Overseas Training Casualties 1939-1945
CASPIR records 2,492 airmen killed in flying accidents in the United Kingdom between 1939 and 1945, most of them in Operational Training Units (OTUs) where crews learned to fly the aircraft they would take to war, and the rest in heavy conversion units, squadrons and other units. This map shows them at their RAF stations, month by month, by the aircraft they died in: each silhouette grows with the number of men killed in that type at that station, and the number on it is that number. Press Play to watch the losses build from September 1939 to December 1945, and click a station for the names.
Deaths per month
Everyone shown has the war status KIFA (killed in a flying accident) in CASPIR's personnel records, with the accident in the United Kingdom, from September 1939 to December 1945; Canadians form the largest group but not the only one, and each man's own air force (RCAF, RAF, RAFVR, RAAF, RNZAF ...) is shown after his name. Each is placed at the RAF station recorded for him; crash sites are not recorded, so a death away from the station is shown at the station. A star (*) means no station is recorded for the man and the station is taken from his unit's other records. Silhouette area is the number of deaths, and the number on each silhouette is that number of men killed. A disc is a death with no aircraft recorded; it is drawn only where no aircraft death is shown, and the click-through list always names everyone. Click the map, then scroll, to zoom. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Deaths per station
| Station | Deaths |
|---|---|
| RAF Wellesbourne Mountford | 182 |
| RAF Honeybourne | 89 |
| RAF Dishforth | 82 |
| RAF Topcliffe | 78 |
| RAF Pershore | 75 |
| RAF Lossiemouth | 73 |
| RAF Croft | 68 |
| RAF Kinloss | 61 |
| RAF Leeming | 61 |
| RAF Wombleton | 57 |
| RAF Upper Heyford | 53 |
| RAF Tholthorpe | 48 |
| RAF Ossington | 46 |
| RAF Aston Down | 44 |
| RAF Long Kesh | 42 |
| RAF Sandtoft | 34 |
| RAF Cottesmore | 31 |
| RAF Sutton Bridge | 31 |
| RAF Stranraer | 28 |
| RAF East Moor | 27 |
| RAF Harwell | 27 |
| RAF Hawarden | 26 |
| RAF Riccall | 25 |
| RAF North Luffenham | 24 |
| RAF Millom | 23 |
| RAF Finningley | 22 |
| RAF Hixon | 22 |
| RAF Holmsley South | 22 |
| RAF Benson | 21 |
| RAF Abingdon | 20 |
| RAF Winthorpe | 20 |
| RAF Grangemouth | 19 |
| RAF Moreton-in-Marsh | 19 |
| RAF Aldergrove | 18 |
| RAF Rufforth | 18 |
| RAF Swinderby | 18 |
| RAF Turnhouse | 18 |
| RAF Feltwell | 17 |
| RAF Gamston | 17 |
| RAF Lindholme | 17 |
| RAF Heston | 16 |
| RAF East Fortune | 15 |
| RAF Beaulieu | 14 |
| RAF Debden | 14 |
| RAF Sywell | 14 |
| RAF Waddington | 14 |
| RAF Wigtown | 14 |
| RAF Wing | 14 |
| RAF Bassingbourn | 13 |
| RAF St Eval | 13 |
| RAF Wrexham | 13 |
| RAF Wymeswold | 13 |
| RAF Andover | 12 |
| RAF Brize Norton | 12 |
| RAF Child's Ercall | 12 |
| RAF Exeter | 12 |
| RAF Lissett | 12 |
| RAF Llandow | 12 |
| RAF Penrhos | 12 |
| RAF Skipton-on-Swale | 12 |
| RAF Tealing | 12 |
| RAF Upwood | 12 |
| RAF Chipping Warden | 11 |
| RAF Eastleigh | 11 |
| RAF Leconfield | 11 |
| RAF Tarrant Rushton | 11 |
| RAF Wellesbourne | 11 |
| RAF Bicester | 10 |
| RAF Catfoss | 10 |
| RAF Chivenor | 10 |
| RAF Elgin | 10 |
| RAF Portreath | 10 |
| RAF Warboys | 10 |
| RAF Middleton St George | 9 |
| RAF Scampton | 9 |
| RAF Ashbourne | 8 |
| RAF Brawdy | 8 |
| RAF Church Fenton | 8 |
| RAF Dalton | 8 |
| RAF Elsham Wolds | 8 |
| RAF Fraserburgh | 8 |
| RAF Haverfordwest | 8 |
| RAF Rednal | 8 |
| RAF Saltby | 8 |
| RAF Silverstone | 8 |
| RAF Tern Hill | 8 |
| RAF Bruntingthorpe | 7 |
| RAF Dumfries | 7 |
| RAF Gransden Lodge | 7 |
| RAF Linton-on-Ouse | 7 |
| RAF Turweston | 7 |
| RAF Down Ampney | 6 |
| RAF Faldingworth | 6 |
| RAF Full Sutton | 6 |
| RAF High Ercall | 6 |
| RAF Kidlington | 6 |
| RAF Market Harborough | 6 |
| RAF Marston Moor | 6 |
| RAF Slilloth | 6 |
| RAF Darlington | 5 |
| RAF Finmere | 5 |
| RAF Forres | 5 |
| RAF Jurby | 5 |
| RAF Kirmington | 5 |
| RAF Leuchars | 5 |
| RAF Lichfield | 5 |
| RAF Limavady | 5 |
| RAF Montrose | 5 |
| RAF Silloth | 5 |
| RAF Skitten | 5 |
| RAF Snaith | 5 |
| RAF Strubby | 5 |
| RAF | 4 |
| RAF Ampney Down | 4 |
| RAF Bitteswell | 4 |
| RAF Broadwell | 4 |
| RAF College Cranwell | 4 |
| RAF Errol | 4 |
| RAF Hendon | 4 |
| RAF Hooton Park | 4 |
| RAF Little Horwood | 4 |
| RAF Mildenhall | 4 |
| RAF Rhoose | 4 |
| RAF Shobdon | 4 |
| RAF Skellingthorpe | 4 |
| RAF Stornoway | 4 |
| RAF Turnberry | 4 |
| RAF Babdown Farm | 3 |
| RAF College | 3 |
| RAF Digby | 3 |
| RAF Dunholme Lodge | 3 |
| RAF Inskip | 3 |
| RAF Killadeas | 3 |
| RAF Madeley | 3 |
| RAF North Coates | 3 |
| RAF Nutts Corner | 3 |
| RAF Perth | 3 |
| RAF Port Ellen | 3 |
| RAF Valley | 3 |
| RAF West Freugh | 3 |
| RAF Whitchurch Heath | 3 |
| RAF Wick | 3 |
| RAF Wigsley | 3 |
| RAF Banff | 2 |
| RAF Binbrook | 2 |
| RAF Bourn | 2 |
| RAF Castle Camps | 2 |
| RAF Castletown | 2 |
| RAF Cranage | 2 |
| RAF Crosby-on-Eden | 2 |
| RAF East Kirkby | 2 |
| RAF Elvington | 2 |
| RAF Gosport | 2 |
| RAF Hemswell | 2 |
| RAF Horsham St Faith (the record also names Lyneham) | 2 |
| RAF Hunsdon | 2 |
| RAF Lyneham | 2 |
| RAF Methwold | 2 |
| RAF Mullaghmore | 2 |
| RAF Northolt | 2 |
| RAF Peplow | 2 |
| RAF Peterborough | 2 |
| RAF Staplehurst | 2 |
| RAF Swanton Morley | 2 |
| RAF Tain | 2 |
| RAF Tiree | 2 |
| RAF Upavon | 2 |
| RAF Weston-on-the-Green | 2 |
| RAF Wigton | 2 |
| RAF Yeaton Peverey | 2 |
| RAF Acklington | 1 |
| RAF Ayr | 1 |
| RAF Bishops Court | 1 |
| RAF Burn | 1 |
| RAF Castel Benito | 1 |
| RAF Castle Archdale | 1 |
| RAF Castle Combe | 1 |
| RAF Church Lawford | 1 |
| RAF Condover | 1 |
| RAF Cranwell | 1 |
| RAF Didcot | 1 |
| RAF Docking | 1 |
| RAF Earls Colne | 1 |
| RAF Grantham | 1 |
| RAF Halfpenny Green | 1 |
| RAF Halifax | 1 |
| RAF Harwel | 1 |
| RAF Hawkinge | 1 |
| RAF Heathfield | 1 |
| RAF Heathfield Aerodrome | 1 |
| RAF Hutton Cranswick | 1 |
| RAF Ibsley | 1 |
| RAF Leemimg | 1 |
| RAF Lincoln | 1 |
| RAF LIssett | 1 |
| RAF London | 1 |
| RAF Long Kesh N. I | 1 |
| RAF Lossiemouth: | 1 |
| RAF Madley | 1 |
| RAF Market Drayton | 1 |
| RAF Melton Mowbray | 1 |
| RAF Middleton-St-George | 1 |
| RAF Mount Hope | 1 |
| RAF Netheravon | 1 |
| RAF Nicosia | 1 |
| RAF Odiham | 1 |
| RAF Perdiswell | 1 |
| RAF Pocklington | 1 |
| RAF Roose | 1 |
| RAF Scamton | 1 |
| RAF Sealand | 1 |
| RAF Selsey | 1 |
| RAF Shrewton | 1 |
| RAF St Athan | 1 |
| RAF Stradishall | 1 |
| RAF Tangmere | 1 |
| RAF Thomaby-on-Tees | 1 |
| RAF Unsworth | 1 |
| RAF Wellingbourne Mountford | 1 |
| RAF Woodhall Spa | 1 |
| RAF Yatesbury | 1 |
Deaths per month
| Month | Deaths |
|---|---|
| September 1939 | 2 |
| October 1939 | 1 |
| November 1939 | 4 |
| December 1939 | 0 |
| January 1940 | 0 |
| February 1940 | 0 |
| March 1940 | 0 |
| April 1940 | 0 |
| May 1940 | 2 |
| June 1940 | 0 |
| July 1940 | 1 |
| August 1940 | 11 |
| September 1940 | 2 |
| October 1940 | 2 |
| November 1940 | 0 |
| December 1940 | 1 |
| January 1941 | 2 |
| February 1941 | 0 |
| March 1941 | 3 |
| April 1941 | 6 |
| May 1941 | 8 |
| June 1941 | 27 |
| July 1941 | 55 |
| August 1941 | 26 |
| September 1941 | 30 |
| October 1941 | 22 |
| November 1941 | 23 |
| December 1941 | 33 |
| January 1942 | 23 |
| February 1942 | 48 |
| March 1942 | 37 |
| April 1942 | 41 |
| May 1942 | 65 |
| June 1942 | 23 |
| July 1942 | 42 |
| August 1942 | 48 |
| September 1942 | 80 |
| October 1942 | 36 |
| November 1942 | 65 |
| December 1942 | 41 |
| January 1943 | 64 |
| February 1943 | 52 |
| March 1943 | 26 |
| April 1943 | 49 |
| May 1943 | 38 |
| June 1943 | 44 |
| July 1943 | 35 |
| August 1943 | 58 |
| September 1943 | 68 |
| October 1943 | 64 |
| November 1943 | 62 |
| December 1943 | 54 |
| January 1944 | 73 |
| February 1944 | 99 |
| March 1944 | 62 |
| April 1944 | 62 |
| May 1944 | 70 |
| June 1944 | 61 |
| July 1944 | 105 |
| August 1944 | 109 |
| September 1944 | 39 |
| October 1944 | 72 |
| November 1944 | 88 |
| December 1944 | 37 |
| January 1945 | 45 |
| February 1945 | 23 |
| March 1945 | 42 |
| April 1945 | 39 |
| May 1945 | 20 |
| June 1945 | 7 |
| July 1945 | 0 |
| August 1945 | 6 |
| September 1945 | 0 |
| October 1945 | 5 |
| November 1945 | 0 |
| December 1945 | 4 |