North Yorkshire

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Drem - Catterick

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The crew departed RAF Drem on a transfer flight to RAF Catterick. While descending to the destination airfield, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and made an emergency landing near RAF Catterick. All occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1940 at 0650 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4205

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1878

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1632LT on December 3 on an operation to Mannheim. The following morning, while on final approach to RAF Topcliffe, the aircraft ran out of fuel, crash landed, veered off runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. All five crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. Several bomb exploded as well.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt N. C. Bizley, pilot,
P/O Leonard Edward Pearson, pilot,
Sgt K. R. Sewell, observer,
Sgt James William Middleton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt G. Engel, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Cold Kirby

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1940 at 0007 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4207

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

MSN:

1880

YOM:

1940

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1605LT on December 2 on an operation to Lorient, Brittany. While returning to base, the crew lost his orientation and decided to divert to RAF Cold Kirby, a dummy airfield that was not suitable for such an aircraft. After touchdown on a grassy runway, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest. All five crew members escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (58th Squadron):
Sgt Ronald Albert Gosling, pilot,
P/O Jack Gordon Kerry, copilot,
Sgt Reginald Denis Kirby, observer,
Sgt Patrick William Kenealy Crisp, wireless operator,
Sgt John Grange Uff, air gunner.

Probable cause:

The crew lost his orientation.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Dishforth: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1940 at 1615 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4958

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1685

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth on an operation to Lorient. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. All five crew members were injured and five ground crew (rescuers) were killed when bombs stored in the cargo bay exploded.
Crew (78th Squadron):
P/O J. B. T. Loudon,
Sgt Charles Arhur Smith,
Sgt H. J. Panter,
Sgt J. Barker,
Sgt T. Brown.
Those killed on the ground were:
AC2 Frederick Percy Griffiths,
AC1 Walter Douglas Victor,
AC1 Alfred George Haslett,
LAC Alfred John Patterson,
LAC Robert Smith.

Probable cause:

The engine power was insufficient upo takeoff, causing the aircraft to stall.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1940 at 2335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4135

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

MSN:

1828

YOM:

1940

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The airplane RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2015LT on an operation to Merseburg. Turned back with an unserviceable ASI and crashed upon landing at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. All five crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
F/O D. U. Lowson,
Sgt K. H. Smith,
Sgt L. Hogarth,
Sgt D. A. R. Tallis,
Sgt D. Whitehead.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 in Glaisdale Head: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1940 at 1745 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

4D+TS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

7089

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The airplane was engaged in a bombing mission over the RAF Linton-on-Ouse. While cruising in poor weather conditions, it crashed in Glaisdale Head, southwest of Whitby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Wilhelm Wowereit, pilot,
Obfw Hans Schulte-Mäter, observer,
Uffz Alfred Rodermond, wireless operator,
Uffz Gerhard Pohling, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Barton-le-Street

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1940 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

X3000

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1756LT on October 29 to bomb the Danzigerstrasse Gas Works in Berlin. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered icing conditions and abandoned the airplane that crashed in Barton-le-Street. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Colin James Ray Walker, pilot,
Sgt Kenyon Stafford Gowland, observer,
Sgt Douglas Owen Cole, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth Emm, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Dishforth: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1940 at 0400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4972

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1699

YOM:

1940

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was returning to base following an operation to Merseburg. On final approach to RAF Dishforth, the crew encountered strong cross winds and lost control of the aircraft that went out of control and crashed short of runway. The copilot was killed while all four other occupants were injured.
Crew (51st Squadron):
P/O Norman Edward Sharp, pilot,
Sgt John Raymond Brown, copilot, †
Sgt Douglas Henry Crocker, observer,
Sgt A. Britain, wireless operator,
P/O S. Storey, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Caught by strong cross winds and crashe on final approach.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 off Redcar: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Registration:

5J+HS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type: