Driffield AFB

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

T4150

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1843

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1805LT on October 14 to bomb an synthetic oil plant located in Stettin (Szczecin), Poland. While returning to his base in the next early morning. the crew noticed the fuel quantity was insufficient and decided to divert to RAF Driffield. On approach, the captain was forced to make an emergency landing few miles short of runway. All crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (58th Squadron):
F/O B. Brooke, pilot,
Sgt C. S. Halley, pilot,
Sgt Henderson, observer,
Sgt Collie, wireless operator,
Sgt Guest, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Silsden: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1940 at 0035 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1489

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1629

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a night training flight over the Isle of Man. While returning to his base at RAF Driffield, the crew failed to realize he was flying too low. The aircraft impacted the slope of a hill at Hayhills Farm, near Silsden, and was destroyed. Four crewmen were killed and a fifth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (102nd Squadron):
Sgt Norman Kelvin Bott, pilot, †
P/O Alexander William Fletcher, pilot, †
Sgt Charles William Cavey Fleming Harrison, observer, †
Sgt Alan Steel, wireless operator, †
Sgt Len G. Smalley, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Vijfhuizen: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1940 at 0300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1473

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1613

YOM:

1939

Location:

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Region:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2000LT on August 24 on a mission over Augsburg. While flying over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Vijfhuizen around 0300LT, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Charles James Drogo Montagu, pilot,
Sgt James Walter Ward, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Trevor Penny, observer,
Sgt Edwin Jack Clarke, wireless operator air gunner,
Sgt Arthur Frank Webber, wireless operator air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Cottam

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

N1355

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Driffield - Cottam

MSN:

1519

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

On final approach, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane collided with a fence, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The airplane landed on its belly and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All five crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt James Walter Ward, pilot,
AC1 M. J. Hood,
AC1 D. P. Starbuck,
AC1 F. N. Sheppard +1.

Probable cause:

Too low approach.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley on Mt Hochlichtspitze: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1382

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1546

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2011LT on August 16 to bomb an aircraft factory located in Augsburg, Bavaria. The crew encountered poor weather conditions and apparently deviated from the prescribed route when the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Hochlichtspitze (2,600 metres high) located about 143 km southwest from Augsburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Mark Hubbard Rogers, pilot,
Sgt Maurice William James Pollard, pilot,
Sgt Sidney George Jermond, observer,
Sgt Walter Frank Haywood, wireless operator,
Sgt James Patterson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Eastleigh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P5044

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1756

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth to bomb an oil storage depot located in Bec d'Ambès, about 22 km north of Bordeaux. While returning to its base, the airplane collided with the cables of a barrage balloon and crashed in Langley. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Butler MacGregor, pilot,
F/O William Alan Stenhouse, pilot,
Sgt Claude Lionel Geoffrey Hood, observer,
Sgt John Burrow, wireless operator,
Sgt Harold Davies, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

In-flight collision with the cables of a barrage balloon.

Crash of an Armstrong AW.38 Whitley V in Spijkenisse

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1940 at 0130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1377

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1541

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2030LT on July 26 on a bombing mission over Mannheim. While flying over The Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field located in Spijkenisse, in the suburb of Rotterdam, and came to rest. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Robert Fochaig Beauclair,
P/O John Christopher Wyndowe Bushell,
Sgt Eric Albert Caloway,
Sgt Clement Wood,
Sgt Kenneth John Read.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Cromer

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1940 at 0425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1502

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1642

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2208LT on July 12 on a bombing mission over Emden. While cruising over the target at an altitude of 11,000 feet, it was hit by the German Flak, destroying the left engine. The captain was able to evacuate the area and while returning to his base, he skillfully ditched the bomber in the sea some 38 miles off Cromer, Norfolk. All five crew members were rescued and the aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew:
Sgt R. T. Langton,
S/L C. S. Bryan,
Sgt C. P. Coad,
Sgt G. Gibson,
Sgt C. Wood.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Schwedeneck

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1940

Type of aircraft: