The images below are of the remains of a P-47 Thunderbolt that a pilot by the name of Lieutenant Jay F Simpson was test flying when he lost control of the plane and it crashed into fields near Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside, on January 9th 1944.

It flipped over in the air and burst into flames, but Jay didn't let it crash onto houses instead the brave pilot steered it away and crashed into fields just outside of the residential area.

Jay could have bailed out, as to stay with the plane was certain death, he chose to stay with the plane.  His unopened parachute was found with the wreckage in 1974. He had taken off from Burtonwood Airbase, Lancashire, earlier.  

The final remains of this P-47 were dug up in 1994 and are now on display in Fort Perch, New Brighton, Wallasey, England.

The pictures below are primarily of the engine remains. That I took when I visited the museum .

Picture 1 shows front view with props still in place,

  picture 2  shows a closer view of the front of the engine and the propellers that were re-assembled and fixed back on after being dug up

  picture 3 shows some of the protruding pistons

  and in picture 4 we can see a closer view of the pistons that hang hap-hazard out of the engine.  The impact and ensuing explosion must have been quite terrific as Jays plane drilled its way into the ground when it crashed, the engine driving its way deep into the soft earth.

A hero and his plane.

Above is a photo of pilot Lieutenant Jay F Simpson, who was from a town called Gillett, in Wisconsin, USA.

Rest In Peace Jay, Thank you for your efforts in WWII.

Read more about this pilot here click on the star insignia to visit www.mikekemble.com  for a more in depth page.  These two web pages are  the only ones on the internet dedicated to this pilot at time of writing.