42-75670

A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group after a nose landing. media-400745.jpg FRE 2826 A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group after a nose landing.

This is aircraft 42-75670 YJ-W "Hairless Joe" piloted on a transition and instrument training flight by 2nd Lt Paul J. Trudeau on 15th March 1944. Lt Joseph E. Wood was the assigned pilot and was responsible for the name but had been previously killed in action 22nd February 1944. Lt Trudeau reported on the accident at Metfield:

I made a normal landing and started to roll within the first third of the field. Having noticed that another plane had pulled onto the runway, preparing to take off, I pulled up my flaps and increased my rolling speed in order to clear the runway as quickly as possible. I saw the checkered flags beside the runway , which indicate the last 1000 feet, but I did not realize my excessive speed. When I saw the end of the runway nearing I applied both brakes simultaneously and the tail started up. I released the brakes but the tail continued to rise until the propellor [sic] contacted the ground and the airplane came to a stop resting on its nose. Roger Freeman Collection

USAAF Crash report
353rd FG Records

Object Number - FRE 2826 - A P-47 Thunderbolt of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group after a nose landing. This is aircraft 42-75670 YJ-W "Hairless Joe" piloted...

Assigned to 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 63FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) dive bombing mission to Bonn, Germany. Letting down over Bonn, hit by flak, hit by further ground fire attempting to egress at low level crashed at Liblar, Germany. Pilot Capt Robert J Bradford Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 10291.

Connections

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Units served with

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 56th Fighter Group 63rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18034409 / O-432037
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-666581
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot, Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19033703 / O-766796
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Early Return

Frankfurt, Germany 2 March 1944 2-Mar-44 – Target: Frankfurt. Dispatched for mission due to mechanical trouble. Early Return. 1Lt Jack Terzian.

Crashed

Metfield, Harleston IP20, UK 15 March 1944 Landing accident Metfield/Sta 366 Cat 3 damage Lt Paul J Trudeau, 15-Mar-44. P-47D 42-75670 - 351FS 353FG 8AF.

Crashed

Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK 13 October 1944 Taxi accident Raydon/Sta 157 Cat 3 damage Lt Richard F Vomaske, 13-Oct-44. P-47D 42-75670 - 351FS 353FG 8AF.

Crashed

Failed to Return (FTR)

Liblar, 50374 Erftstadt, Germany 20 November 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) dive bombing mission to Bonn, Germany. Letting down over Bonn, hit by flak, hit by further ground fire attempting to egress at low level crashed at Liblar, Germany. Pilot Capt Robert J Bradford Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 10291.

Manufactured

Farmingdale, NY 11735, USA Built at Republic.

Delivered

LaGuardia Airport, Queens, NY 11371, USA Delivered to USAAF.

Assigned

Raydon, Ipswich IP7, UK Assigned to 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 10291 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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