Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 off Sylt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
5385
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Sylt Island, maybe following an engine failure. No trace of the aircraft nor the four crewmen was found.
Crew:
Lt Hans Hüsgen, pilot,
Fw Walter Stemmler, observer,
Fw Erwin Hasse, radio operator,
Uffz Erich Frank, flight engineer.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2911
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While performing a reconnaissance mission off the German coast, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. The crew elected to evacuate the area when the bomber collided with another RAF Vickers 408 Wellington IA registered N2870. Carrying a crew of six as well, this aircraft was also completing involved in a reconnaissance mission over the same area. Following the collision, both aircraft plunged into the sea off Wangerooge Island. No trace of both aircraft nor 12 occupants were found.
Crew (99th Squadron):
Sgt Elvies Bowen Morgan,
Sgt Frederick George Goodwin,
LAC David Graham Hodge,
AC2 Frank James Johnson,
Sgt Thomas Edwin Jones,
Sgt William H. Downey.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2870
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While performing a reconnaissance mission off the German coast, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter. The crew elected to evacuate the area when the bomber collided with another RAF Vickers 408 Wellington IA registered N2911. Carrying a crew of six as well, this aircraft was also completing involved in a reconnaissance mission over the same area. Following the collision, both aircraft plunged into the sea off Wangerooge Island. No trace of both aircraft nor 12 occupants were found.
Crew (99th Squadron):
P/O Norman Leonard Lewis,
Sgt Harvey Hulme,
Sgt William James Atkins,
AC1 Rolf Heywood,
Cpl Thomas Hunter,
AC1 Charles Watson.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939 at 1425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2986
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was shot down by anti-aircraft gunfire from enemy ships operating in the vicinity of Wangerooge Island. One of the vessels involved was the cruiser named 'Nürnberg'. The aircraft crashed into the sea off Wangerooge Island, killing all six crew members.
Crew (99th Squadron):
Sgt R. H. J. Brace,
Sgt C. D. Caldwell,
Sgt R. Allon,
AC2 H. Houldsworth,
Cpl E. Corry,
Cpl T. D. Dodds.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire .

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z in Gföhret: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew encountered icing conditions and the pilot apparently attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in Gföhret. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2956
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance flight off the German coast, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Messerschmitt Me.109 and crashed off Wangerooge Island, while attempting an emergency landing in the mainland. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/O J. A. H. Cooper,
F/O J. P. Trewby,
Sgt G. E. F. Martin,
AC1 F. G. Hooker,
Cpl H. D. Whitehouse,
LAC R. T. Carr.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2886
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance mission off the German coast, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Wangerooge Island. All six occupants were killed.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/S J. E. K. Healey,
Sgt W. F. Antell,
Sgt B. T. Boram,
AC2 W. H. Pountain,
LAC H. E. Beaumont,
LAC R. Forsyth.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H at Giebelstadt AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1939 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Giebelstadt - Giebelstadt
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Giebelstadt AFB, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Two crewmen were killed and two others were injured.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H in Uetersen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1939 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Uetersen - Uetersen
MSN:
2709
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Uetersen, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed south of the airfield, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
FF Uffz Walter Kunze,
B Lt Hans Schierholz,
Bf Uffz Max Strohschein,
Bs Ogfr Günther Vogt.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mlu on Mt Grosser Arber: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1939 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
I-BAUS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Rome – Venice – Munich – Berlin
MSN:
4063
YOM:
1935
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane was completing a flight from Rome to Berlin with intermediate stops in Venice and Munich, carrying 17 passengers and a crew of four. The aircraft departed Munich-Riem Airport at 1300LT bound for Berlin. A little more than an hour into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 1,000 metres, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds when the aircraft crashed on the slope of Mt Grosser Arber located 48 km northeast of Straubing. Five passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured.
Those killed were:
Dr. Alexander Schulz,
Irmgard Zeller,
Franz Gareis,
Wolfgang Eduard Zorrer,
Gerda Strebenz.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.