Tanners Lane, Boldre, Hampshire
Aircraft crash siteMy photograph taken at low tide, about the year 2000.
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Detailed History
On the 19th of April 1944, this aircraft flown by 2nd Lt. Edwin Rogers Johnston was involved in a mid-air collission with another P-47D flown by Capt. William Richard Fleming. Both aircraft crashed, Johnston bailed out, slightly hurt, Fleming failed to bail out and was killed. The aircraft were took off from Lymington for formation training. However, Johnston following behind Fleming was blinded by the sun and while straightening up in the hope to gain sight of his leader flew his aircraft into that of his leader, striking it near the centre of the fuselage, on which his aircraft flipped onto his back and oiled sprayed from the engine and caught fire, four seconds later Johnston bailed out and his aircraft went down on fire and crashed on the salt marsh near Tanners Lane, Boldre, Hampshire, and burnt. The crash site could not be reached by fire trucks as it was someway from the shoreline. The engine of this aircraft was recovered on the 21st of September 2017.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 50th Fighter Group 10th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-812097
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt