Short S.29 Stirling

Air Transport - Belgium

Shortly after takeoff from Kunming Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 3 km from the airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while all 25 other occupants were killed. It appears that three of the four engines failed shortly after rotation. All passengers were Belgian missionaries.

Royal Air Force - RAF

Shortly after takeoff by night from Castel Benito, while climbing to a height of 150 feet, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion on a sand dune located near the airport. A passenger was seriously injured while 28 other occupants were killed. All passengers were returning to England on behalf of the Air Transport Command. Crew (158th Squadron): F/Lt Claude Robert Wilson, pilot, F/Lt Peter Austin Finnett, navigator, F/O Ernest Leo Hill, pilot, F/O Sidney Hodges, pilot, F/Lt Frank William Kenrick, pilot, F/O George Frederick Phillipson, flight engineer, F/Lt Leonard Simpson, navigator. Passengers: Gun Victor Charles Acourt, Gun William Beardsley, Pvt James William Merritt Belk, Gun Henry Benjamin Butler, Gun George Ward Chapman, Gun Ronald William Dobson, Gun Donald James Elliott, Sgt Cyril Flannery, Gun Thomas George Gregory, Gun Leonard Kemp, Gun Albert McGrath, Gun Walter Marshall, William Moncur, Trp Peter Owens, Gun Alfred Eric Roberts, Gun Andrew Ross, Gun Frank Shepherd, Gun John Henry Telford, Gun Henry Turvey, Sig John William Walter Wilson, Gun Denzil Young.

Royal Air Force - RAF

On takeoff, went out of control and crashed on a Misrair Avro Anson registered SU-ACX and carrying one pilot that was killed in the crash. All three crew members on board the Stirling were injured. Both aircraft were destroyed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a flight from RAF Great Dunmow to Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, taking part to the operation christened 'Doomsday' of releasing Norway from the German occupation. The descent was started in poor weather conditions with low clouds, fog and rain showers. On approach, while too low, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed, killing all 24 occupants. Crew (190th Squadron): S/Ldr Douglas Raymond Robertson, F/Lt Norman Leslie Roseblade, F/Lt Lemuel Ernest Prowse, F/Sgt Arthur Gwynne Davies, F/Sgt Ronald Alderson, W/O George Edward Thompson. Passengers: Mar J. R Scarlett-Streatfield, Maj Petter Cato Juliebø, Cpl Sidney George Rayner, Pvt Frederick Sainty, Pvt Edward Waby, Pvt Herbert William Woodward, Pvt David William Cooper, Pvt Walter Robert Lovett, Pvt Walter William Elliott, Pvt Kenneth John Watts, Pvt George Walton, Pvt Michael Mullen Wade, Pvt Francis Gerard Trainor, Pvt John Shannon, Pvt Clarence Sutherland, Pvt William Rodger, Pvt Edmund Charles Monk, Pvt Frank George McGlynn. Source: http://ktsorens.tihlde.org/flyvrak/sorkedalen.html

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a flight from UK to Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, taking part to the operation christened 'Doomsday' of releasing Norway from the German occupation. The approach was completed in poor weather conditions with low clouds, fog and rain showers. The aircraft crashed on final, short of runway, and was destroyed. All 20 occupants were killed. Crew (196th Squadron): F/O John L. Breed, pilot, W/O Hugh J. Kilday, F/Sgt Harold A. Bell, F/Sgt David Welch, Sgt Lionel J. D. Gilyead, wireless operator, W/O Raymond C. Impett, navigator. Passengers: Lt Frederick G. Saville, Pvt Frederick Brown, Pvt Thomas D. Brown, Cpl Charles Gavaghan, Pvt Thomas Laycock, Pvt George A. Little, Pvt Robert McKeown, Pvt Horace Newby, Pvt Joseph Pagan, Pvt George T. Phipps, Cpl Thomas E. Richardson, Sgt Frank R. Seabury, Pvt Joseph Smethurst, Cpl Alexander B. Todd.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was engaged in a night training exercise. En route, the pilot did not realized his altitude was insufficient and the crew was unable to distinguish the presence of the mountain due to the low visibility caused by foggy conditions. The aircraft hit the south slope of Mt Mickle Fell, skidded for some hundred yards before coming to rest in flames. The tail gunner was found alive while all six other occupants were killed. Crew (570th Squadron): F/Sgt Peter Dawbarn Young, pilot, † F/Sgt Neil Conway Burgess, navigator, † Sgt Bertram George Davis, flight engineer, † F/Sgt John Matthew Stack, bomb aimer, † F/Sgt Rex Patrick Furey, wireless operator, † F/Sgt George Child, air gunner, † W/O Alan G. Small RNZAF, tail gunner.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The aircraft left RAF Harwell at 1434LT on a supply mission over Holland. While approaching the drop zone located in the region of Arnhem, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a wooded area. All eight crew members were killed. Crew: F/O William Baker, pilot, F/Lt John Dickson, navigator, F/O Robert Carter Booth, bomb aimer, P/O Francis George Totterdill, wireless operator, Sgt Richard Bert Bond, flight engineer, F/Sgt Dennis James Blencowe, air gunner, Robert William Hayton, Reginald Shore.

Royal Air Force - RAF

En route, the aircraft hit a hill and crashed in the Peak District. All ten crew members were rescued, among them two were injured. The aircraft was totally wrecked. For unknown reason, the crew was flying at a too low altitude. Crew (1654th Heavy Conversion Unit): F/O Leonard Thomas Gardine, pilot, F/O John O’Leary, pilot instructor, Sgt Jim Coulson, bomb aimer and air gunner, Sgt John David Gittings, flight engineer, Sgt McDonald, navigator, Sgt Thomas Edward Burroughs, wireless operator, Sgt Ludlow, flight engineer, Sgt Austin, air gunner, Sgt Lennox Schultz Van Nierkirk, air gunner, S/L Hadland. Source and photos: http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictlj628.htm

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was involved in a night photography exercise and left RAF Wigsley bound for the Menai Bridge and back. En route, at least one engine failed and the aircraft lost height. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft but only four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed. Four crew members survived while all four others were killed. Crew (1654th HCU): F/O Gordon Noble Leach, pilot, † F/S Frederick Thomas James Nicholls, flight engineer, F/S Arthur C. Brett, flight engineer, F/S Geoffray Norman Wise, navigator, Sgt D. C. Watson, bomb aimer, F/S Bernard David Fine, wireless operator, † Sgt Harry Ward, air gunner, † Sgt Charles David Howes, air gunner. †

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

The crew was engaged in a supply mission to the French Resistance and left RAF Lakenheath at 2112LT on April 10. While cruising by night over the French department of Ain, the aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed on the roof of a farm. Two crew were able to leave the scene by themselves while all five other occupants were killed. Crew (149th Squadron): P/O D. Bray, pilot, † P/O D. L. Northover, navigator, † Sgt G. Cameron, bombardier, † F/Sgt J. Turner, radio, † Sgt A. E. Bristow, engineer, † Sgt D. E. Cadge, air gunner, F/Sgt N. C. H. Pilgrim, air gunner.

Royal Air Force - RAF

Crew was completing a supply mission to the French Resistance. While overflying Ain in snow falls, aircraft went out of control and crashed in Bois de Valorse, near Hauteville-Lompnes. All 7 crew of the 196th Squadron were killed.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The aircraft left RAF Downham Market at 2019LT on August 16 on a bombing mission to Torino, Italy. While flying over the east part of France at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field in Saint German en Bugey. A crew member was taken PoW, another evaded while five others were killed. Crew (218th Squadron): W/O S. F. Chudzik, † Sgt D. Deans, † Sgt C. E. Taylor, † Sgt D. P. J. Rawlings, † Sgt J. D. Bates, † Sgt J. L. Paterson, Sgt W. L. McKinnon.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The aircraft left RAF Oakington at 0007LT on a bombing mission to Krefeld, Germany. While overflying Belgium by night at an altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft was intercepted amd shot down by two German fighters. The Stirling lost altitude and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing. On final, the aircraft stalled, hit the ground, went out of control and came to rest in flames on the bank of a canal. The captain and the navigator were killed while all five other occupants were taken PoW. Crew (7th Squadron): Bruce Meiklejohn, pilot, † Charles Redwood, navigator, † Bill Cole, flight engineer, Frank Hugo, bomb aimer, Leslie Ellingham, radio operator, Jack Kilfoyle, air gunner, Edgar Brown, air gunner.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The bomber left RAF Oakington after midnight to attack the city of Bocholt in Germany. While flying over The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Akkerwoude. Six crew members were killed and one survived. Crew (7th Squadron): P/O E. C. Hallding, pilot, † P/O Geoffrey Wragge, navigator, † Sgt Arhur Eward Emms, air gunner, † W/O Loois Nutik, wireless operator and air gunner, † F/Sgt H. Sobel, air gunner, † Sgt Norman Arthur Peachey, air bomber, † Sgt F. A. Painter.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The aircraft left RAF Ridgewell on a bombing mission to Germany. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Willeskop, killing all eight crew members. Crew (90th Squadron): F/S G. D. Macdougall, pilot, Sgt G. Stephens, Sgt L. R. Kenkins, Sgt R. T. Williams, Sgt C. G. H. Mactavish, Sgt G. C. Adam, Sgt P. J. Egan, F/O F. A. Parton.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew left RAF Newmarket in the evening on a flight to Wolfsburg, Germany, to bomb a Volkswagen factory. While approaching the Dutch coast by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea few miles off shore. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. Crew (75th Squadron): W/C V. Mitchell, W/O T. H. Bagnall, Sgt R. Hart, W/O R. W. Pearson, Sgt G. T. Padden, Sgt S. J. Goff, Sgt A. H. Rider, F/S A. C. W. Parker.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a test flight when on final approach, one of the engine caught fire. During the last segment, the aircraft stalled and hit the runway surface, skidded for several yards and came to rest. While all four crew members (pilots and engineers) were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The accident occurred in November 1942 (exact date unknown).

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew left RAF Oakington at 0125LT on a bombing mission to The Netherlands. By night, the crew encountered undefined problems and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually crash landed in a field located near Gorinchem. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all seven crew members were unhurt and taken POW. Crew (7th Squadron): Sgt S. C. Orrell, F/O F. Thompson, Sgt A. Buckley, Sgt J. A. B. Bond, Sgt C. A. Bowers, Sgt A. R. Bolman, Sgt T. R. Gough.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The aircraft left RAF Oakington on a cross country exercise. While cruising over the region of Biddulph, the captain reduced his altitude to show the house of Mr. Dolphin to the other members of the crew. Shortly later, the aircraft went through a cloudy area and hit the hill of Merrytown Low, near Leek. All eight crew members were killed. Crew: Sgt Roderick Urquhart Morrison, pilot, F/Sgt John Richard Griffin, observer, F/Sgt James Frederick Hirst, wireless operator and air gunner, F/Sgt Thorstein Enevold Helgesen, wireless operator and air gunner, F/Sgt Leo Joseph Regimbal, air gunner, F/Sgt John Ellis Williams, flight engineer, F/Sgt William Anthony George Atkins, flight engineer, F/Sgt Edgar Dolphin.

Royal Air Force - RAF

The crew was performing a test flight on this first S.29 prototype. After a smooth mission, the crew was returning to Rochester Airport. On landing, the undercarriage failed and the aircraft came to rest on its belly. While all occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.