Tours air crash of 22 April 1939

On 22 April 1939 two Bloch MB 210 bombers of the 51ème Escadre de bombardement collided directly above Tours-Parçay-Meslay airfield during a low-level bombing exercise, killing all nine crew members.

The accident

On 22 April 1939 a formation of 4 Bloch MB 210 bombers of the 51e Escadre de bombardement took off from Angers airfield to reach Tours-Parçay-Meslay airfield. The aircraft were making a special return flight after taking part in manoeuvres for Territorial Air Defence (DAT - Défense Aérienne du Territoire). The four Bloch MB 210s, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Louis Mailloux, were flying together in a "Diamond" formation at a height of 200 m in order to train in low-level bombing. During the final approach to Tours-Parçay Meslay airfield, the lead aircraft positioned on the left side of the formation suddenly turned left while the aircraft positioned on the right side of the formation went to the right. At 11:00 both aircraft behind them suddenly collided, immediately afterwards falling out of control into an open field and being totally destroyed. All nine crew members of both aircraft were killed.

Baptiste Besnard, a farmer working in his field, witnessed the accident: I was rolling the field when I saw appear, above the hangars, there, towards the south, a group of four aircraft flying low, perhaps two hundred metres. I had stopped the horse to watch them. At a certain point two aircraft separated, one to the right, the other to the left, and almost immediately I could only let out a cry: the other two aircraft had collided. One fell almost straight down, exploded and caught fire, while the second one following it bounced in the air and was about to fall on one wing two hundred metres away. I hoped that at least those would be saved, but immediately I saw the second aircraft catch fire while the two explosions seemed to merge.

The crew on board Bloch MB 210 no. 152 consisted of Sergeant Paul Bredela, Warrant Officer Gaston François, Sergeant Girard, Corporal Génébault, and Warrant Officer Lagarce. The crew of the second aircraft, belonging to the staff, consisted of Lieutenant Colonel Louis Mailloux (commander of the 31e Escadre de bombardement), Lieutenant Henry de Rilly d'Oysonville, Warrant Officer Gonin, and Sergeant Robert Callède. That was a black day for the Armée de l'air: within a few hours three accidents occurred that caused the deaths of nineteen airmen.

Rescuers arrived quickly but were of no use, as the charred bodies of the nine airmen were recovered. Shortly afterwards there arrived at the scene General Pastier, commander of the 3rd Air Region; General Canonne, commander of the 6th Air Division, Colonel Jury, commander of the 9th Brigade, Commandant Enslen of the 31e Escadre de bombardement, and Colonel Fauvel of BIA 109. Also going to the scene were Vernet, prefect of Indre-et-Loire; Senator René Besnard; and deputies Courson and Bernier. Later it was the turn of General Joseph Vuillemin, chief of staff of the Armée de l'air.

The bodies of the nine airmen received a solemn funeral at the Cathedral of Saint-Gatien de Tours, in the presence of the Minister of Aeronautics.

The commission of inquiry subsequently convened was unable to determine the exact cause of the collision.