Monument record 7793 - P61 Black Widow Crash Site at Bache House Farm

<1> Various, Written Communication to the HER, Hodkiss I, 12/09/2006 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

The crash site of a P61 Black Widow, a purpose built American nightfighter, stationed at Scorton in Lincolnshire. The plane was lost on the 11th of July 1944 when the pilot, Edgar E Merriman, became lost on an exercise. Low on fuel, the crew of three were forced to abandon the plane. This is the only P61 to have crashed in the UK. The P61 was a large aircraft weighing nearly 11,000kg empty and with a wing span of 20m. Recovery operations were undertaken in 1944 by the U.S. Army and in 1986. A magnetometer survey suggests that much of the aircraft is still buried and the farmer believed the engines had not been recovered.

<2> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R 07/10/2006 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Not much of the aircraft remained, but some large parts of the undercarriage and ammunition were recovered. The latter had discharged due to fire following the crash. The wreckage was encountered at a depth of c.3m and the boulder clay in this area was highly contaminated with aviation fuel.