Date & Time:
Feb 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1282
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1719LT on an operation to Brest. It was attacked by a night-fighter while returning to base, and very badly damaged Shrapnel from one of the shells set fire to a flare which exploded inside the aircraft, blowing the astrodome from its mountings and destroying some of the fuselage fabric. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Exeter, but was baulked by another aircraft. Unable to maintain control, the Wellington crashed between Pinhoe and Clyst Honiton on the west side of the aerodrome. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Czesław Bialy, †
Cpl Stefan Niczewski, †
Sgt Zygmunt Sadurski, †
P/O Wojciech Veit, †
F/O H. Kracinski,
F/O J. Chomka.
Crew:
F/Sgt Czesław Bialy, †
Cpl Stefan Niczewski, †
Sgt Zygmunt Sadurski, †
P/O Wojciech Veit, †
F/O H. Kracinski,
F/O J. Chomka.
Probable cause:
Crashed on approach after being attacked by enemy fire.
