Training

A few days prior to 27 October 1943, USAAF Major Allen and RCAF Flight Commander F/O Taylor discussed making an "air fighting practice flight" where they would spend an afternoon "chasing each other around for a while". The plan was that they would start their flights at a sufficient distance from each other that neither would have an advantage, then they would turn into each other as if to attack. It was agreed that in the case of head on attacks, they would break away to port. On 27 October 1943, F/O Taylor in an RCAF Hurricane and a crew of four including Major Allen in an A-20C (registration unknown) took off just before 1700 GMT and flew south west of the aerodrome. According to the testimony of F/O Taylor, when we turned in at approximately 3,000 yds. apart it placed us at a position head on to one another – I, slightly below the Boston; the Boston as diving and I as climbing through about 200 ft. As the distance between us decreased to about 300 yds. the Boston pulled up gradually and turned slightly to port while I turned slightly to port also; it was here I thought we had ample clearance. Then at about 100 yds. the Boston made a rapid and very decisive movement downwards, as if, in my opinion, he was either fixing his sights on me or had lost me for an instant. The upward movement, although begun, was never completed because it was at this instant that our wings collided. We were both turning slightly to port when this movement or manœuvre occurred. As the aircraft brushed right wings, the wing immediately broke off of the Hurricane and the aircraft went into a tight spin. The pilot abandoned the aircraft and parachuted to safety. The other aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
Maj Sobey F. Allen, pilot,
2nd Lt Jack K. Schaffner, bombardier,
Sgt Pless E. Moore Jr., radio operator,
Pvt George M. Haynes, gunner.
Source & photo: Lisa Daly

A formation of four Consolidated Liberator left Fairmont AFB in the afternoon for a training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet, the crew of 42-7657 decided to leave the formation. Crew of the 42-7673 received the order to take the vacant place. During this process, the top of the tail of 42-7657 hit the other aircraft. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located near Millingan. While the copilot of 42-7673 bailed out and was later found unhurt, all 17 other occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew of 42-7673:
2nd Lt James H. Williams, pilot, †
2nd Lt Melvin Klein, copilot,
2nd Lt William E. Herzog, navigator, †
2nd Lt Kenneth S. Ordway, bombardier, †
Sgt James H. Bobbitt, flight engineer, †
Sgt William D. Watkins, assistant engineer, †
Sgt William G. Williams, air gunner, †
Sgt Wilbur H. Chamberlin, radio operator, †
Sgt Edward O. Boucher, air gunner, †
Sgt Ursulo Galindo Jr., air gunner. †

A formation of four Consolidated Liberator left Fairmont AFB in the afternoon for a training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 20,000 feet, the crew of 42-7657 decided to leave the formation. Crew of the 42-7673 received the order to take the vacant place. During this process, the top of the tail of 42-7657 hit the other aircraft. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located near Millingan. While the copilot of 42-7673 bailed out and was later found unhurt, all 17 other occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Crew of 42-7657:
2nd Lt Charles L. Brown, pilot, †
2nd Lt Clyde H. Frye, copilot, †
F/O Achille P. Augelli, bombardier, †
Sgt William C. Wilson, flight engineer, †
Sgt Albert R. Mogavero, assistant engineer, †
Pfc Andrew G. Bivona, radio operator, †
Sgt Arthur O. Doria, air gunner, †
Sgt Eugene A. Hubbell, air gunner. †

The crew was performing night landing practice in the San Francisco Bay, off Alameda NAS. It is believed the crew lost control of the aircraft while avoiding collision with an aircraft carrier and crashed. Four crew members were killed.

At 20:45pm on the 18th October 1943 P/O Denis Kyne took off from Wheaton Aston, which is between Stafford and Telford, for a solo night cross country navigation flight along with several other aircraft (this was his first solo night flight), all of which were taking different routes. P/O Denis Kyne was to have flown WSW to Condover then NNE to Shawbury and then ESE to return to Wheaton Aston, a route of a little over 50 miles. The weather was rapidly deteriorating and at 21:45pm it was decided to re-call all of the aircraft flying that night, the re-call was acknowledged by all but one of the aircraft, this being LX518. When the aircraft failed to return by ten past midnight it was reported as overdue, it was known that the aircraft could no-longer be airborne as there was only 2 1/2 hours of fuel onboard, with the hope that P/O Kyne may have landed elsewhere. Five days later on the 23rd October the missing aircraft was found on Margary Hill in the north-east of the Peak District, some 56 miles NNE of Wheaton Aston, it was concluded that P/O Kyne must have become lost shortly after he took off. He had radioed to say he was proceeding to his first way point which he may have reached and turned towards Shawbury, which had he done so he would have missed as their beacon had failed shortly after 9pm. After missing the Shawbury beacon P/O Kyne could have continued in a north-easterly direction until he became hopelessly lost.
Crew (21st AFU):
P/O Denis Patrick Kyne.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictlx518.htm

The aircraft was engaged in a training sortie in Fort Benning AFB with 26 paratroopers on board. After several passes over the drop zone, 11 crewmen bailed out. Due to an insufficient airspeed, the aircraft stalled. All 15 paratroopers moved to the rear of the cabin, shifting the center of gravity. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all 20 occupants.
Crew:
1st Lt Milton W. Craig,
Sgt Robert W. Farmer,
2nd Lt Gerard A. Schafer,
Pfc Donald M. Schroeder,
Pfc Frank J. Sloboda.

On touchdown at RAF Limavady, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft slid on runway before coming to rest. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While performing a training sortie from RAF Wigsley, the aircraft went out of control, partially disintegrated in the air and crashed in a field located in Colney Heath. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (1654th CU):
P/O Ewan Moore Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Albert Rooks, flight engineer,
F/O Eric Williams, navigator,
Sgt John Fisher Thwaite, bomb aimer,
Sgt Henry Thomas Green, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward Percy Stock, air gunner,
F/Sgt George Bruce Davies, air gunner.

Crew was engaged in a night training flight and left Grenada AFB at 1915LT for a local mission. While returning to its base, on final approach, the aircraft suffered a double engine failure, stalled, hit trees and crashed in a wooded area. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt James L. Anderson,
Pfc George J. Bistany,
2nd Lt Fred H. Douglas,
T/Sgt Ivon P. Gillespie,
2nd Lt Larry A. Litton.

The aircraft left RAF Squires Gate at approx 1940LT to carry out a night non-operational navigation B3 exercise. It crashed at 2115LT hours in Ballycastle, County Antrim, North Ireland. Two of the crew were killed and two injured. The aircraft was being flown by Flying Officer Cooper and he attempted a forced-landing, but struck a tree before crashing into a house in Drumavoley Road, Glenxhesk, Ballycastle, which at the time was owned by Charles Blaney. Mr Blaney’s wife and their five children were at home as was a young girl from County Donegal, 22 year old Josephine McGroarty, who was staying there at the time. She was standing outside the house with her boyfriend John Greer from Ballycastle. John was thrown clear as the aircraft came sliding into a fatal impact with the house. Josephine McGroarty was tragically killed as were two of those on board the aircraft. One of these was a high-ranking free-Polish officer, Wing Commander Heller, who was based at Jurby in the Isle of Man. The pilot, Flying Officer Cooper, was thrown from the aircraft and he landed in the children’s room, none of whom miraculously were injured, nor were the Blaneys themselves. Wing Commander Heller was later buried in Movilla cemetery, Newtownards, Co Down. The Pilot who survived the crash, later stated; “On the last leg of the exercise, the aircraft was flying at 2,400 feet. It was however eleven miles to the starboard of track, a fact not known to the crew. I decided to descend to 2,000 feet to avoid another aircraft. We approached from the downwind side of the mountain, and the wind was 150 degrees at 35/40 kms per hour. There would have been an extensively strong down draft as we approached the mountainside. After the aircraft struck Knockgavd, SOS procedures were carried out and preparations were made for a ditching.”
Crew:
F/O J. G. Cooper, pilot,
W/Cdr W. R. Heiler, navigator, †
F/Lt J. H. Dunn, navigator,
W/O E. G. Clarke, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Source:
http://www.secondworldwarni.org/details.aspx?id=2&pagerecordid=1079&themeid=2