NHER 33485 (Monument record) - World War Two aircraft crash site

World War Two aircraft crash site, of a B17 bomber which collided with another. Said to have been partially excavated.
The Time Team are interested, and may commission an auger survey.
D. Gurney (NLA), 27 February 1998.

pre-1989. Documentary Research.
Details of the circumstances of the crash were compiled by I. Mclachlan and published (S10).
The crash occurred on Monday, 21 February 1944 when B17-G Flying Fortress bombers of the USAAF 385th Bombardment Group were returning to base at Great Ashfield, Suffolk, following participation in a raid on the Diepholz Aircraft Depot in northwest Germany. Weather was poor, with thick cloud, and the aircraft were forced to divert from their planned route. The cloud presented danger of collision and a 'vic' formation of three planes was used in order to reduce this danger. However, the starboard plane came into difficulty when passing through a cloud and went into a steep dive and when it pulled up it was directly in the path of the lead aircraft. The tail of the starboard aircraft was severed by a propellor of the lead plane. The starboard aircraft then flipped upward and fell onto the lead aircraft. The lead aircraft fell sharply and carshed at Mill Dyke, exploding on impact, whilst the starboard aircraft may have attempted a crash landing and appeared to slide for a distance before hitting the edge of the dyke and exploding.
Several photographs taken by the USAAF recovery unit immediately after the crash have been published in (S10). Tlater work has noted that these include considerable parts of the wings and other wreckage present on the ground surface at the time (S1).
Details recorded via secondary source - unpublished contractor report (S1).
Original information published in (S10) not seen by HER staff.
H. Hamilton (HES), 19 July 2023.

1964-1965. Field Investigation.
A group of aviation enthousiasts investigated a crash site on the edge of Mill Dyke (site of lead plane), recovering 'numerous fragments of aircraft', providing sufficient data to identify it as a USAAF B17-G.
Information from unpublished contractor report (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 19 July 2023.

1975. Field Investigation.
Further items recovered from Mill Dyke.
Information from unpublished contractor report (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 19 July 2023.

1976. Field Investigation.
Investigation of the site of the starboard aircraft crash with the aid of a JCB. Items recovered included a propellor, a machine-gun, and many small items including navigational equipment. The spread of debris was followed towards the dyke and a large item was identified by not removed.
Information from unpublished contractor report (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 19 July 2023.

1978. Field Investigation.
An engine and propellor and 'numberous other items' were recovered from Mill Dyke with the use of a large tracked excavator.
The starboard aircraft site was also investigated with this equipment. A second propellor was recovered but little else.
Information from unpublished contractor report (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 19 July 2023.

29 June to 1 July 1998. Geophysical Survey and Excavation (Time Team).
A gradiometer survey and an EM61 survey identified a concentration of responses indicating debris and 5 trenches were targeted across this area. Only one trench produced significant finds along with stratigraphic evidence of a possible impact crater, although the possibility that the latter may have been formed by mechanical digging undertaked as part of previous field invstigations could not be completely ruled out. Much of the debris recovered formed part of the forward fuselage area around the cockpit of the plane. Other evidence included part of the landing gear and engine pieces. Two machine guns were recovered from below the primary concentration and retained mountings identifying them as from the ball turret. Other trenches did not encounter any promary debris and yielded only a spase scatter of amunition and other debris.
The crash investigator has stated that the crash may have been instigated by engine failure as the propellor previously found was in a position usually selected following such an occurance. It ahs also been stated that the lead aircraft broke in two following the collision and that the original aircraft fell at an angle close to vertical at an estimated speed of 200 miles per hour.
The paper and photographic archive associated with the excavation is scheduled for deposition with the Norfolk Museums Service. However, the majority of the finds were deposited with the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum in Flixton and the deactivated guns are to be deposited with the Eighth Air Force Museum.
See slides (S5) in photograph archive.
See report (S1) for further details. See also geophysical survey report (S2), correspondence (S3), research design and risk assessment (S4) and press cuttings (S6)-(S7). The results of this work are also summarised in (S8).
D. Gurney (NLA), 2 July 1998. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 9 April 2015.

September 1999.
Reference [1] in file describes second excavation at site to uncover the other aircraft involved in the collision; propeller to be preserved at Reedham church.
E. Rose (NLA), 20 September 1999.

April 2007. Norfolk NMP
The crash site is visible as two areas of disturbed ground on aerial photographs dating from 28 May 1944 (S9). However the site was not mapped as part of the Norfolk NMP.
J. Albone (NMP), 19 April 2007