Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV near RAF Hibaldstow

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1397
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1748LT on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base in the late evening, the pilot became ill and the airplane crashed near RAF Hibaldstow. All six crew members were rescued, among them three were injured.
Crew:
P/O Liszka,
Sgt D. Niezrecki,
F/O M. Kuzmicki,
Sgt Janik,
Sgt K. Szturc,
Sgt C. K. Sulgut.
Probable cause:
The crash was attributed to the pilot being taken ill through lack of oxygen.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Marham: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2111 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1563
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local night training exercise at RAF Marham. Following several circuits, the crew initiated the approach when he encountered adverse weather and severe icing conditions. Control was lost and the airplane crashed near the airbase, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Hewett Faith, pilot,
F/Sgt Donald Joseph Maskill, pilot,
Sgt Robert Miller Shaw, observer,
Sgt Ronald Frederick Bishop, wireless operator,
Sgt Stanley Arthur Orford, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Sidney Carl Lester, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Severe icing, leading to almost total glazing of the windscreen, was a contributory factor.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near RAF Langham

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 0045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AE441
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on January 14 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it ran out fuel. The crew diverted to RAF Langham but the airplane crashed on approach near the airfield. All four crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/L W. J. W. Kingston,
Sgt R. C. W. de Courcy,
Sgt J. A. Tobin,
Sgt A. Gibson.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bodney

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 1925 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6374
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a local solo training flight. For unknown reasons, the airplane landed hard, causing the undercarriage to collapse. The pilot escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt W. M. Tuller, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Scolt Head

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1942 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z6040
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Upwood on a training flight. En route, the crew encountered severe icing conditions, causing the engines to stop. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in the Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve. Two crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O Charles Vernon Pereira, pilot,
P/O G. H. Gilbert, navigator,
Sgt P. B. Davies, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near RAF Methwold: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1942 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1096
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 0520LT on an operation to Brest. Ten minutes later, while climbing, it went out of control and crashed near RAF Methwold, bursting into flames. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
F/Lt Douglas Roy Richardson, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Louis Nathaniel Simmons, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Ewings, observer, †
Sgt Victor Haig Mountstephens, wireless operator, †
Sgt Lawrence Joseph Roe, wireless operator, †
P/O S. G. Carter, air gunner.
Probable cause:
No immediate cause could be discovered as to why the bomber had crashed and it was later concluded that the most likely reason for the tragedy was pilot disorientation.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near King's Lynn: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1941 at 1505 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z5984
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Upwood on a training operation consisting with practice landings and bombing training over The Wash. While diving towards the intended target, the starboard engine surged and the airplane crashed in the North Wooton Range, about 4 miles north of King's Lynn. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt H. S. Thomas, pilot,
Sgt G. Owen, observer,
Sgt James Edward Wilson, wireless operator. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bodney

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1941 at 1120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6455
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1120LT on a local training exercise and crashed almost immediately. All five crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O T. A. M. Jack,
Sgt E. F. Kerr,
Sgt H. Slater,
P/O J. F. Graham,
Sgt Broadhurst.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88S-1 off Winterton-on-Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
S4+DL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1442
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on an operation to England and flying along the coast of Norfolk, the airplane crashed into the sea off Winterton-on-Sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Wilhelm Gospodarek, pilot,
Lt Heinrich Deters, observer,
Uffz Heinz Holzapfel, radio operator,
Volkmar Eschke, mechanic.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF Oulton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1045 LT
Operator:
Registration:
V9231
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oulton - Oulton
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Oulton, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed. Both crew members were killed. They were engaged in a local training exercise.
Crew.
P/O Charles Richardson Digges, pilot,
Sgt Michael Terence Garfin, wireless operator.