Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-45-CO Liberator in Guilin

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-73433
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
3002
YOM:
1942
Location:
Guilin
Guangxi
Country:
China
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an unknown situation forced all ten crew to abandon the aircraft and bail out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All ten occupants were uninjured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-30-DL in Luganville

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-23722
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9584
YOM:
1943
Location:
Luganville
All Vanuatu
Country:
Vanuatu
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft bell landed for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-70-DL Flying Fortress off Hardewijk: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1944 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-3486
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
8422
Location:
Hardewijk
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Aircraft left an airbase in the UK in the morning with 500 other bombers bound for Braunschweig, Germany. While cruising over The Netherlands at a height of 21,000 feet, aircraft was hit by Flak. Several bullets hit the aircraft and both right engine caught fire. Three crew bailed out and were later rescued while the aircraft dove into the lake Wolderwijd, off Hardewijk. All seven other occupants were killed. British Air Command confirmed that 60 other bombers were shot down by Flak over The Netherlands on this 11 of January 1944.
Crew:
James J. Maginnis, pilot, †
Roy H. Peterson, copilot, †
Clarence Blevins, navigator, †
George Clifford Wylie, †
William A. Glenn, gunner,
Angelo Riccardi, gunner, †
Joseph P. Keane, gunner, †
Harry Sutton, tail gunner, †
Raymond H. Rajala, radio operator,
Euian C. Mills, ball turret gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Constantine

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
41-18370
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4408
YOM:
1942
Location:
Constantine
Constantine
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Was damaged beyond repair following a belly landing for unknown reason. No casualties.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24H-15-FO Liberator into the Atlantic Ocean: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-52349
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1066
YOM:
1943
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the South Atlantic Ocean. No trace was ever found. All 14 crew members were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU in Clarence

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
42-3641
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
26774
Location:
Clarence
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, an engine failed. Crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft crashed in a prairie and was destroyed by impact forces while all crew were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V in Tetworth Hill: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1944 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V
Operator:
Registration:
LK743
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Location:
Tempsford AFB
Bedfordshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Tempsford at 2032LT on 07JAN1944 bound for Belgium on Operation Tybalt 3 and Thersites 4 with three Belgian agents on board. While returning to its base, on final approach by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Tetworth Hill, less than 2 km short of runway. All ten occupants were killed.
Crew:
H. M. Kennedy,
T. S. Howlett,
V. A. E. Theedom,
S. Whiteley,
E. Thripp,
D. F. Davies,
P. S. Barlow.
Passengers:
Henri Verhaegen 2.
Probable cause:
According to the RAF, the loss of control on final approach was caused by the failure of the number one engine.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress in Whaplode Drove: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-29821
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
4935
YOM:
1942
Location:
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
En route, went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Whaplode Drove, some 20 km northeast of Peterborough. Five crew were killed while five other were injured.
Probable cause:
The loss of control was caused by an in-flight structural failure.

Crash of a Stinson AT-19 on Mt Sawel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SR-10 Reliant
Operator:
Registration:
FK914
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Eglinton – Macrihanish
Location:
Mt Sawel
Londonderry
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Eglinton to Macrihanish, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (snow falls) when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Sawel. The wreckage was found on 29 January 1944. All three occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/Lt Alan Albert Pollock,
S/Lt Alan Frederick Orchard,
S/Lt John Bernard Johnson.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Tenau: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1944
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N5-137
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
87-7900
YOM:
1941
Location:
Kupang
East Nusa Tenggara
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Engaged in a bombing mission in the region of Kupang, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Tenau, killing all five occupants.
Probable cause:
Shot down.
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