Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Hatston - Hatston

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The float plane departed RAF Hatston on an anti-submarine mission. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Fair Isle, between Shetland and Orkneys. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Cyril Leonard Smeathers, pilot,
Msm Paul Lorraine Furber, observer,
Nav Charles Edwin Adams, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P1331

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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Circumstances:

The undercarriage was damaged on takeoff and the aircraft was wrecked in the forced landing that followed. The pilot was uninjured.

Crash of a Waco YKS-7 near El Alto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Waco YKS-7

Operator:

Registration:

LV-AFA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

5201

YOM:

1937

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The single engine airplane was completing a SAR mission to Santiago del Estero, after hunters were missing. While cruising in poor visibility due to fog, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near El Alto. All four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Dornier Do.17 in Léglise: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Landing (descent or approach)

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The airplane was shot down by the pilot of a French fighter and crashed in a field located in Léglise. The pilot was killed and two other crewmen were injured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a French fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 290 Wellington I at RAF Harwell

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 290 Wellington I

Operator:

Registration:

L4236

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

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Following a reconnaissance mission, the crew was returning to his base at RAF Harwell. For unknown reasons, the pilot missed the approach and landed hard. This caused the aircraft to bounce and to climb, entering an excessive nose-up attitude. It eventually stalled and crashed on the runway. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Wrong landing configuration.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Dueodde

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

B3+LM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Dueodde (Bornholm Island)

Site:

Plain, Valley

Location:

Hovedstaden

Country:

Denmark

Region:

Europe

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Circumstances:

While on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was shot down by anti aircraft fire. The pilot made an emergency belly landing on a beach in Dueodde, south part of the Bornholm Island. All four crew members were uninjured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-1 in När

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

B3+CM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aalborg - Aalborg

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While on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was shot down by anti aircraft fire. The pilot made an emergency belly landing in När. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Lt Alfred Kiefer, pilot,
Uffz Richard Marbordt, observer,
Obfr Johann Hommer, radio operator,
Obfr Guntram Engert, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 in Kasen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1940 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

4V+DA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Giessen - Giessen

MSN:

2020

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While on a reconnaissance mission out from Giessen, the airplane was shot down by French fighters and crash landed in an open field located in Kasaen. Four crew members were rescued and a fifth was killed.
Crew:
Fw. H. A. Kopitz, pilot,
Lt. P. Lehmann, observer,
Uffz K. Koschorreck, radio operator,
Ofw A. Wutz, mechanic,
Lt. F. Stern, photographer. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by French fighters.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1940 at 2234 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1352

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