Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

N3715

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Marham - Marham

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The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Marham. Upon landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Tompkins,
Sgt Savage,
Sgt Scammell,
Sgt Carroll,
Sgt Barnes,
Sgt Brooks,
Sgt Howes.

Probable cause:

Failure of the undercarriage caused by a broken pylon at the lower bolt attachment.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Mildenhall: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0545 LT

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Registration:

N6067

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Wyton - Wyton

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2337LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the airplane went off course. Due to lack of fuel, the crew diverted to RAF Mildenhall but the engine failed on approach. It crash landed in a field and came to rest against a stone wall, about 200 yards from the airbase. Seven crew members escaped uninjured while the front gunner was killed.
Crew:
S/L Matthew Drummond Henderson Wilson, pilot,
Sgt Robert Lorraine Melville, copilot,
Sgt Ely, flight engineer,
F/O Clifford G. Reeve, navigator,
Sgt Daniel Lammie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Johnnie Noel Spalding, air gunner,
Sgt William Edmund Chambers, air gunner,
Lt Louis Bingham Murray, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

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

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1942

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Registration:

N3713

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Lakenheath - Lakenheath

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While completing a local training exercise at RAF Lakenheath, the airplane crashed upon landing, lost its undercarriage and was damaged beyond repair. All eight crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Sgt P. J. Lamason,
Sgt Falconer,
Sgt Stubbs,
Sgt Campbell,
Sgt Willett,
Sgt Christie,
Sgt Richardson,
Sgt Hammett.

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

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1942

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Registration:

W7462

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Lossiemouth - Lossiemouth

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The airplane departed RAF Lossiemouth to attack the Tirpitz ship. On return, it landed on an ice covered runway, skidded and slid into a trench, whereupon the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
F/Lt R. W. A. Turtle,
P/O D. L. Atkinson,
Sgt Collins,
Sgt Bowman,
Sgt J. D. Burnley,
Sgt Hanna,
Sgt Smith.

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

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942 at 1550 LT

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Operator:

Registration:

W7458

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Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Mildenhall. The airplane was damaged beyond repair following a hard landing. There were no injuries among the crew:
Crew:
F/L M. R. Evans,
P/O Ballauff,
Sgt Smith,
Sgt Felstead,
Sgt Coman,
F/S Mace,
Sgt F. B. Pomeroy,
F/S Hanson.

Probable cause:

A very bright sun reflecting off a wet runway was a contributory factor in the cause of this accident.

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

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1942 at 2214 LT

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Registration:

N6093

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Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 1748LT on an operation to Münster. During the course of the operation, the crew fought off no less than 15 attacks from the night fighters. Prior to these encounters, the Stirling had been coned in searchlights and was forced down to 3,000 feet before escaping from the beams. While returning to base in the evening, it crashed upon landing and was destroyed. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O L. R. Barr,
Sgt Hayes,
Sgt Pepper,
P/O A. H. H. young,
Sgt Briggs,
Sgt Collins,
Sgt Greenwood,
Sgt Houghton.

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

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 1950 LT

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Registration:

N6120

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Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1755LT to attack the airfield of Soesterberg in the Netherlands. While outbound, the airplane overflew an Allied convoy and was promptly fired upon. The crew decided to return to base with the port outer engine damaged when the airplane crash landed while on approach to RAF Oakington. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O J. D. Hart,
Sgt J. Davies,
Sgt G. Rhodes,
Sgt W. Green,
Sgt F. L. Pool,
Lt H. N. Denny,
Sgt L. C. Young.

Probable cause:

Failure of the port outer engine after being hit by Allied fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Earith: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 1540 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W7467

Flight Phase:

Flight

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Site:

Plain, Valley

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Oakington - Oakington

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Oakington on a cross-country training exercise. Following an unauthorized attack from a Hurricane I V6865 from 56 OTU, both airplanes collided and crashed in Earith. All eight crew members on board the Stirling and the pilot of the Hurricane were killed.
Crew:
S/L John Noel Mahler, pilot,
P/O Ronald Wilkins Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Edward Blacklaw, flight engineer,
P/O James Douglas Waddell, navigator,
Sgt Francis Joseph Lloyd, wireless operator,
P/O Alan John Low, air gunner,
Sgt Walter James Mankelow, air gunner,
Sgt James McCarley, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The pilot of the fighter misjudged his closing speed and collided with the bomber.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Anston

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942 at 0208 LT

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