Region
Europe

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Heiligendamm

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L4088
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Heiligendamm
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington on a mine laying mission in the Baltic Sea. While flying along the German coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. The pilot made an emergency landing near Heiligendamm. All four crew members became PoW and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/Lt F. G. Dutton, pilot,
Sgt J. G. Slowey,
Cpl William Philip Jeffrey Watson,
Cpl W. R. Davidson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Focke-Wulf Fw.200A-0 S-10 Condor in Berlin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Focke-Wulf Fw.200 Condor
Operator:
Registration:
D-ABOD
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Berlin - Berlin
MSN:
3324
YOM:
1940
Location:
Berlin-Staaken
Berlin
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane named 'Kurmark' was engaged in a local test flight at Berlin-Staaken Airport. While cruising in the vicinity of the airfield, the pilot completed a low pass at high speed then initiated a climb to the left when the aircraft suffered a structural failure. The right wing partially separated then the aircraft partially disintegrated and crashed, bursting into flames. The four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Alfred Henke, pilot +3.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a pilot error. He descended at high speed too close to the ground and then pulled up in a left turn, exceeding the permissible limit of stress.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 in Oldenburg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1940 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Oldenburg-Hatten
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On approach to Oldenburg-Hatten Airport, the pilot initiated a go around procedure for unknown reasons. During a second attempt to land, he lost control of the airplane that crashed near the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Siegfried Engfer, pilot,
Uffz Rolf Armbrust, bomber,
Uffz Johann Heil, radio operator,
Ogfr Werner Geling, engineer.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1940 at 1037 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8752
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Heligoland Island
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to reconnoitre the Heligoland area. During the course of the operation, the crew attacked an enemy patrol boat, but were shot down by return fire. The airplane crashed into the sea and all three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Mervyn Lascelles Morris, pilot,
Sgt Leslie Bancroft, observer,
LAC Richard Henry Mercer, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Cuxhaven: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L4113
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Cuxhaven
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell on a mine laying sortie in the Elbe estuary. It is believed that the airplane was lost in sea off Cuxhaven while cruising at night. No trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Emanuel,
Sgt Ronald Etheridge,
Sgt James Atkinson,
AC1 Peter Gladstone Graham.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Neumünster: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Neumünster
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Neumünster, the three engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height. It impacted trees and crashed. At least two crew members were killed.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 in Heide-Büsum: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.34
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Heide-Büsum - Heide-Büsum
Location:
Heide-Büsum
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local towing mission. In unknown circumstances, the towing cable broke and got stuck in the tail, causing the aircraft to crash. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Josef Simon,
Fw Heinz Damrow,
Ogefr Richhard Dommermuth.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight after the towing cable broke off and got stuck in the tail.

Crash of a Dornier DO.18D3 off Hörnum: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.18
Operator:
Registration:
8L+KK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
831
YOM:
1939
Location:
Hörnum (Sylt Island)
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the sea some 8 km south of Hörnum. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Otto Backhaus,
Uffz August Haupt.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-2 in Perleberg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Perleberg
Brandenburg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Perleberg, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
Uffz Wilhelm Gemke, pilot,
Lt Karl Lamert, observer,
Uffz Helmut Winkler, flight engineer,
Gefr Walter Holdgrün, radio operator.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z in Selent: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1940 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dornier DO.17
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2681
Location:
Selent
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in Selent. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obltn Ernst Euler,
Obltn Karl-August Oesterhelweg,
Uffz Karl Meinehausen,
Ogefr Willy Kopmann.
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