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Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group attend to a damaged P-47 Thunderbolt following a crash landing at Martlesham Heath. Official caption printed on image: '85SG4GA5?-2 (Crash Landing).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '26/2/44 276211 Lt Cotter (K) making landing.'

IWM catalogue record

This contains information written on the back of the original print and some of it may be inaccurate.

Ground crew of the 356th Fighter Group attend to a damaged P-47 Thunderbolt following a crash landing at Martlesham Heath. Official caption printed on image: '85SG4GA5?-2 (Crash Landing).' Handwritten caption on reverse: '26/2/44 276211 Lt Cotrer (K) making landing.'

Connections

Units

  • 356th Fighter Group

    356th Fighter Group

    Group
    The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The...

People

  • William Brearley

    Military | Captain | Fighter pilot
    Assigned to 359FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD1). Rejoined for 2nd tour. 97 combat missions. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD2). Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (9OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

  • William Cotter

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot
    Assigned to 359FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Killed in aircraft accident at Martlesham Heath in P-47D 42-76211. Killed in Training Accident (KITA) 22-Feb-44. Awards: PH.

Aircraft

  • 42-76211 'Princess Jocelyn'

    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Assigned to 359FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Capt William C Brearley and named "Princess Jocelyn". Written off DBR after crash landing at Martlesham Heath, 26-02-44, pilot William W Cotter killed.

Locations

  • Martlesham Heath

    Military site : airfield
    Opened in 1917 as home to the RFC Aeroplane Experimental Unit, Martlesham Heath became well known during the 1920s-30s as home to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment. Used as an RAF fighter station from 1939, with only a grass airfield...

Edit entry 

Collection name
Roger Freeman Collection
Object number
FRE 466

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
27 January 2015 15:19:37 Al_Skiff Changes to person associations
Sources

USAAF Photo.
Date Contributor Update
27 January 2015 12:59:57 Al_Skiff Changes to caption and person associations
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com
Date Contributor Update
04 October 2014 11:00:57 Ozzie Changes to caption
Sources

26 FEBRUARY 1944
SALVAGED:-
P-47D-2-RE 42-76211 OC:C 356FG,359FS.
P *1 Lt William W Cotter
During the afternoon Lt Cotter crashed on the east corner of the east-west runway as he was landing at Martlesham Heath. He died from
his injuries later in the day. The investigating officer believed this crash was due to engine failure, resulting from the prop coming in contact
with the ground. KIA.
Note:- Buried in Plot B-7-7, Cambridge Cemetery at 1500hrs on 29th February 1944. Eventually, body returned to (Pennsylvania).
Date Contributor Update
08 September 2014 15:18:55 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

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