Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero near Tobruk: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1940 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero
Operator:
Registration:
I-MANU
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
El Feteyat - Tobruk
MSN:
32040
YOM:
1940
Location:
Tobruk
Butnan (البطنان)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed El Feteyat Airfield at 1700LT bound for Tobruk. Half way down, the crew informed ground he was about 160 km east of his departure point. While approaching Tobruk, the aircraft was hit by ground fire, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in some 60 km west of Tobruk, bursting into flames. All nine occupants were killed, among them the Italian Minister of Aviation Italo Balbo.
Crew:
Marechal Italo Balbo, Pilot,
Maj Ottavio Frailich, copilot,
Cpt Gino Cappannini, flight engineer,
Sgt-Major Giuseppe Berti, radio navigator,
Enrico Caretti,
Lino Balbo,
Claudio Brunelli,
Nello Quilici,
Cino Florio.
Probable cause:
One day after the crash, the Italian Government announced officially that the airplane had been accidentally shot down by the Italian navy ship named 'San Giorgio' mooring off the Libyan coast. The airplane was obviously misidentified.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF in Oegstgeest: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940 at 1522 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
N3543
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
Location:
Oegstgeest
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 1255LT on a reconnaissance mission over the IJsselmeer Lake. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Oegstgeest, in the suburb of Leyde. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Alan Roger Wales, pilot,
Sgt John Walter Needham, observer,
Sgt Thomas Charles Jordan, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940 at 1520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
P6958
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
MSN:
9468
YOM:
1940
Location:
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 1255LT on a reconnaissance mission over the IJsselmeer Lake. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Hugh Spicer Pardoe-Williams, pilot,
Sgt Clifford William Thorley, observer,
P/O Edward Arthur Saunders, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF in Waverveen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L9447
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
Location:
Waverveen
Utrecht
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 1255LT on a reconnaissance mission over the IJsselmeer Lake. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Waverveen, between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Richard Cronan, pilot, †
Sgt A. O. Lancaster, observer,
Sgt Philip Laurence Lloyd, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IVF off Egmond aan Zee: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
P6957
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
MSN:
9467
YOM:
1940
Location:
Egmond aan Zee
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 1255LT on a reconnaissance mission over the IJsselmeer Lake. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Egmond aan Zee. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Peter Weil, pilot,
Sgt Sidney Kendal Bartlett, observer,
Sgt Alan Kempster, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Farsund: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
N7330
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wick - Wick
MSN:
414-1726
YOM:
1940
Location:
Farsund
Agder
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wick at 0615LT on a reconnaissance mission. While approaching the Norwegian coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed off Farsund Airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Hamilton Gray,
P/O Bernard Claude Lea,
Sgt Raymond Harold Radford,
P/O Peter Noel Trolove.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3778
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on a reconnaissance mission over Northern France. It was lost without trace, maybe after crashing into the North Sea.
Crew:
Sgt Alexander Dean Kelso,
Sgt James Lister Morton,
Sgt Joseph Charles Winston.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Wattisham

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1940 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3828
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Wattisham AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to reconnoitre the Münster area. It crash landed at 0845LT on return to base and was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/O Hill,
Sgt Hodder,
Sgt Gray.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 into the Tees: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Heinkel He.111
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Middlesbrough
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance flight, the aircraft collided with a balloon barrage cable and crashed in the mouth of the River Tees. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
In-flight collision with a balloon barrage cable.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Felixstowe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1940 at 0125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L6636
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Martlesham Heath - Martlesham Heath
Location:
Felixstowe
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While on a maritime patrol flight, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Felixstowe. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John S. Barnwell, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth L. Long.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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