Plymouth

The Catalina was one of two that arrived that morning in celebration of the first transatlantic flight by a Curtis NC-4 aircraft in 1917. The first landed without incident but the 2nd veered off course on landing and hit a temporary buoy before crashing into a heavy permanent navigational buoy that ripped off part of a wing and one of her floats. This caused the aircraft to cartwheel around out of control performing a spectacular 'surface loop'. Luckily she stayed afloat and the people on board were rescued by the occupants of some of the welcoming party's boats. One member of crew was taken to hospital with a gashed leg. The sinking aircraft was kept afloat and towed to the nearby former RAF flying boat base at Mount Batten where she remained in one of the old 'Sunderland' hangars under repair for several months. She eventually flew out of Plymouth Hoe on the return leg of the transatlantic flight towards the end of the year.

The airplane departed Cairo-Almaza Airport on an unscheduled flight to Bournemouth. While approaching the British coast, it was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of a RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea, eight km off the Eddystone lighthouse, near Plymouth. All nine occupants were killed. RAF said the pilot of the Spitfire was a Polish citizen who misinterpreted the identity of the airplane and thought this was an enemy bomber. Following this tragedy, RAF will increase the aircraft reconnaissance training to avoid such situation.
Crew:
Cpt John Alexander Stuart Hunter, pilot,
Cpt Robert Humphrey Page, pilot,
Horace Reginald Spicer, flight engineer,
F/O Richard John Williamson.

The airplane departed RAF Coningsby in the evening of July 6 on an operation to Brest. While returning to base the following night, it collided with the cable of a barrage balloon and crashed in the Plymouth Sound. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Robert McCormick, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Wright, wireless operator, †
Sgt J. J. Field,
Sgt C. F. Bedell.

While approaching Plymouth at night, the airplane collided with the cable of a barrage balloon and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
ObGefr Albert Hoferrichter, pilot,
Lt Martin Saueracker, observer,
Uffz Heinrich Weiss, radio operator,
Uffz Kurt Eiselt, mechanic.

The crew was performing a night training exercise when both engines failed due to a fuel exhaustion. The crew ditched the aircraft three km off the Eddystone Lighthouse, south of Plymouth. Both pilots were rescued while the aircraft was lost.

The seaplane was returning to RAF Mount Batten with a crew of nine on board. After landing off Plymouth, the airplane collided with a dockyard launch and sank. Seven crew members were injured, one escaped unhurt and LAC Alfred Dore Slatter was killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Plymouth, the single engine airplane crashed for unknown reason. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crashed on takeoff from Plymouth. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.