Crash of a Bloch MB.200 in Le Breuil

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
E-932
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Avord - Istres
MSN:
133
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. All three crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Le Breuil, four km east of Le Creusot. All three crewmen from the 51st Bomb Squad were uninjured.

Crash of a Caudron C.445 Goéland in Sablons

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T-907
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Avord - Istres
MSN:
43
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. The piot attempted an emergency landing in a snowy field located in Sablons, northwest of Saint-Rambert-d'Albon. Upon touchdown, the twin engine aircraft flipped over and crashed. All three crewmen were seriously injured ande the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Sgt Franck Barbet, pilot,
Cpl Jan Cerny, pilot,
Sgt Léon Colombier, mechanic.

Crash of a Caudron C.630 Simoun in Lespéron

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
345
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Avord - Istres
MSN:
345
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. Apparently lost, the crew decided to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft belly landed in a snow covered field. Both pilots were uninjured.

Crash of a Bloch MB.200 in Divajeu: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
E-021
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Avord - Istres
MSN:
9
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Avord to Istres to transfer the squadron, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow falls. Too low, the airplane impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located in Gresou, near Divajeu, some 20 km northeast of Montélimar. All three crewmen from the 51st Bomb Squad were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Marcel Descoudras, pilot,
Sgt Armand Lautrette,
Sgt Jean Saulnier.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111J off Dievenow

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
5039
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Divenow (now Dziwnów). The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Wibault 283.T12 in Fontclauze: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1939 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AMTT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lyon – Paris
MSN:
10
YOM:
1934
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane departed Lyon-Bron Airport on a flight to Paris-Le Bourget, carrying one passenger and four crew members on behalf of the 6th Section d'avion de transport based in Bron. While overflying Saint-Chamond, near Saint-Etienne, black smoke was coming out from the aircraft that crashed 10 minutes later in Fontclauze, near Caloire, west of Saint-Etienne. The captain survived while all four other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt/C Maurice Suau, pilot,
Sgt Roger Pehau, flight engineer, †
Cpl Marie Robert Peperiot, radio navigator, †
O/M Albert Legendre, engineer. †
Passenger:
Sgt Charles Deguin. †

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 near the Bell Rock Lighthouse: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1939 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While approaching the British coast, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea near the Bell Rock Lighthouse, off the Tay Estuary. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Alfred Fick,
Uffz Heinz Zenger,
Uffz Franz Eggert,
Uffz Helmut Kaminski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 near the Bell Rock Lighthouse: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1939 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While approaching the British coast, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea near the Bell Rock Lighthouse, off the Tay Estuary. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw Herbert Kolberg,
Fw Walter Stübke,
Lt Adalbert Lüneburg,
Uffz Heinz Käberich.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H at Giebelstadt AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1939 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Giebelstadt - Giebelstadt
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Giebelstadt AFB, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. Two crewmen were killed and two others were injured.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H in Uetersen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1939 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Uetersen - Uetersen
MSN:
2709
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Uetersen, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed south of the airfield, bursting into flames. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
FF Uffz Walter Kunze,
B Lt Hans Schierholz,
Bf Uffz Max Strohschein,
Bs Ogfr Günther Vogt.