USAAF P-47C Thunderbolt 41-6227, Horsehill Tor, Edale, Derbyshire
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USAAF P-47C Thunderbolt 41-6227, Horsehill Tor, Edale
Pilot Second Lieutenant John E Coenen USAAF survived by baling out when he lost control of his Thunderbolt in a thunderstorm on 25 April 1943.
On a routine flight from Norfolk to Liverpool and back, 2nd Lt Coenen was on the return leg when he encountered vile weather. He tried turning back, but his P-47C was thrown about and went into a powered spiral dive. A disoriented 2nd Lt Coenen just managed to bale out, but his parachute caught on the tailplane. Luckily it broke free, though a ripped chute meant a quick and heavy landing for the airman.
Cunningham goes on to say that 2nd Lt Coenen returned to flying, and on his last mission of the war – supporting a bombing raid on Emden – he shot down two Focke Wulf 190s.
This remarkable photo shows P-47Cs of the 56th Fighter Group (same as 41-6227). Also it was taken in 1943, same year as the above crash.
Details from Peakland Air Crashes – The North, Pat Cuningham, 2006.
Site visit June 2020
Such an interesting series Ian. Great shot of the crash site & that shot of the fighter group is just amazing.
Cannot make out the number of the fourth plane but its not the first three, found the Life magazine photos on a site earlier today , some very interesting shots indeed .
Thankfully a crash with no casualty.
I like the ones where the plane didn’t make it but the pilot did. A pretty lucky guy too it sounds like… I think I flew over this area coming down to London from Scotland…
P 47, now there was a workhorse. Compared to the sleek lines of the Mustang and the spitfire the P47 was the opposite, a large piece of metal work that was surprisingly agile in the air, a fair old "beast"!
So much history in that pile of metal.
I can picture the scene from the description Ian – nice point of view for the shot too!
Very lucky he made it. Interesting capture.
Wow……………love the landscape!!!!
I just have to say thank you for such an amazing and informative website. I have a young lad who is looking at WWII at school and has been lucky enough to go and see where his Great Grandad landed troops on the Pointe du hoc on D Day. To follow up on this I wanted him to also understand that the war affected the UK with the blitz, V1 and V2 attacks. To find a site where there are photos, history and such great info near to where we live is brilliant and humbling. A great generational loss was given by incredibly brave men and women across the world. Thank you for collating all of this information.
Hi Lance, thank you very much for your comment. It means a lot when people leave feedback like that, makes it worthwhile to know it’s of use. I was out again this morning in the Lake District, photographing a place where a Royal Navy aircraft crashed, am just about to upload those photos. But good to hear of your son’s interest in WWII. Pointe du Hoc is a moving place, in fact that whole stretch of coastline is fascinating, lots of museums and remains. I agree totally re; that generation. Not many still with us now, we won’t see the like again.
Ian