Ledyard, Connecticut – May 4, 1943
P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo
On May 4, 1943, a flight of three P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft took off from Trumbull Field in Groton, Connecticut, for a routine training flight. As the aircraft were flying in formation they went into a turn. During the turn, one P-47, (Ser. No. 41-6154), piloted by 2nd Lt. Charles H. Brown, suddenly fell out of formation and was seen to dive into the ground. The plane crashed and exploded off Old Indian Town Road in the town of Ledyard killing Lt. Brown. Investigators concluded that the propeller was not operating when the plane impacted the ground, suggesting the aircraft had suffered a complete engine failure.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256992412/charles-h-brown
Sources:
Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006.
The Day, “Ohio Flyer loses Life In Ledyard Crash”, May 5, 1943
