Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Salisbury

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1192
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Salisbury
Wiltshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crash landed in a field located four miles south-southeast of Salisbury. The crew escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Tupolev ANT-35bis near Vorontsovka: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942 at 0345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev ANT-35 (ANT-35bis & PS-35)
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-L2484
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
3/0
YOM:
1940
Location:
Vorontsovka
Voronezh oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
484
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an urgent mission from a temporary airfield located by the sovkhoz of Krasny Oktyabr, in the region of Vorontsovka, on behalf of the Political Directorate of the South-Western Front. After takeoff, the airplane turn to the right, collided with trees and eventually crashed 180 metres further in a forest. The captain was killed while three other occupants were injured, two of them seriously.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew took off against the wind, but in the wrong direction given the location of the airfield.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 in Lazhiny: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-N301
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
14860
YOM:
1939
Location:
Lazhiny
Novgorod oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a communication operation when it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Lazhiny. The passenger was killed and the pilot was injured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Cessna AT-17E Bobcat near Woodville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Cessna T-50 Bobcat (AT-8/AT-17/UC-78 & Crane)
Operator:
Registration:
42-15
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Woodville
Texas
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances six miles east of Woodville. At least one crew member was killed.
Crew:
Joseph A. Corcoran.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-5 in Grosseto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1942 at 2237 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3889
Location:
Grosseto
Tuscany
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Grosseto Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw Lothar Theune, pilot,
Ogfr Emil Hillar, observer,
Ogfr Anton Wintergerst, radio operator,
Gefr Gottlieb Friedel, air gunner.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Bathurst Island

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
2306
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
23
YOM:
1941
Location:
Bathurst Island
Northern Territory
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Indonesia to Australia, the floatplane was attacked by the pilot of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Bullets impacted the fuselage, fuel tanks and the right wing that caught fire. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the airplane off Bathurst Island, north of Darwin. Upon touchdown, the seaplane overturned and sank quickly. Nevertheless, all 18 occupants were able to evacuate the cabin and were later rescued by the crew of the Philippines ship named 'Don Isidro' then disembarked on Bathurst Island.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mg8e in Sprötze: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1942 at 1020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
VK+PW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7403
YOM:
1942
Location:
Sprötze
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 three engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Sprötze. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Werner Fleischhauer, pilot,
Ogfr Johannes Schittkowski, radio operator,
Uffz Paul Neefischer, mechanic,
Ogfr Georg Schmidt, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed A-29-LO Hudson in Sacramento: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
41-23417
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
414-6234
YOM:
1941
Location:
Sacramento
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sacramento Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled, entered a spin and crashed. At least one crew member was killed.
Crew:
Ernest C. Eddy, pilot.

Crash of a Polikarpov U-2 near Dorogobuzh: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Polikarpov Po-2
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-S3833
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
12758
YOM:
1938
Location:
Dorogobuzh
Smolensk oblast
Country:
Russia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the region of Dorogobuzh. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V at RAF North Coates: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1942 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
AM567
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
North Coates - North Coates
MSN:
414-2649
YOM:
1941
Location:
North Coates AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF North Coates, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur William Goulding, pilot,
F/Sgt John Clarke Harris, observer,
Sgt William John Thomas Flagg, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond George Edward Whale, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after liftoff following an aerial breaking and its insulation material jamming the rudder.
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