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Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II off Calais

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE781
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 1420LT to bomb the Saint-Omer Aerodrome, with 11 other similar aircraft. While approaching the French coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. With both engine on fire, it was impossible for the pilot to continue the mission so all four crew members bailed out. The aircraft crashed some 300 yards off shore and was lost. All four crew members were rescued.
Crew (464th Squadron):
P/O P. R. Roberts, pilot,
P/O P. C. Middleton, navigator,
F/Sgt J. Dowling, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt J. F. Webb, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II into The Channel: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AJ188
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 1220LT to attack the airport of Cherbourg-Maupertus with five other similar aircraft. After an uneventful mission, the aircraft was returning to its base when it crashed in unknown circumstances into The Channel, killing all four crew members.
Crew (464th Squadron):
Sgt N. E. Powell, pilot,
Sgt P. A. Nodes, navigator,
Sgt J, Dunne, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt S. J. Newton, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II in West Stow: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AJ171
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While performing a training sortie from RAF Feltwell, the twin engine aircraft hit tree tops, crashed and disintegrated in a field near West Stow. Two crew members were killed while the navigator was seriously injured. For unknown reason, the pilot was flying at an insufficient altitude and did not detect the trees.
Crew (487th Squadron):
Sgt Gerald John Abrey, pilot, †
Sgt H. Aldridge, navigator,
F/O Frederick Douglas Drake, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II in Eindhoven: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1239 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE902
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
MSN:
4245
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Feltwell to bomb a Philips factory located in Eindhoven. On target, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field, killing all four crew members.
Crew (487th Squadron):
Sgt J. L.Greening,
Sgt E. C. Mowforth,
Sgt D. H. Harries,
Sgt B. H. Thomas.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I in Eindhoven: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1239 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE702
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Feltwell to bomb a Philips factory located in Eindhoven. On target, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into a block of houses, killing all four crew members.
Crew (464th Squadron):
F/O Maurice G. Moor, pilot,
F/O Nathan Cohen, navigator,
P/O Sidney A. Venneear, wireless operator,
Sgt Mervyn Lionel Vivian Hass, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Grindon: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1566
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a cross country night training flight from RAF Feltwell. While cruising in low visibility due tot clouds, the aircraft hit a hillside and was destroyed. Five crew members were killed while the sixth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (75th Squadron):
P/O Andrew Donald Mckay, pilot,
Sgt James Wilfred Beaven, observer,
Sgt Wilfred Hurbert Smeaton, observer,
Sgt John William Bode, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Cyril Hayton, air gunner,
F/Sgt Sidney John Chappell, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Kiel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 0024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3462
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell in the evening of March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Passing over Kiel, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed at Johannesstrasse 9. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Perrott Bell, pilot,
Sgt Franklyn Bertram Cran, pilot,
Sgt Claude Joseph Harris, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Gilliam Allen, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Richard Cross, air gunner,
Sgt James William Hinton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Duisburg: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3652
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Duisburg. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Allen Bruce Slater, pilot,
Sgt John Henry Addis, pilot, †
F/Sgt John Douglas Fletcher, navigator,
Sgt Albert Edward Wainwright, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Gladstone Orr, air gunner,
Sgt Philip L. Burridge, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Duisburg: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3665
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 1940LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Duisburg, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Peter John Paine, pilot,
F/Sgt Ronald Vernon Snook, pilot,
Sgt Christopher Grant Freeman, observer,
F/Sgt Donald Leslie Ballingall, wireless operator,
Sgt John Valentine Hill, wireless operator,
Sgt David Watson Bond, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Newcastle: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3599
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Feltwell - Belfast
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from RAF Feltwell to Belfast-Aldergrove Airport, the airplane was approaching Belfast from the south when it impacted the slope of Mt Thomas located near Newcastle, about 40 km south of Belfast. Six people were killed and a seventh was injured.
Crew:
F/O Harald Eric Hunter, pilot, †
F/O John William Elliott, observer, †
Sgt William Swordy Taylor, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Passengers:
F/O Hugh Larmour Magee, †
S/O Barbara Kathleen Blakiston-Houston, †
Reverend J. D. Carwford, †
Sgt W. L. Henderson.