Midair collision two Thunderbolts, Kent 1945.
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Midair collision two Thunderbolts, Kent 1945.
It was shortly after the end of the war around late 1945 early 1946? Living in Tonbridge, Kent, I heard aircraft overhead in cloud when suddenly there was the sound of an aircraft in a terminal dive.
Having heard similar sounds during air battles over Kent during the war, there was no doubt in my mind that a crash was imminent. From a cloud base of around 2000 ft I saw a spinning single engine aircraft (it was a Thunderbolt), in flames with what seemed one wing missing. A parachute was descending nearby.
With two friends we cycled to the scene of the crash of the Thunderbolt which was in woods near Pembury Rd, about two miles from the outskirts of Tonbridge. Ambulances and fire engines were there and the wreck was blazing. We later heard that two aircraft had collided and only one pilot baled out.
Does anyone know any more details of this accident or how I could find out?
Having heard similar sounds during air battles over Kent during the war, there was no doubt in my mind that a crash was imminent. From a cloud base of around 2000 ft I saw a spinning single engine aircraft (it was a Thunderbolt), in flames with what seemed one wing missing. A parachute was descending nearby.
With two friends we cycled to the scene of the crash of the Thunderbolt which was in woods near Pembury Rd, about two miles from the outskirts of Tonbridge. Ambulances and fire engines were there and the wreck was blazing. We later heard that two aircraft had collided and only one pilot baled out.
Does anyone know any more details of this accident or how I could find out?
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A good starting point for USAAF losses is www.accident-report.com/UK , a quick perusal of which suggests the collision of two P-47Ms (44-21109 and 44-21190) from the 56th FW on June 25 1945 might be the accident in question. They were based at Boxted, so Tonbridge sounds reasonable for a location.
