Boston Harbor – March 1, 1943
P-47B Thunderbolt
U.S. Air Force Photo
On the morning of March 1, 1943, a flight of two P-47 Thunderbolts took off from Bedford Field for a simulated combat training flight. One of those P-47s, (Ser. No. 41-6646), was piloted by 2nd Lt. Stanley Jankowski.
The aircraft made their way over the Boston area and engaged in aerial maneuvers. While doing so, another P-47 entered the area and took part in the exercise. Then a flight of four other P-47s arrived. During the exercise, Lieutenant Jankowski’s aircraft was seen to go into a steep dive and plunge into Boston Harbor. It was speculated that he may have blacked out.
Source:
Book, “Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents In The United States, 1941-1945”, by Anthony J. Mireles, C. 2006
