Suffolk

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

MSN:

2264

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall on operation 'Frensham I'. Shortly after takeoff, it went out of control and crashed just outside the airbase. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
S/L Boris Romanoff, pilot, †
Sgt Maxmillian Politzer, pilot, †
Sgt Jan Janek, pilot, †
Sgt Ladislav Fornusek, wireless operator, †
F/O Vaclav Jelinek, navigator, †
Sgt Bohumil Vaverka, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Mildenhall

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1942 at 2340 LT

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Registration:

Z1077

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Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 1930LT on an operation to Essen. While returning to base in the late evening, it landed downwind then veered off runway and crashed into an air raid shelter.
Crew:
Sgt J. H. Foy,
Sgt F. D. Barbour,
Sgt Faulkiner,
Sgt F. M. Van Guen,
Sgt J. H. F. Munday,
P/O B. L. Kenyon.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Brandon: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1942 at 1600 LT

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Registration:

X3355

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Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The crew departed RAF Feltwell for an engine check. En route, the starboard engine failed, followed soon afterwards by the port engine. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane stalled and crashed in a field at Lime Kiln Farm near Brandon, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and three others were injured. Few hours later, one of the survivors died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Henry William Woodham, pilot, †
Cpl Kenneth John Howes, †
AC2 Wilfred Pownall, †
Sgt R. A. Colville,
AC2 Goodwin.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0554 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9939

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2302LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. It was hit by the German Flak and subsequently crashed upon landing while returning to base the following morning. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O E. D. Baker
Sgt J. A. Lancaster,
Sgt A. C. Cole,
F/Sgt S. S. Dawes,
Sgt E. G. W. Shotter,
F/Sgt E. H. Erby.

Probable cause:

Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Mildenhall: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0545 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

N6067

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Schedule:

Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2337LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the airplane went off course. Due to lack of fuel, the crew diverted to RAF Mildenhall but the engine failed on approach. It crash landed in a field and came to rest against a stone wall, about 200 yards from the airbase. Seven crew members escaped uninjured while the front gunner was killed.
Crew:
S/L Matthew Drummond Henderson Wilson, pilot,
Sgt Robert Lorraine Melville, copilot,
Sgt Ely, flight engineer,
F/O Clifford G. Reeve, navigator,
Sgt Daniel Lammie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Johnnie Noel Spalding, air gunner,
Sgt William Edmund Chambers, air gunner,
Lt Louis Bingham Murray, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Lakenheath

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

N3713

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

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Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

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While completing a local training exercise at RAF Lakenheath, the airplane crashed upon landing, lost its undercarriage and was damaged beyond repair. All eight crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Sgt P. J. Lamason,
Sgt Falconer,
Sgt Stubbs,
Sgt Campbell,
Sgt Willett,
Sgt Christie,
Sgt Richardson,
Sgt Hammett.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Mildenhall

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942 at 1550 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7458

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Mildenhall. The airplane was damaged beyond repair following a hard landing. There were no injuries among the crew:
Crew:
F/L M. R. Evans,
P/O Ballauff,
Sgt Smith,
Sgt Felstead,
Sgt Coman,
F/S Mace,
Sgt F. B. Pomeroy,
F/S Hanson.

Probable cause:

A very bright sun reflecting off a wet runway was a contributory factor in the cause of this accident.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1942 at 2205 LT

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

Z8372

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