Waddington AFB

Operator:

Registration:

AT185

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington on an operation to Emden. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Ameland Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt George Henry Ellis, pilot,
P/O Hilton Graham Waddell, observer,
F/Sgt Bernard Davis Nidelman, wireless operator,
Sgt Leonard George Still, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AT136

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington on an operation to Essen. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ian Maclaren Reid, pilot,
Sgt Arthur James Grabham, observer,
Sgt Herbert Redvers Copeland, wireless operator,
Sgt Cecil James Bunn, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942 at 0335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

R5515

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Waddington. After landing, the airplane overran and crashed. Both crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
P/O L. M. Tomkins,
Sgt D. Skinner.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to a fast landing, resulting in the Lancaster running off the end of the runway.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Egmond aan Zee: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942 at 0150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R5516

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Waddington on an operation to Essen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the North Sea off Egmond aan Zee. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Leslie Oscar Halls, pilot,
P/O Roger Mortlock Ranson, flight engineer,
Sgt John Alfred Bloomfield, navigator,
Sgt Allan Blyth Croft, bomb aimer,
Sgt Abe Isador Gottlieb, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Stanhope Melhado, air gunner,
Sgt Handel Jones, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Guidel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE260

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington to lay mines in the French waters off Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Guidel, some 10 km northwest of Lorient. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Ernest Harrison, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph Steele Gething, observer, †
Sgt Gerard Joseph Laing, wireless operator, †
Sgt Leslie Charles Nail, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Wddington

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0403 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

AE399

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 2305LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. On return to base at 0403LT the following morning, the pilot lost control of the airplane upon touchdown. The airplane veered off runway and collided with a parked Lancaster belonging to the Conversion Flight (registered R5842). In addition to the injuries sustained by two Hampden crew members, two airmen in the Lancaster were also hurt.
Crew:
F/Sgt McDermid,
F/Sgt L. H. Gardiner,
Sgt John Noel Waddington, wireless operator,
Sgt Wilkinson, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: May 30, 1942 at 0250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

R5786

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

Location:

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Following a cross country flight, the crew was unable to return to base at RAF Skellingthorpe due to poor weather conditions. The pilot diverted to RAF Waddington but the airplane landed in heavy rain on a grassy runway. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, crossed the boundary fence and a road, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a field. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
P/O D. W. Garland, pilot,
F/Sgt P. Campbell,
Sgt N. Tomlin.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: May 20, 1942 at 1555 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L7581

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Waddington. During the takeoff roll, the airplane deviated to the left. The pilot tried to counteract but the airplane veered off runway to the left, crossed the tarmac and collided with two parked aircraft. A huge explosion occurred and all three aircraft were destroyed by fire. All six crew members escaped with various injuries.
Crew:
W/O Eric W. Wright, pilot,
Sgt Harland Leo HOGAN,
Sgt Arthur Raymond Roswell, wireless operator,
Sgt Wilfred George Bickley,
Sgt B. A. Gill,
Cpl R. Anderson.

Probable cause:

According to the RAF, a leading edge slat broke on the left wing during the takeoff procedure, affecting control capability of the aircraft that veered off runway.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Lambrechtshagen: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942 at 0157 LT

Type of aircraft: