Devonshire

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Hamble - Hamble

Location:

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While completing a training sortie from RAF Hamble, the crew encountered an engine failure in flight and decided to ditch the aircraft few miles off Brixham, Devon. While both crew members were rescued, the aircraft sank and was lost.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-70-DL near Bellever: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-100640

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Villacoublay – Exeter

MSN:

19103

YOM:

1943

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While on approach to Exeter Airport, the crew was forced to divert to RAF Western Zoyland due to poor weather conditions. Few minutes later, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit stone wall on a hillside and crashed. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Plymouth: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1945

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

ML829

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Plymouth - Plymouth

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Shortly after takeoff from Plymouth harbor, the aircraft failed to climb and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed while 9 others were rescued.
Crew killed (10th Squadron):
F/Sgt Harry Thomas Groennou,
P/O Peter Malcolm Hore.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL off the Lundy Island

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-100511

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

MSN:

18974

YOM:

1943

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Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Bristol Channel, off the Lundy Island. While the aircraft sank and was lost, all occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator IIIA near Princetown: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

FK242

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

211

YOM:

1941

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to his base in England following a maritime patrol flight over the Bay of Biscay. While flying northeast of Princetown, the bomber hit a barrage balloon and crashed in the Dartwood National Park. A crew member was seriously injured while six others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harry Olsen Dawe, pilot, †
Gavin Marton Sellar, pilot, †
F/O Victor Edward Crowther, observer, †
Sgt William Gilmore Fraser, flight engineer, †
P/O William Allen Cruickshanks, wireless op. and air gunner, †
William Ballantyne Martin, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Dennis Trevor Pass.
Special thanks to Peter Burke for crew details.

Probable cause:

In flight collision with a barrage balloon.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.5A Courier in RAF Bolt Head

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.5 Courier

Operator:

Registration:

X9344

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

MSN:

YOM:

1934

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Circumstances:

Just after lift off, the single engine aircraft went out of control, hit a hedge and crashed. Both occupants were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-2 in Shute

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1942 at 2335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+MN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Amsterdam - Amsterdam

MSN:

5356

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to Exeter. It was shot down by a British fighter and crashed in Shute. All four crew members became PoW.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Beer Head

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1045

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2211LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. While returning to base the following morning, it ran out of fuel and was ditched into the North Sea some 5 km southeast of Beer Head. All seven crew members were subsequently rescued from their dinghy.
Crew:
W/O D. J. O'Driscoll,
P/O Dempsey,
Sgt Oakford,
Sgt Saunders,
F/Sgt McLaughlin,
Sgt Harrison,
Sgt Wiles.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Branscombe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1942 at 1125 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P1226

Flight Phase: