September 18, 1943, The Loss of 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy, 352nd Fighter Squadron:
At 14:05 hrs that day members of the Group witnessed a horrific crash when Thunderbolt SX-R (a/c 42-7985) crashed near the 350th Squadron dispersal area at Metfield (Suffolk, England). The pilot, 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy (Wakeford 58), had only joined the 352nd Squadron as a replacement four days previously and was up on a local familiarization flight.
Witnesses saw him coming in as if to land on runway 33 with his wheels down. Others reported that the planes' engine sounded as if it was in trouble and was throwing white smoke.
The crash investigation report states that the plane appeared to be in trouble and that Lt. Hajosy was desperately trying to reach the nearest runway. As his wheels were down it was presumed that he had committed himself to a field landing (a landing off field with wheels down would have been even more risky). The report also stated that he may have been trying to ‘stretch' his glide to make it in safely or that he misjudged the amount of safe bank to use and suffered a subsequent loss of flying speed which caused the crash. Sadly Lt. Hajosy died immediately as a result of the crash. His remains were returned to the United States and he is buried in St Edward's Cemetery, Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Thanks to the 353rd Fighter Group Archive and 353rdFighterGroup.wordpress.com, 2012 for information on the crash.
At 14:05 hrs that day members of the Group witnessed a horrific crash when Thunderbolt SX-R (a/c 42-7985) crashed near the 350th Squadron dispersal area at Metfield (Suffolk, England). The pilot, 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy (Wakeford 58), had only joined the 352nd Squadron as a replacement four days previously and was up on a local familiarization flight.
Witnesses saw him coming in as if to land on runway 33 with his wheels down. Others reported that the planes' engine sounded as if it was in trouble and was throwing white smoke.
The crash investigation report states that the plane appeared to be in trouble and that Lt. Hajosy was desperately trying to reach the nearest runway. As his wheels were down it was presumed that he had committed himself to a field landing (a landing off field with wheels down would have been even more risky). The report also stated that he may have been trying to ‘stretch' his glide to make it in safely or that he misjudged the amount of safe bank to use and suffered a subsequent loss of flying speed which caused the crash. Sadly Lt. Hajosy died immediately as a result of the crash. His remains were returned to the United States and he is buried in St Edward's Cemetery, Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Thanks to the 353rd Fighter Group Archive and 353rdFighterGroup.wordpress.com, 2012 for information on the crash.
September 18, 1943, The Loss of 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy, 352nd Fighter Squadron:
At 14:05 hrs that day members of the Group witnessed a horrific crash when Thunderbolt SX-R (a/c 42-7985) crashed near the 350th Squadron dispersal area at Metfield (Suffolk, England). The pilot, 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy (Wakeford 58), had only joined the 352nd Squadron as a replacement four days previously and was up on a local familiarization flight.
Witnesses saw him coming in as if to land on runway 33 with his wheels down. Others reported that the planes' engine sounded as if it was in trouble and was throwing white smoke.
The crash investigation report states that the plane appeared to be in trouble and that Lt. Hajosy was desperately trying to reach the nearest runway. As his wheels were down it was presumed that he had committed himself to a field landing (a landing off field with wheels down would have been even more risky). The report also stated that he may have been trying to ‘stretch' his glide to make it in safely or that he misjudged the amount of safe bank to use and suffered a subsequent loss of flying speed which caused the crash. Sadly Lt. Hajosy died immediately as a result of the crash. His remains were returned to the United States and he is buried in St Edward's Cemetery, Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Thanks to the 353rd Fighter Group Archive and 353rdFighterGroup.wordpress.com, 2012 for information on the crash.
At 14:05 hrs that day members of the Group witnessed a horrific crash when Thunderbolt SX-R (a/c 42-7985) crashed near the 350th Squadron dispersal area at Metfield (Suffolk, England). The pilot, 2nd Lt. Francis J. Hajosy (Wakeford 58), had only joined the 352nd Squadron as a replacement four days previously and was up on a local familiarization flight.
Witnesses saw him coming in as if to land on runway 33 with his wheels down. Others reported that the planes' engine sounded as if it was in trouble and was throwing white smoke.
The crash investigation report states that the plane appeared to be in trouble and that Lt. Hajosy was desperately trying to reach the nearest runway. As his wheels were down it was presumed that he had committed himself to a field landing (a landing off field with wheels down would have been even more risky). The report also stated that he may have been trying to ‘stretch' his glide to make it in safely or that he misjudged the amount of safe bank to use and suffered a subsequent loss of flying speed which caused the crash. Sadly Lt. Hajosy died immediately as a result of the crash. His remains were returned to the United States and he is buried in St Edward's Cemetery, Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Thanks to the 353rd Fighter Group Archive and 353rdFighterGroup.wordpress.com, 2012 for information on the crash.
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Connecticut 2d Lt 352 Fighter Sq AAF World War II
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