Preston Bradley Collins
Military
Family photo album of pilot.
Object Number - UPL 38007 - Lt Preston B Collins, 374th Squadron (Fielding)
Assigned to 374FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Detached Service with 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron. Returned to 374FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. Credited with 1 x kill.
Landed at Bottisham with the landing gear retracted following undercarriage failure on the return from a local formation flight on 13 Feb 1944 in P-47D 42-75155. Minimal damage occurred due to a well-executed belly-landing. RTD.
Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: DFC, BS, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Aircraft
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
1 November 1919 | Son of Seba J and Minnie Collins. | |
|
Enlisted |
6 October 1941 | ||
|
Other Crashed |
14 October 1943 | Landing Accident Perry AAF, FL Cat 3 Lt Preston B Collins, 14-Oct-43. AT-6A 41-302 - 312FS 338FG | |
|
Other Crashed |
13 February 1944 | Landed at Bottisham with undercarriage failure in P-47D 42-75155 on the return from a local formation flight on 13-Feb-44. Pilot Lt Preston B Collins. | |
|
Other Detached Service (DS) |
7 May 1944 - 3 July 1944 | Assigned to 5th ERS at Boxted | |
|
Other Returned to unit |
3 July 1944 | Returned to 374FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Other E/A Destroyed |
10 July 1944 | Me109 destroyed Neumburg 10-Jul-44 Lt Preston B Collins. P-51D 44-11164. | |
|
Other Crashed |
13 April 1945 | Crashed 16 Miles East Brighton, CO Cat 4 damage Lt Preston B Collins, 13-Apr-45. BT-13A 41-23022 - 3702BU | |
|
Died |
28 November 2010 | ||
|
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
Ended Tour of Duty (ETD) | ||
|
Other Promotion |
Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. | ||
|
Based |
7 May 1944 | Assigned to 374FS, 361FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Removed the slightly derogatory "oops" from the Bottisham crash info, and added additional details.
Source: 361st Fighter Group website: http://361fg.com/crash.htm
http://361fg.com/crash.htm
http://aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Collins%2C+Preston+B…
https://www.fold3.com/record/87801224-preston-b-collin
https://www.fold3.com/record/283715155-preston-b-collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802085?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/151005668?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62336139/preston-bradley-collins
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/mustang/combat-reports/361-collins-7…
http://361fg.com/crash.htm
http://aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Collins%2C+Preston+B…
https://www.fold3.com/record/87801224-preston-b-collin
https://www.fold3.com/record/283715155-preston-b-collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802085?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/151005668?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62336139/preston-bradley-collins
http://361fg.com/crash.htm
http://aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Collins%2C+Preston+B…
https://www.fold3.com/record/87801224-preston-b-collin
https://www.fold3.com/record/283715155-preston-b-collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/312802085?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
https://www.fold3.com/image/151005668?terms=Preston%20B%20Collins
