Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator in Libya: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 1400 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-24301
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Soluch - Soluch
MSN:
1096
YOM:
1943
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Following a bombing mission over Naples, Italy, the aircraft failed to return to its base in Soluch, Libya. During the back trip, the crew radioed he lost his automatic direction finder and requested ground vector. Due to poor visibility, the crew overflew Soluch Airport and continued to the south. Two hours later, due to fuel exhaustion, the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The four-engine aircraft continued for 26 km to the south before crashing in the Calanshio Sand Sea, about 710 km southeast of Soluch. USAF authorities thought that the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean sea and the SAR operations were unable to find any trace of the aircraft or the crew. On November 9, 1958, a British oil exploration team located the crash site for the first time. Five bodies were found in May 1960 dozen km away from the wreckage.
Probable cause:
According to the Graves Registration Service, the aircraft flew on a 150 degree course toward Benina Airfield (Soluch Airport). The craft radioed for a directional reading from the HF/DF station at Benina and received a reading of 330 degrees from Benina. The actions of the pilot in flying 440 miles into the desert, however, indicate the navigator probably took a reciprocal reading off the back of the radio directional loop antenna from a position beyond and south of Benina but on course. The pilot flew into the desert, thinking he was still over the Mediterranean and on his way to Benina.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Texel: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4894
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Warboys on April 3rd on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While returning to its base following an uneventful mission and while overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the Lake Wadden, ten miles east of Texel. All seven crew were killed. Few debris of the aircraft were found in 1989.
Crew (156th Squadron):
F/Sgt Reginald Anderson Byass, pilot,
Sgt G. R. Minns, flight engineer,
F/O Gregory James Black, observer,
Sgt Norman Ray Thurecht, bomb aimer,
Sgt Russell Seymour Trigwell, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt D. L. Robertson, air gunner,
Sgt S. E. Crooks, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AJ169
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Methwold - Methwold
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Methwold at 1800LT to attack the docks at Rotterdam. While approaching the Dutch coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the North Sea some 40 miles off shore. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (464th Squadron):
Sgt A. L. Lush, pilot,
W/O W. W. Collens, navigator,
F/Sgt E. W. Cole, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt D. F. Fulford, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson IIIA in Timika: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A16-169
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-6098
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Whilst on a low level bombing mission on the enemy airstrip of Timika, the aircraft, at 200 feet halfway down the strip, was seen to have red flash on port side of fuselage. The Pilot pulled upward and turned to starboard and was seen in controlled flight. 500 yards on, the aircraft was sen to dive and crashed, killing all five crew members.
Crew (2nd Squadron):
S/L M. C. Burns,
P/O L. R. Jope,
Sgt K. Jones,
Sgt R. J. Johnstone,
Sgt A. A. Dean.
Source: http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Gavutu Island

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
08136
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gavutu – Luganville
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a combat mission over the Gavutu Island, the aircraft was returning to its base in Luganville with nine crew members on board. Shortly after take off, the pilot initiated a sharp turn when both engines stopped. He attempted an emergency landing but the seaplane hit the water surface 1,2 km off shore and came to rest. While all nine crew members could evacuate and were rescued, the aircraft sunk by 60 feet deep and was lost.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the engine failed during a sharp turn because water in the tank sucked into the carburetors.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator into the Mediterranean Sea: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-11798
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Benghazi - Benghazi
MSN:
294
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew left Benghazi Airport in the day to attack enemy ships in the harbor of Naples. En route, the four-engine aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Woodstock: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1480
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1480
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While returning to Australia following a bombing mission, the captain was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The twin engine aircraft crash landed near Woodstock and was damaged beyond repair. Seven crew members were unhurt while the eight occupant died from head injuries when he fell out of the tail section.
Crew (22nd BG):
Cpt Harry O. Patteson, pilot,
Pvt Emil H. Erickson. †
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
DT567
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching the Dutch coast, the bomber went out of control and crashed into the sea. All seven crew were killed.
Crew (51st Squadron):
F/Sgt R. E. Dorman,
Sgt A. R. Harding,
P/O A. L. Holmes,
Sgt P. J. McAleese,
Sgt J. G. Ramshaw,
Sgt G. Tombe,
P/O J. E. Ulrich.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III off Texel: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED431
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fiskerton - Fiskerton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Fiskerton in the evening on a bombing mission over Essen. While approaching the Dutch coast by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea, about 15 km off Texel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (49th Squadron):
Sgt James Myles Thom, pilot,
Sgt David Gow Fairlie, flight engineer,
F/S John Henry Prior, navigator,
F/S Kenneth Bolton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Douglas Stuart Bratt, air gunner,
W/O Alexander Manson Horne, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Harry Liddon Vines, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder off Adamantas: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FK139
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Shallufa - Shallufa
MSN:
7387
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Shallufa Airbase at 1240LT to attack ships cruising off Milos Island. While approaching the target, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed into the bay off Adamantas. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (14th Squadron):
F/Sgt Basil Herbert Yarwood, pilot,
Sgt H. Walker,
F/Sgt E. T. H. MacLean,
F/Sgt R. G. Davies,
Sgt F. Gotheridge,
Sgt W. J. E. Glenn.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.