Accident Vickers Wellington Mk IA N2957,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 141380
 
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Date:Thursday 14 December 1939
Time:17:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic well model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Vickers Wellington Mk IA
Owner/operator:99 Sqn RAF
Registration: N2957
MSN: LN-D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:RAF Newmarket, Suffolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase: Approach
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Newmarket, Suffolk
Destination airport:RAF Newmarket, Suffolk
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Ops: Attack on Naval targets, Wangerooge Island, Heligoland Bight. Badly damaged by Bf 109s and Bf 110s during raid on Helgoland and Wilhelmshaven. Aircraft damaged but managed to return to the UK. Crashed on 14 December 1939 when spun in approaching Newmarket and crashed into a field near the race course, on landing attempt. Three of the crew of six were killed

Crew:
Flt Lt Eugene John Hetherington (pilot, New Zealander, aged 25, Service Number 39026) killed
Pilot Officer Payne (2nd Pilot) injured
AC.1 Ronnie Entwistle (Wireless Op/Air Gunner, aged 19, Service Number 542335) killed.
AC.2 A. D. F. Craig (Air gunner) injured
Corporal Andrew Sharp (Air gunner, aged 25, Service Number 522788) killed
Sgt L.W. Parton (Air Observer) injured

An attack from an Me 110 had caused the loss of one wing flap, and when the pilot prepared to land at Newmarket by selecting flaps down, the aircraft rolled uncontrollably and crashed.

Sources:

1. Air-Britain Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999
2. Wimpy: A Detailed History of the Vickers Wellington in service, 1938-1953 By Steve Bond page 37-38
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/56: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142173
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-vickers-408-wellington-ia-raf-newmarket-3-killed
5. http://adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzwellington.htm
6. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939a.htm
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2721269/hetherington,-eugene-john/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2735803/entwistle,-ronald/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2456736/sharp,-andrew/
10. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?15518-RAF-Casualty-Packs-1939-45-Public-Access/page2
11. https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/13514/
12. http://www.bomber-command.info/c99wellloss.htm
13. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showpost.php?p=261007&postcount=2

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Jan-2012 11:33 Uli Elch Added
09-Mar-2013 19:08 Dr. John Smith Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
07-Jun-2013 14:01 Nepa Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Narrative]
22-Aug-2013 21:16 JINX Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source]
04-Nov-2014 20:21 roundhead Updated [Narrative]
27-Apr-2015 18:54 ABBA Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative]
26-Sep-2016 14:44 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 23:20 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 23:23 Dr. John Smith Updated [Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 23:23 Dr. John Smith Updated [Source]
30-Oct-2018 08:21 Nepa Updated [Time, Operator, Operator]
04-Jun-2019 17:21 Dr. John Smith Updated [Cn, Source, Narrative]

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