Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando in Chanyi

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-61020
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26895
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Manderfeld: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FR181
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flying with a second MLD Mitchell registered FW227 that was shot down. After it exploded in flight, some debris hit the Mitchell registered FR181 that went out of control as well and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (320th Squadron):
1st Lt C. A. Bastiaenen,
Cpl J. V. Driel,
Sgt E. C. van Harselaar,
F/O L. T. Limbosch.
Probable cause:
Hit by debris from another aircraft shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Manderfeld: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FW227
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After being shot down by the German Flak, the airplane entered a dive and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (320th Squadron):
F/O Gaston F. Mertens,
2nd Lt J. H. Muntinga,
Cpl P. H. Peetoom,
Cpl P. J. E. van Dam.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I on Mt Cornel: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LB537
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Hartford Bridge – Woodvale – Abbotsinch
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Abbotsinch in the morning on a cross country flight to RAF Hartford Bridge (now Blackbushe) via RAF Woodvale, near Southport. After the aircraft failed to arrive at Woodvale or any other station, it was reported missing. Nothing further was heard or seen of the aircraft until February 5 when a shepherd working on Cornel Min above Llyn Crafnant discovered the wrecked and the bodies of the four airmen. He reported his find immediately and a team was summoned from the RAF Mountain Rescue Servive at Llandwrog. They arrived the site after dark so postponed any further action until the following day, when they recovered the bodies and identified the aircraft as the Oxford that had been posted as missing a little over 3 weeks earlier.
Crew (418th Squadron):
F/Lt Tommy C. Matthew, pilot,
P/O James Firth, copilot.
Passengers:
F/O Geoffrey Day,
F/O Walter Paul Retzer.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/wales/waleslb537.htm

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV near Schwebo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
KJ857
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
25796/14351
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
En route, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43. Bullets hit the fuselage and the left engine that caught fire. The captain attempted a wheels up emergency landing in an open field near Schwebo. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, a crew member, the wireless operator, was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Stob ant’Sluichd: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945 at 1120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PH404
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tain – Hornchurch
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising in poor weather conditions at a height of 3,600 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Stob ant’Sluichd located some 20 km southeast of Aviemore, Scotland. SAR operations were suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually found by walkers on August 19, 1945, on the top of the mountain, some 10 feet below the summit. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (311th Squadron):
W/O Rudolf Jelen, pilot,
F/O Jan Vella, copilot,
S/L Karel Kvapil, pilot,
F/O Leo Linhart, pilot,
P/O Valter Kauders, wireless operator.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Sileby: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
KJ835
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
25619/14174
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from a local RAF station, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls and icing. After the carburetors got iced, control was lost and the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all three crew members.
Crew (108th OTU):
W/O Frederick Edward Henry Dobson, pilot,
Sgt Edgar James Wilmot, navigator,
Sgt Ronald James Hillsdon, wireless operator.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando near Dali

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
42-107304
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
26991
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on a mountain slope near Dali following an engine failure. Crew fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL in Biak: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1945 at 1030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-100479
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Biak – Peleliu
MSN:
18942
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Biak-Boroke Airport, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the pilot made a turn to the right when control was lost. The aircraft crashed in a swampy area located north of the airfield. The wreckage was found on March 11, 1945 only, and all 5 occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the crew attempted a turn to the right instead off left with a ceiling at 1,000 feet.
Crew (375th TCG):
2nd Lt Thomas H. Fletcher,
2nd Lt Robert W. McDowell,
2nd Lt Carl F. Copeland,
Sgt Charlie A. Donnelly,
T/Sgt James E. Wilson.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Dunkirk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MG552
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Knokke le Zoute Airfield, near Zeebrugge, to England. While approaching Dunkirk, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing all four crew members. It appears that the crew was flying too close to the city of Dunkirk which was still occupied by the German forces.
Crew (276th Squadron):
W/Cdr Norman John Starr,
W/Cdr James Heathcote Humphris,
S/L Henry Crawford Haley,
F/O Rowland Baker Moore.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.