Suffolk

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

N2776

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 1803LT on an operation to Boulogne. While returning to base in the evening, the crew encountered technical problems with the hydraulic system. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest. All six crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
P/O W. Spooner,
P/O Gilson,
Sgt Murphy,
Sgt Horobin,
Sgt Ludkin,
Sgt Trevillian.

Probable cause:

Failure of the hydraulic system.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near RAF Wattisham

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8777

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

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While on a training exercise, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing near RAF Wattisham. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt N. H. Sheppard,
Sgt E. G. Clarke,
Sgt E. H. Walesby.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1941 at 0302 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T2841

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

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Site:

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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Just after a night takeoff from RAF Stradishall, the left engine failed. The airplane sank back onto the runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. All six crew members were quickly rescued and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
Sgt H. H. Foster,
Sgt H. D. Smiles,
Sgt J. R. Turner,
Sgt J. Rowthorne,
Sgt R. F. W. Turner,
Sgt C. M. Elelman.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine upon takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Lowestoft: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1941 at 1220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2435

Flight Phase:

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Norwich - Norwich

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The crew departed RAF Horsham St Faith in Norwich at 1020LT on an operation to Germany. On return, and while crossing the East Anglia coast at 1220LT, the crew failed to give any recognition signals and the Blenheim was promptly engaged by AA fire from naval ships. Shortly afterwards the tail assembly broke away and the bomber dived into a field 250 yards from the police house at Oulton, 2 miles west-northwest of Lowestoft. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Guy Jerrold Menzies, pilot,
Sgt Edwin Jones Bonney, observer,
Sgt Roy Tribick, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by British AA fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Great Wratting: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1941 at 1240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T2956

Flight Phase:

Vickers 408 Wellington IA

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The crew departed RAF Stradishall on a local test flight. En route, he encountered poor weather conditions and while flying in clouds, the airplane iced up and crashed near Great Wratting. All six crew members were killed.
crew:
P/O Tom Eric Timmins, pilot,
P/O Charles Norman Walker, pilot,
Sgt Peter Robert Peart, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Cain, wireless operator,
Sgt William Edward Griswold, wireless operator,
Sgt Archibald Sinclair Roberts, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA at RAF Newmarket: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1941 at 1255 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L7783

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Schedule:

Newmarket - Newmarket

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The crew was performing a training mission at RAF Newmarket. Following two unsuccessful attempts to land, the crew was completing a third approach when the aircraft crashed short of runway. All four crew members were seriously injured. Few days later, two of them died from injuries sustained.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/O John Peter Aarchibald Davidson, pilot, †
Sgt John Maitland Keddie, pilot, †
P/O D. Bellerby,
Sgt G. J. Truscott.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near RAF Honington

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4961

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

1688

YOM:

1940

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The airplane departed RAF Leeming to bomb an aircraft components factory in Berlin. While returning to base the following night, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the right engine failed and the crew abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed near RAF Honington. All five crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Bridson,
Sgt Griffin,
Sgt Burton,
Sgt Marshall,
Sgt Lucas.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Newmarket: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1940 at 2128 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1333

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Newmarket - Newmarket

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The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 2128LT to attack the Pirelli factory in Milan. Just after liftoff, the airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt Glencairn Sholto Ogilvie, pilot,
P/O Arthur Patnell Pritchard, pilot,
Sgt Rupert James Bowden, observer,
Sgt Cliff Hendy, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt George T. Lea, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Edwin Herbert Boast, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Mildenhall

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1940 at 0022 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

P9268

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