Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I at RAF Bassingbourn

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 290 Wellington I
Operator:
Registration:
L4331
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Bassingbourn AFB
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Bassingbourn, the aircraft rolled left and right then stalled and crashed short of runway. All crew survived while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on short final following an engine failure.

Crash of a Martin B-10B at Lowry AFB

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-10 (Model 139 & 166)
Operator:
Registration:
34-68
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
599
YOM:
1934
Location:
Lowry AFB (Denver)
Colorado
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed for unknown reasons upon landing at Lowry AFB and was destroyed. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Martin B-10B near Yulee

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-10 (Model 139 & 166)
Operator:
Registration:
34-90
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
621
YOM:
1934
Location:
Yulee
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed near Yulee, about 30 km north of Jacksonville, following an midair collision. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Aden

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L4924
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Aden - Aden
Location:
Aden
'Adan (عدن)
Country:
Yemen
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed 40 km from Aden after being shot down by Flak. Crew fate unknown.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H4 off Grimsby

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Registration:
5J+EL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Location:
Grimsby
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching the British coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea, some 40 km offshore. All four crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew (3. Staffel I/KG 4):
Ofw Hermann Draisbach, pilot,
Oblt Friedrich-Wilhelm Koch zur See, observer,
Fw Alfred Weber, wireless operator,
Ofw Rudolf Ernst, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a RAF Spitfire.

Crash of a Martin 167 Maryland off Gibraltar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1940 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin 167 Maryland
Operator:
Registration:
4
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Casablanca - Gibraltar
Location:
Gibraltar
All United Kingdom
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Casablanca on a flight to Gibraltar, carrying four crew members. After it landed in El Polo Airfield in Campamento, on the Spanish territory, the crew realized he was not in Gibraltar, took off and headed south. On approach to Gibraltar, the aircraft was shot down by ground fire and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jacques Le Forestier de Vendeuvre,
Lt Jean-Pierre Berger,
Lt Bertrand Jochaud du Plessis,
Lt Robert Weill.

Crash of a Potez 540 in Fez: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Potez 540
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Fez - Gibraltar
Location:
Fez
Fès-Boulemane
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Following a night takeoff from Fez Airport, while climbing, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed, bursting into flames. All eight occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was en route to England via Gibraltar.
Crew:
Sgt Louis Le Digabel, pilot,
AC2 Robert Séraphin Raybaudi, pilot,
AC2 Marcel François Jeunehomme, pilot,
Cpl Emile Arthur Renaud, pilot,
Cpl/C Jean Joseph Frenzer, pilot,
AC2 Jean Baptiste Adolphe Diacono, pilot,
AC2 Jean-Marcel Foisset, pilot,
Cpl/C Paul Marius Eugène Sentenac, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft was shot down by the French Flak or was deliberately sabotaged to avoid any defection from French troops.

Crash of a Saro A.36 Lerwick I off Oban

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Saro A.36 Lerwick
Operator:
Registration:
L7261
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oban - Oban
Location:
Oban
Argyll
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Ardantrive Bay, off Oban, at 0335LT bound to the west on an escort mission. About an hour into the flight, the crew encountered bad weather conditions and the captain decided to return to his departure point. Upon landing in the Ardantrive Bay, the seaplane hit waves and the right float was torn off. The aircraft plunged into the sea and sank. All nine crew members from the 209th Squadron were rescued and the aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 off Hornsea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Location:
Hornsea
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Approaching the British coast at night, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off Hornsea. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a RAF fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 in Niederhaverbeck: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fassberg - Uetersen
MSN:
3091
Location:
Niederhaverbeck
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 airplane departed Fassberg on a flight to Uetersen when it crashed in unknown circumstances in Niederhaverbeck, some 45 km south of Hamburg. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Nikolaus Knob, pilot,
Lt Ernst Krückerberg, observer,
Uffz Heinz Kirchübel, radio operator,
Uffz Erich Wagner, mechanic.
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