Region
Europe

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 in Lucca: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2556
Location:
Lucca
Tuscany
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Lucca. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Karl Gruber, pilot,
Oblt Günther Krenzien, observer,
Uffz Fritz Hahn, radio operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1941 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7775
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Messina
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an anti-shipping operation. Over the Strait of Messina, it was shot down by an Italian fighter and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed and a third was rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Robert George Kidby, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie James Burcher, observer, †
Sgt Joseph Edward Hughes, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7368
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Messina
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack naval targets in the southern Italian waters. Flying over the Strait of Messina, it collided with a second Blenheim registered Z7644 and carrying three crew members. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Frazer Apsley Harte, pilot,
P/O Charles Oscar Bloodworth, observer,
F/O Thomas Wewage-Smith, wireless operator,
Lt Ellis Edward Arthur Chetwynd Talbot.
Probable cause:
The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown. It is possible that one or both airplanes were shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7644
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Messina
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack naval targets in the southern Italian waters. Flying over the Strait of Messina, it collided with a second Blenheim registered Z7368 and carrying four crew members. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Neville Whitford Walders, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Jones, observer,
Sgt William Karl Hunting, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown. It is possible that one or both airplanes were shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Sondrio: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1279
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Sondrio
Lombardy
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1934LT on September 28 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night and after passing the area of Milan, it is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire. The crew reported engine problems then the airplane crashed in the Italian Alps, apparently in the region of Sondrio. The wreckage was not found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Walter Stanley Kitson, pilot,
P/O John Roy Freeland, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Gordon Gove, observer,
Sgt James Williamson Lee, wireless operator,
Sgt John Richard Palmer, wireless operator,
Sgt John Alfred McLean, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Crotone: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7654
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Crotone
Calabria
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Luqa Airfield on an operation to Italy. It crashed in unknown circumstances into Crotone harbor. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter Harry Wallace, pilot,
Sgt Lewis Desmond Parry, observer,
Sgt John Emrys Jones, wireless operator.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Lampedusa: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5559
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Gibraltar - Luqa
Location:
Lampedusa
Sicily
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Then airplane departed Gibraltar on a flight to Luqa with a crew of five on board. While cruising over the Mediterranean Sea, it was shot down by a Cr.42 and crashed into the sea some 15 km south of Lampedusa. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Francis Butler,
Sgt Thomas Preston Butterfield,
Sgt Maurice Henry Cope,
Sgt Donald Robert Arthur Garrick,
Sgt David Dawson Todd.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Piaggio P.108B in Pisa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1941 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piaggio P.108
Operator:
Registration:
MM22003
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pisa - Pisa
Location:
Pisa-San Giusto-Galileo Galilei (Arturo dell'Oro)
Tuscany
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training exercise at Pisa-San Giusto Airport. On approach, two engines lost power simultaneously, causing the airplane to stall and to crashfew hundred metres short of runway. Five crew members were injured and three others were killed, among them Bruno Mussolini.
Crew (274th Squadron):
Lt Francesco Sacconi, pilot,
Off Angelo Trezzini, flight engineer,
Cpt Bruno Mussolini, pilot. (Aged 23, he was the second son of Benito Mussolini).
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on approach.

Crash of a Macchi C.100 off Lido di Ostia: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1941 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Macchi C.100
Operator:
Registration:
I-PACE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lido di Ostia – Cagliari
MSN:
4158
YOM:
1939
Location:
Lido di Ostia
Lazio
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from the Lido di Ostia seaplane base, while climbing to a height of some 300 feet, the crew encountered a loss of power on one engine and the captain decided to return. On approach, after passing over the Tiber Estuary, the floatplane encountered atmospheric turbulences, stalled and crashed. Five occupants were killed. The airplane was operated on behalf of Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria with the military registration MM60419.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52C-2 near Milan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Registration:
R4+GM
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Gilz
MSN:
0794
Location:
Milan
Lombardy
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gilze-Rijen AFB on an operation to England. Over the North Sea, it was attacked by a British fighter. A crew member was killed during this attack. The rest of the crew decided to return to base in Holland but eventually bailed out over France, having thrown out the body of the pilot by parachute. With the autopilot system on, the airplane continued to Italy then crashed when it ran out of fuel.
Crew:
Oblt Paul Bohn, pilot, †
Fw Hans Engmann, radio operator,
Uffz Walter Lindner, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.
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