Royal Air Force - RAF

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Hinton-in-the-Hedges - Hinton-in-the-Hedges

Location:

Hinton-in-the-Hedges AFB

Northamptonshire

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

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The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges when one of the engines failed on final approach. The airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Both crew members escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on final approach.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I at RAF Turnberry: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Blackburn B-26 Botha

Operator:

Registration:

L6211

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Schedule:

Turnberry - Turnberry

MSN:

7866/8

YOM:

1940

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The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Turnberry on behalf of the 3rd Radio School. On final approach, the pilot-in-command initiated a go around procedure when one of the engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Three crew members were injured and a fourth was killed. The next day, one of the survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt William Tyndall Sheppard, †
Sgt Esmond Elliott Browne, †
Sgt T. F. Mayho,
Sgt C. Balmain.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Cranfield

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L4845

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Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Schedule:

Cranfield - Cranfield

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The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Cranfield when an engine failed on approach. The airplane crashed upon landing and came to rest, bursting into flames. Both crew members evacuated safely.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Salisbury

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1192

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The airplane suffered an engine failure and crash landed in a field located four miles south-southeast of Salisbury. The crew escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Asterby: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942 at 0330 LT

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Registration:

R1463

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Snaith - Snaith

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The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2000LT on February 21 on an operation to Germany. While returning to base the following night and while descending through cloud in order to establish their position, the bomber crashed into a hillside near Asterby, bursting into flames. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
P/O J. B. W. Birkes, pilot,
F/Sgt Donald Wormleighton, pilot, †
Sgt John Eric Blackburn, observer, †
Sgt Eric Frank Rawlings, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt John Easton McAllister, air gunner, †
F/Sgt D. O’Donovan Iland, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942 at 0218 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9830

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Snaith - Snaith

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The airplane departed RAF Snaith on an operation to Germany. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O John Bryan Green, pilot,
Sgt George Charlton Jobling, pilot,
F/O James Geen Courtney, observer,
Sgt Edward Lloyd Fiske, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas George Evans, air gunner,
Sgt Harold Gregory McKean, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in York: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942 at 0218 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AE394

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Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

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Took off from Skellingthorpe at 18:40 to attack a railway junction to the west of Koblenz, Germany. For an unknown reason the navigator lost consciousness on the flight but it is thought that he was able to return to his post later. On the return trip the aircraft ran low on fuel due to a navigational error and after crossing the Yorkshire Coast on one engine the aircraft began to ice up. After flying on one engine for some time and with a lack of control of the aircraft the pilot ordered the crew to bail out when the second engine cut out over the York area. The pilot saw one of his crew get clear, assumed that all three crew had all made good their escape and then got himself clear of the aircraft. Sadly the lower escape hatches were jammed shut probably due to the ice formations on the aircraft and the other two airmen were unable to get out of the aircraft before it crashed at 02:18 near to the centre of York on a road named Haleys Terrace. The other airman who the pilot saw get clear of the aircraft was also killed when his parachute failed to deploy properly. The two buried in the same grave are probably the two killed when they were unable to get clear of the aircraft.
Crew:
W/O Ivor Philip Mapp, pilot,
Sgt Hector Francis Thompson, navigator, †
Sgt Francis Reginald Law, wireless operator, †
Sgt Philip Sidney Ballard, air gunner. †
Source: Aircraft Accidents in Yorkshire.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Boscombe Down

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

L4614

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