/Lt Bernard Parnell,
Sgt John Henry Martin Pulford,
Sgt Maurice Anthony Sullivan,
Sgt Kenneth Roy Taylor,
F/Sgt Ronald Wheatley,
Sgt Terence Patrick Wright.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Plouguerneau: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7436
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 0948LT on an operation to Brest. It was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed in Plouguerneau. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Lionel William Vaughan Jennens, pilot,
F/Sgt Walter Merrill Baker, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Towns, air gunner, †
Sgt Frank Valentine Davis,
Sgt Frank Kendall Lister,
Sgt Edmund Vere Smith,
Sgt John Charles Webb.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3701
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington on an Air Sea Rescue mission. It returned to base in marginal weather conditions and the pilot landed, by mistake, downwind. After touchdown, the airplane collided with an obstacle which smashed the bomber's undercarriage, causing damage that was deemed to be beyond economical repair.
Crew:
S/L D. J. H. Lay +6.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

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

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1941 at 1225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7450
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton in an attempt to bomb the Ruhr using cloud cover. It turned back with failing engines and crashed at 1225LT following a heavy landing at RAF Warboys. All eight crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt J. F. Barron,
Sgt Shepherd,
Sgt Cunningham,
P/O V. A. Mulhall,
Sgt Styles,
Sgt Taylor,
Sgt Coen,
Sgt Jackson.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Boxworth

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1941 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7456
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a training flight out from RAF Mildenhall, a fire developed in one of the starboard engines and the airplane crash landed at 1215LT at Boxworth. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
P/O C. Lofthouse +4.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

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

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7446
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After completing a training exercise, the airplane landed at RAF Oakington on wet runway and while turning sharply to avoid running into an aircraft parked on a dispersal pan, the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
P/O M. W. Hardstaff +3.
Probable cause:
The undercarriage collapsed after landing.