Consolidated B-24 Liberator

The crew departed Pitu Airfield (Morotai Island) at 0800LT to attack Japanese antiaircraft positions located in Lolobata, on the neighboring island of Halmahera. As the aircraft failed to return at the end of the day, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended three days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (21st Squadron):
F/O Jack Bonfield Faviell,
F/O William Joseph Stubbs,
F/O Douglas Poultney Dewhurst,
W/O Bruce Vaughton Peach,
F/Sgt Neville Herbert Playford,
F/Sgt Ronald Jack Walker,
Sgt Gordon Malcolm Scott,
F/Sgt Robert William Delahunt,
F/Sgt Aubrey Edward Burgess.

The crew departed Wheeler AFB at 0836LT on a local calibration mission. At that time, weather conditions were marginal with a ceiling at 2,000 feet and light rain. While flying around the airbase, the aircraft christened 'Evelyn' went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in Schofield Barracks, about a mile northwest of the airfield. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Abraham H. Albert,
Sgt Elmo L. Engman,
1st Lt John Franco,
Cpt William D. Frostic,
S/Sgt William G. Gilliland,
Sgt James P. Hinchsliff,
1st Lt Kenneth C. Kinne,
Sgt Robert E. Krueger,
S/Sgt Stephen P. Medovich,
S/Sgt Hubert P. Miller,
1st Lt David A. Moyer,
1st Lt Russell E. Reeves Jr.

The aircraft was involved in a reconnaissance and photographic mission over Indonesia. While approaching the Balikpapan area, the bomber was hit by enemy fire and crashed in flames. It appears that nine crew were killed instantly while three others were taken PoW and died later.
Crew (24th Squadron):
F/Lt Kenneth John Hanson, pilot,
W/O Alfred Cook, copilot,
Sgt Arnold Alexander Lockyer,
P/O George Grey Lindley,
F/Sgt William James Maxwell,
F/Sgt Stephen Patrick Cloake,
F/O John James Oliver Hume,
F/Sgt Frank Grainer Vincent Hutton,
F/Sgt John Victor Orgill,
F/Sgt Brendan Michael Heslin,
F/Sgt Charles Neville Nichol,
Cpl John R. Waite.

At 0915LT, six Liberators of AFTU took off from Amarda Rd Airfield to carry out a navigational exercise in formation. At approximately 0945LT, the formation, which had been encountering medium to bad weather, approached a heavy bank of cloud. The leader, S/Ldr Heynert, commenced to lose height in an attempt to fly underneath this, but reached the cloud before he was quite low enough and the formation entered the cloud. Number 6 by this time was some little way behind the formation. On entering the cloud visibility was reduced to nil and numbers 2 and 5 in the formation altered course starboard and number 4 altered course port. On coming out of the cloud aircraft number 1 (EW225) and aircraft number 3 (EW247) captained by PO Herbert, were seen to be in close proximity, and number 3 was then seen to pull up and collide with number 1. The tail unit of number 1 was torn off and the aircraft crashed out of control, and one wing (which one not established) of number 3 was torn off, causing the aircraft to crash.
Crew:
F/O Alfred Herbert, pilot,
F/O Peter Hubert Ash Smith, navigator and bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Cyril William Geeson, flight engineer,
W/O William Joseph Smart, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 George William Paffey,
AC2 P. V. Mathai.
Source: http://www.rquirk.com/amarda/26July45storyV6eb.pdf

At 0915LT, six Liberators of AFTU took off from Amarda Rd Airfield to carry out a navigational exercise in formation. At approximately 0945LT, the formation, which had been encountering medium to bad weather, approached a heavy bank of cloud. The leader, S/Ldr Heynert, commenced to lose height in an attempt to fly underneath this, but reached the cloud before he was quite low enough and the formation entered the cloud. Number 6 by this time was some little way behind the formation. On entering the cloud visibility was reduced to nil and numbers 2 and 5 in the formation altered course starboard and number 4 altered course port. On coming out of the cloud aircraft number 1 (EW225) and aircraft number 3 (EW247) captained by PO Herbert, were seen to be in close proximity, and number 3 was then seen to pull up and collide with number 1. The tail unit of number 1 was torn off and the aircraft crashed out of control, and one wing (which one not established) of number 3 was torn off, causing the aircraft to crash.
Crew:
S/Ldr Félicité Pierre André Heynert, pilot,
P/O Raymond Maurice Bullen, pilot,
F/O Robert Stanley Manson, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Lt Alexander Norman Borrow, navigator and bomb aimer,
P/O Lewis Arnold Bridgman, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Peter Ettlinger, flight engineer,
F/Lt Sydney Wilfred Wells, navigator and bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Walter Reginald George Wood, air bomber.
Source: http://www.rquirk.com/amarda/26July45storyV6eb.pdf

The Liberator was one of many aircraft that following the end of the war in Europe was being used to take aircrews back to the United States. The aircraft were typically approaching the end of their useful lives but only had to make it across the Atlantic. The aircraft had taken off from RAF Valley on Anglesey bound for Meeks Field in Keflavik. When the aircraft nearing the southern end of the Isle of Skye, the port outer engine caught fire. It would appear that the fire could not be brought under control, as when the aircraft crossed the coast, the port wing outboard of the number one engine broke away. As the wing fell, it struck the tail section, causing it to separate from the aircraft before the plane dived into a hilltop and exploded. All 14 occupants were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt William H. Bell, pilot,
1st Lt Theodore E. Lundell, copilot,
1st Lt Albert L. Harmonay, navigator,
T/Sgt Svend E. Hansen, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Robert R. Bisbing, radio operator.
Passengers:
F/O Edward Grzesiek,
F/O George W. Baker,
F/O Stephen A. Fenwick,
F/O Marvin Fleak,
2nd Lt Arthur A. Vogel,
F/O Eldon E. Eads,
F/O Edward J. Ruszala,
F/O Wilbur L. Titus,
F/O Newton D. Stanley.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotland41-29369.htm

Few minutes after takeoff from Tofino Airport, while flying at an altitude of 2,800 feet in low visibility due to clouds, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 7 miles east southeast of Bamfield, in the Somerset Range. The wreckage was found for days later (July 17) in an isolated area and all 14 occupants were killed.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/O W. E. Davies, pilot,
F/O R. J. Martello,
F/O N. M. Popovich,
F/O H. A. Lowe,
W/O V. C. Crosson,
W/O J. B. Presse,
F/Sgt D. W. Hope.
Passengers:
Sgt Bennett,
Cpl N. W. Johnson,
Cpl W. Hrysko,
Cpl N. Johnston,
LAC R. B. Kitely,
LAC L. H. Tull,
LAW M. Mann.

While approaching Balikpapan, the four engine aircraft was shot down by Japanese antiaircraft fire (probably from a Japanese Navy ship parked in the Balikpapan harbor) and crashed in an isolated area. The wreckage was found several hours later and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Crew (24th Squadron):
S/Ldr John Robert Walter Redman,
F/Lt Victor Skinnerrex,
W/O Harold Allan Gooding,
F/Sgt Leslie Rogers,
F/Sgt James Ogilvie Ross Vickers,
P/O Martin Allan Burrows,
F/Sgt Ronald Michael Cornelius,
F/Sgt Frederick Leslie Rollings,
F/Sgt Patrick Fraser Stanley,
F/Sgt Roy Tapper,
F/Sgt Harold Shadforth 1.

The crew was engaged in a local training mission and was authorized to line up on runway 18. For unknown reason, the captain lined up on runway 12 and started the takeoff roll despite the fact he did not receive any permission. Another RCAF Consolidated B-24J Liberator (registered KG880 and carrying a crew of four) was taxiing on runway 12 to reach its parking place. The Liberator KH107 collided with KG880 while taking off. Both aircraft exploded and were totally destroyed. On board KG880, a crew member survived while three others were killed. On board KH107, six crewmen were killed while five others were seriously injured.
Crew killed in KH107 were:
P/O T. Batley, pilot,
P/O A. K. Allen, copilot,
F/O G. W. Morris, navigator,
Sgt A. C. Suggate, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O P. F. Gunter, bomb aimer,
Sgt R. H. Avery, wireless operator and air gunner.
Crew killed in KG880 were:
F/Lt J. A. Sinclair, pilot,
Sgt J. E. Thomas, copilot,
Sgt J. W. Murphy, wireless operator and air gunner.

The crew was engaged in a local training mission and was authorized to line up on runway 18. For unknown reason, the captain lined up on runway 12 and started the takeoff roll despite the fact he did not receive any permission. Another RCAF Consolidated B-24J Liberator (registered KG880 and carrying a crew of four) was taxiing on runway 12 to reach its parking place. The Liberator KH107 collided with KG880 while taking off. Both aircraft exploded and were totally destroyed. On board KG880, a crew member survived while three others were killed. On board KH107, six crewmen were killed while five others were seriously injured.
Crew killed in KH107 were:
P/O T. Batley, pilot,
P/O A. K. Allen, copilot,
F/O G. W. Morris, navigator,
Sgt A. C. Suggate, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O P. F. Gunter, bomb aimer,
Sgt R. H. Avery, wireless operator and air gunner.
Crew killed in KG880 were:
F/Lt J. A. Sinclair, pilot,
Sgt J. E. Thomas, copilot,
Sgt J. W. Murphy, wireless operator and air gunner.