大象传媒

On the 18th May 1943 my father while testing a P47 had experienced trouble with the aircraft, having abandoned it he watch it dive into the river Mersey. He filed his report on the crash as follows:-
File: 18th May 1943
Report on crash of aircraft P47/7931

At about four o'clock May 18th I tested P47 42/7931. The aircraft was satisfactory in flight andon returning to the aerodrome I did a shallow divefrom twelve thousand feet at a speed of 440 mph boost 43, rpm 2500; at about four thousand feet there was a alound "band" which seemed to come from the right side of the moter, and a flame about four feet long appeared to come from the bottom right hand side of the engine.
Almost immediately the cockpit, which was closed, filled with very dense smoke, so dense that I could not see my instruments or even the emergency hood release. I endearvoured to open the hood by use of the ordinary hood latch, but was unable to do so owing to my speed and so I climbed the machine gently loosing speed and at the same time pulling the hood release; eventually the hood opened and smoke cleared.
Flame was still coming from the right hand side of the machine, but did not seem serious enought to warrant leaving the aircraft. I, therefore, started to approach Speke with the idea of a forced landing; almost immediately there was an increase in flame and the cockpit became too hot so I abandoned the aircraft which appeared togo into a dive, and went straight into the river Mersey.
In my opinion, the smoke in the cockpit was from some fuel more dense than petrol.
On the 2nd July 1955 this report appeared as a story in EVERYBODY's Magazine by Gerald Bowman under the heading JUMP FOR IT.

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