1952 — June 24, NM-based USAF B-50 Superfortress crash near Lakenheath, UK–all 11

— 11 Aviation Safety Network. USAF Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress, Eng., 6-24-1952.
— 11 Baugher. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. 8-17-2011 revision.
— 11 Dunkirk Evening Observer, NY. “B-50 Crash in England Fatal to 11.” 6-24-1952, p. 1.
— 11 European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt. “11 Die as B50 Crashes in UK.” 6-25-1952, p. 1.
— 11 European Stars and Stripes. “AF Names 10 Dead in UK B50 Crash.” 6-30-1952, p. 6.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date” 24-JUN-1952
….
“Type: Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress
“Owner/operator: 830th BSqn /509th BWg USAF (830th BSqn /509th Bomb Wing USAF)
“Registration: 49-0271
“MSN: 16047
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
“Other fatalities: 0
….
“Location 2.5 miles from RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, England – United Kingdom
“Phase: Maneuvering (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk
“Destination airport: RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk
“Confidence rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources.
“Narrative:

“Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress 49-0271, 830th Bomb Squadron/509th Bomb Wing, USAF: Written off (destroyed) 24/6/1952. The crew was performing a combined exercise out from RAF Lakenheath with ten other USAF B-50’s. During the approach, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion few miles from the airfield, killing all 11 crew members.

“Probable cause: The aircraft lost airspeed when the pilot attempted to avoid a collision with other bombers that were assembling into formation for a training mission. The 11 air crew were from Walker Air Force Base near Roswell, New Mexico. All the crew fatalities were repatriated back to the USA for burial.” (Aviation Safety Network. USAF Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress, Eng., 6-24-1952.)

Baugher: “Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress….271 (509th BW, 830th BS) stalled and crashed near Lakenheath, UK Jun 24, 1952. All 11 aboard killed. Was one of 11 aircraft formation in a turn, may have stalled in order to avoid a collision.” (Baugher. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. 8-17-2011 revision.)

Newspapers

June 24, United Press: “Lakenheath Air Base, England (UP) — An American Air Force B-50 ‘atom bomber’, the first of its type to arrive in Britain, crashed and burned near here today. The U.S. Air Force said all 11 crewmen aboard were killed. The Air Force said the plane crashed into waste ground between two farms at Bryant Max Bottom, a hamlet near Lakenheath, soon after taking off for a routine training flight from the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall. An English police officer who rushed to the scene said ‘the B-50 was burned right out. There are no survivors so far as I hart been able to check to date.’ Local firemen and U.S. Air Force fighters rushed to extinguish the fire.” (Dunkirk Evening Observer, NY. “B-50 Crash in England Fatal to 11.” 6-24-1952, p. 1.)

June 24: “Lakenheath Air Base, Suffolk, England, June 24 (UP) – A U.S. Air Force B50 medium bomber crashed and burned near here today, killing all 11 crew members aboard. The bomber was one of a flight of 10 that took off on a routine training flight from Lakenheath. Twelve minutes later it fell out of formation at 1,000 feet, crashed into an open field at Bryant May Bottom and burst into flames….

“The plane was the first of its type to crash in Britain. The Air Force said the B50 was one of a group of planes from the 509th Bomber Wing on rotational training from Walker Air Force Base in New Mexico.” (European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt. “11 Die as B50 Crashes in UK.” 6-25-1952, p. 1.)

June 29: “Roswell, N.M., June 29 (UP). Walker AFB has released the names of 10 of 11 airmen who were killed when a B50 bomber crashed and burned near Lakenheath Air Base, England. They were identified as:

Capt Alvin F. Venskus, 28, of Chicago, aircraft commander;
Capt Constantine T. Dewolski [or Wolski ], 31, Sanford, Fla., copilot;
Capt Fillmore T. Avdewith, 31, Norwich, Conn.;
Capt Harold Rou [or Rau, Jr. ], 31, Venice, Calif.;
M Sgt Willis M Gray, 29, Brooklyn, N. Y.;
Airman 2C [or S/Sgt. ] Henry T. Kemp, Jr., 29, Atlanta, Ga.;
[Airman 1C Robert E. Bayles, 22, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County, CO. ]
[Airman 1C William E. Barnes, 22, Louisville, KY. ]
Airman 1C Patrick L, Birdsill [or Birdsell, 20 ], 21, Temvik, N. D.;
Airman 1C Earl Dale, Jr., 22, Denver; [This name not in list of 11 names in ASN.]
Airman 1C James S. Frazier, 27, Plattsburg, N.Y.
[Major Gail M. Young (Observer, aged 36, Shamrock, Wheeler County, TX. ]

“All nine airmen were stationed at Walker AFB here. Maj Gale Young, address unknown, also was killed in the crash.” (European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt. “AF Names 10 Dead in UK B50 Crash.” 6-30-1952, p. 6.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Boeing B-50D-110-BO Superfortress, Eng., 6-24-1952 (ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153803. Accessed 6-5-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/153803

Baugher, Joseph F. 1949 USAF Serial Numbers. Aug 17 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1949.html

Dunkirk Evening Observer, NY. “B-50 Crash in England Fatal to 11.” 6-24-1952, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=128920837

European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt, Germany. “11 Die as B50 Crashes in UK.” 6-25-1952, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133399423

European Stars and Stripes, Darmstadt, Germany. “AF Names 10 Dead in UK B50 Crash,” 6-30-1952, p.6. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133399517