• Thunderbolt P-47 D

• 42-75216 "HV-H"

• 56th Fighter Group – 61st Fighter Squadron

1st Lt William "Bill" Grosvenor from Iowa was a pilot flying in Zemke’s Wolf Pack, the famous 56th Fighter Group. Bil started flying in the elite Group in May 1943, escorting USAAF bombers to and from the German cities.

Bill had bad luck on November 30, 1943. He escorted the B-17’s en B-24’s to Sölingen, but his Thunderbolt had to cope with a vapour lock. After gaining permission from Col Gabreski, Bill returned home. Over Belgium, the problem was solved and Bill decided to attack some ground targets. Near Puurs he dived to the deck and fired at very low level at a train. However, he was flying so low he hit a telegraph pole which bent the prop blades around the huge cowling of his Thunderbolt. The pilot pulled the stick and was able to climb high enough to make a more or less safe landing, whilst his fighter plane plunged into a meadow at Mariekerke.

Grosvenor was able to escape the German occupying forces and with the help of local Belgians, he arrived in Brussels, where he was sheltered by the underground organisation EVA. Unfortunately, in July ’44 he was arrested in the capital and jailed. When the liberation of Brussels took place, Bill and many other Allied airmen were locked in a train, from which they finally managed to escape.

The whole story was the inspiration of three American producers of Rendez Vous Films to make a documentary out of it, and they contacted the BAHA Archeaology Team to excavate what might have been left of the Thunderbolt. One of the men standing besides the crane on Saturday July 21, 2001was Bill Grosvenor himself.

The results of the excavation proved to be beyond expectations. The whole fuselage was crushed together in a mere 5 feet. The condition of the artefacts was exceptionally good. Recovered items are two bent prop blades, the engine in a very good condition, the complete cockpit armour and most instruments and consoles were found. Another interesting item was the tails with part of the serial clearly visible.

Then engine will find his place in the BAHA Collection of the Brussels Air Museum, but other remains will be put on display in the BAHA Collection Erembodegem and Geraardsbergen.

Bill returned home with the items he touched the last before baling out : parts of his stick and his seat belt.

After the cleaning, artefacts recovered are now on display in the BAHA Collections Brussels and Erembodegem