Region
Europe

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Wesel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
43-15256
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
19722
YOM:
1944
Location:
Wesel
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was taking part to the 'Operation Varsity'. While approaching Wesel, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field, killing three crew members and injuring two others.
Crew:
2nd Lt Robert E. Allen,
S/Sgt Richard D. Brady,
T/Sgt Norman E. Brown.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-105-BO Flying Fortress in Eisenberg: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
43-39149
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Location:
Eisenberg
Thuringia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over an oil refinery located in Lützkendorf. Enroute, while approaching Eisenberg, the B-17 registered 43-39149 collided with a second USAAF B-17 registered 42-31060 and also carrying a crew of 9. The first B-17 went out of control, dove into the ground and crash in the city of Eisenberg. Eight crew members were killed and ten people on the ground as well. Only one crew member survived. The second B-17 flew to the east over 400 km and then crashed in a field in Jaraczewo, Poland. Five crew were killed and four others were injured.
Crew of 43-39149:
2nd Lt Robert J. Barrat, pilot, †
F/O Shirl P. Best, navigator, †
2nd Lt Dean Harvey, copilot, †
S/Sgt William T. Karp, †
S/Sgt Matthew Lazarowicz, radio operator, †
Sgt Louis N. Linhart, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert D. Link, air gunner, †
Sgt George H. Emerson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Raymond F. Reiss, flight engineer. †

Crew of 42-31060:
Sgt Marion L. Canfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Floyd C. Doherty Jr., air gunner, †
F/O Odus C. Litzelfelner, copilot, †
1st Lt Alfred K. Nemer, pilot, †
Sgt Peter M. Volpini, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Harry H. Schultz, navigator,
T/Sgt Howard H. Ganson,
Sgt Floyd S. Bohrer, air gunner,
Sgt Paul L. Kerr, air gunner.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Marienfeld: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
130943
Location:
Gütersloh
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a RAF Mosquito and crashed in Marienfeld, north of the Gütersloh Airbase. Three crew members were killed while the fourth occupant was injured.
Crew:
Ofw Wolfgang Scholb, †
Ogf Karlfried Krebs, †
Uffz Alfred Stieger, †
Ofw Konrad Ries.
Source: http://www.airwarhistory.com/marienfeld

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII in Stürzelberg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax VII
Operator:
Registration:
NP781
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Stürzelberg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way to Germany to bomb the Düsseldorf-Lohausen Airport. The aircraft left RAF Linton-on-Ouse with 60 others bombers. En route, while cruising south of Düsseldorf, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field. Five crew members were killed.
Crew (408th Squadron):
F/O David Garfield Kellar, †
F/Lt W. L. Friker, †
F/O W. H. Dunwoodie.

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

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
NG238
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kelstern - Kelstern
Location:
Düren
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances some 20 km southwest of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Copland,
Sgt Bayliss,
F/S Martin,
F/S Taylor,
Sgt Levings,
Sgt Sawkins,
Sgt Sapsed.

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

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
NF979
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Spilsby - Spilsby
Location:
Düren
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Düren, some 20 km southwest of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.

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

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
PD319
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Killingholme - North Killingholme
Location:
Duisburg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Duisburg. While approaching the target, the Lancaster PD319 collided with another RAF Lancaster registered LM637, dove into the ground and crashed. All seven occupants were killed. The fate of the second aircraft remains unknown.
Crew (550th Squadron):
F/O H. Dodds, pilot,
P/O A. R. Brown, flight engineer,
F/O D. J. K. White, navigator,
F/O H. Black, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt C. W. Beckingham, wireless operator,
Sgt A. Laidlaw, air gunner,
Sgt H. V. Lewis, rear air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Duisburg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
LL909
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Location:
Duisburg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Four crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Crew (12th Squadron):
F/O Theodore Sorenson, pilot,
Sgt Crawford Fernie, flight engineer,
F/O Robert William Randall, bomb aimer,
Sgt D. R. Smith, mid upper gunner,
F/O H. S. Gartrell, navigator,
Sgt R. Allen, wireless operator,
Sgt S. R. Smith, rear gunner.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-75-BO Flying Fortress in Pessin: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1944 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
43-38060
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
9038
Location:
Pessin
Brandenburg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission when flying some 50 km west of Berlin, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The aircraft christened 'Texas Bluebonnet' dove into the ground and crashed in a field located 2 miles south of Pessin. Eight crew members were killed while the ninth occupant was injured.
Crew (548th BS):
Lucien Courcelle, †
Frank Bullen, †
Hubert Bivins, †
Roy Slaper, †
Delbert Hamilton, †
Roland Leider, †
Jerry Weir, †
Bob Bozine, †
Marvin Wolverton.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III in Neuleiningen: 23 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1944 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KG653
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pershore - Cagliari - Castel Benito - Karachi
MSN:
13470
YOM:
1944
Location:
Neuleiningen
Rhineland-Palatinate
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Pershore at 0330LT on a flight to Karachi with a planned stop in Cagliari and Castel Benito. While flying over Germany, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions (dark low clouds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning) when the aircraft was attacked by several German fighters. The Dakota went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a pasture. All 20 occupants were killed, among them several RAAF staff bound for Karachi.
Crew:
F/L R. Korer, pilot,
P/O L. A. Veary, navigator,
Sgt G. Beckoff, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpl J. E. Allen,
LAC L. I. Beach,
LAC O. E. D. Bergen,
LAC R. T. Burden,
Cpl W. H. Campbell,
LAC J. A. R. M. Chevrier,
LAC J. R. M. Couturier,
Cpl J. Cumming,
LAC F. R. L. Gates,
LAC Good,
Sgt W. F. Hughes,
Cpl H. J. Hunter,
LAC F. L. Kristensen,
LAC W. J. S. Lundy,
LAC D. J. MacDonald,
AC1 J. D. McVie,
Cpl L. H. Moreau,
LAC F. W. Sargeant,
LAC J. C. Sutherland,
LAC H. S. Watson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fighters.
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