Midlands

The crew were on a sortie from RAF Swinderby, along with five other aircraft from the Squadron, to attack the harbour and shipping at Calais. They had taken off at … Continue reading “1940-10-13|Battle Mk.I|L5499|No.300 Sqn, RAF|Calverton, Nottinghamshire”

At 23:40 on the 7th November 1942 N3567 took off from Ashbourne on a local training flight, the aircraft was barely airborne when it suffered an engine failure and stalled. … Continue reading “1942-11-07|Blenheim Mk.IV|N3567|No.42 OTU, RAF|Ashbourne, Derbyshire”

It would appear that aircraft being airborne from Church Broughton for some 15 minutes on a Circuits and Landings exercise that the aircraft’s port engine failed, the pupil pilot inadvertently … Continue reading “1943-01-11|Wellington Mk.III|BK405|No.27 OTU, RAF|Boylestone, Derbyshire”

This aircraft had taken off at 19:00 on the 29th January Wymeswold airfield near Loughborough, five other aircraft took off regular intervals around the same time, and a sixth aircraft … Continue reading “1943-01-30|Wellington Mk.IC|R1538|No.28 OTU, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”

The crew were on a cross country exercise from Church Broughton near Derby, while close to the airfield control of the aircraft was lost and it spun into the ground … Continue reading “1943-02-03|Wellington Mk.III|BK241|No.27 OTU, RAF|Nr Derby, Derbyshire”

The aircraft which had been on a test flight from Church Broughton was on the down wind leg of its approach with the under carriage down for landing when the … Continue reading “1943-04-04|Wellington Mk.III|BK508|No.27 OTU, RAF|Radbourne, Derbyshire”

The aircraft had taken off from Ashbourne at 01:30 for a practise bombing exercise at the range then in use between Carsington and Brassington, some twenty minutes later while flying … Continue reading “1943-07-09|Blenheim Mk.V|AZ876|No.42 OTU, RAF|Belper, Derbyshire”

At just after 00:20 on the 27th July 1943 Z9189 took off from Darley Moor airfield, a satellite of the larger airfield at Ashbourne. The aircraft was barely airborne when … Continue reading “1943-07-27|Whitley Mk.V|Z9189|No.42 OTU, RAF|Ashbourne, Derbyshire”

The instructor, who was onboard as a Safety Pilot, and student were carrying out a day cross country flight from Wheaton Aston near Stafford. The briefed route was Wheaton Aston … Continue reading “1943-09-29|Oxford Mk.I|LW959|No.21 (P)AFU, RAF|Henbury, Cheshire”

The aircraft had taken off at 16:50 for a Bullseye exercise, just short of 4.5 hours later the aircraft was abandoned by its crew due to severe icing conditions causing … Continue reading “1943-11-24|Wellington Mk.IC|DV435|No.14 OTU, RAF|Belper, Derbyshire”

At about 14:00 on the 14th January 1944 two flights of P-47s left Atcham near Shrewsbury with an instructor as flight leader. They climbed to between 22 and 24,000ft where … Continue reading “1944-01-14|P-47D|42-7925|495th FTG, USAAF|Nantwich, Cheshire”

The aircraft was being ferried, along with a second P-47, from Halesworth in southern England to Maghaberry in Northern Ireland for an overhaul. The weather en-route was poor, with 10/10ths … Continue reading “1944-01-19|P-47C|41-6259|27th ATG, USAAF|Sudbury, Derbyshire”

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V LA765 of No.81 OTU crashed at Dilhorne, Stoke-on-trent, 31st January 1944 while flying from Whitchurch Heath in Shropshire   Ian Leslie Wilkinson Sergeant Pilot Killed John Frederick Cusworth Flying Officer Navigator Killed George Victor Bourne Sergeant Bomb Aimer Killed Andrew Harkes Robertson Sergeant Wireless Operator Killed Thomas H. Weightman Flight Sergeant … Continue reading “1944-01-31|Whitley Mk.V|LA765|No.81 OTU, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”

The crew were on a night navigation exercise from RAF Lindholme near Doncaster, having taken off at 17:40.  A little under an hour into the flight the aircraft was seen … Continue reading “1944-02-07|Halifax Mk.II|BB320|No.1656 HCU, RAF|Cellerhead, Staffordshire”

The aircraft, Albemarle Mk.II V1604 of No.42 Operational Training Unit had taken off from Ashbourne at 23:42 on the 11th March 1944 on a cross country flight.  After some 3 … Continue reading “1944-03-11|Albemarle Mk.II|V1604|No.42 OTU, RAF|Ashbourne, Derbyshire”

The crash occurred while the aircraft was on a cross country exercise from Castle Donington, about 25 minutes after it took off it entered a thunderstorm, shortly afterwards the aircraft … Continue reading “1944-06-13|Wellington Mk.X|LP397|No.28 OTU, RAF|Mayfield, Staffordshire”

Handley Page Halifax Mk.III MZ519 / LK-U of No.578 Squadron, RAF, crashed close to the village of Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire on the 6th July 1944 while returning the Burn in Yorkshire from Croixdalle where it had taken part in an attack on V-1 launch sites   Reginald Parfitt Pilot Officer, RAFVR Pilot Killed Brian Grahame … Continue reading “1944-07-06|Halifax Mk.III|MZ519|No.578 Sqn, RAF|Fansfield, Nottinghamshire”

22 Year old 2nd Lieutenant Donald M. Pfaff, pictured above, of Homestead PA (to the SE of Pittsburgh) was flying in the No.3 position of a 4 ship battle formation … Continue reading “1944-07-14|P-47D|42-22491|495th FTG, USAAF|Upper Tean, Staffordshire”

The crew were carrying out a bombing exercise over Cannock Chase, having taken off from RAF Lichfield at 18:30. While at 9000 feet above Cannock Chase a severe vibration developed … Continue reading “1944-07-18|Wellington Mk.X|MF584|No.27 OTU, RAF|Marchington, Staffordshire”

The crew had flown a night cross country navigation flight and were returning to their home base at Ashbourne when the aircraft dived into the ground only a few miles … Continue reading “1944-07-24|Whitley Mk.V|BD230|No.42 OTU, RAF|Weston Underwood, Derbyshire”

2nd Lt Fulton was on an instrument and aerobatics training flight from Atcham with another P-47. After completing the instrument phase of the flight both pilots commenced their assigned aerobatics … Continue reading “1944-08-24|P-47D|42-74728|495th FTG, USAAF|Stockton Brook, Staffordshire”

The five officers were all attached to No.9 Course at the Empire Central Flying School at RAF Hullavington, which had started on the 24th August 1944, where officers from the … Continue reading “1944-09-16|Baltimore Mk.I|AG689|ECFS, RAF|Tedsmore Hall, Shropshire”

* 83rd Station Complement Squadron # Army Air Corps Of the crew and passengers 5 were subsequently buried at Cambridge American Cemetery.

At 13:30 on the 25th June 1946 NC661 took off on a cross country flight, after only 40 minutes in the air the aircraft suffered failure of the starboard engine … Continue reading “1946-06-25|Wellington Mk.XIII|NC661|RAF Shawbury|Trusley, Derbyshire”

While at 8000ft on a “Calibration flight + aerobatics” from Church Fenton both engines cut.  The pilot attempted a forced landing but before slowing, the aircraft ploughed through a hedge … Continue reading “1948-11-04|Hornet F. Mk.1|PX244|No.41 Sqn, RAF|Radbourne, Derbyshire”

The crew were carrying out Local Continuation Training from RAF Scampton near Lincoln, this included approach training from high level. The approach training was a mixture of B.A.B.S (Beam Approach … Continue reading “1953-03-27|Canberra B. Mk.2|WH669|No.10 Sqn, RAF|Dilhorne, Staffordshire”