Lieutenant Jay Frederick Simpson died on Jan 9th 1944 test flying a Republic Thunderbolt P-47 over Moreton, Wirral. It flipped over in flames whilst he looked for somewhere to land safely. He had taken off from US Burtonwood Airbase, Lancashire, earlier.
It flew out to sea and on its return over Hoylake reported that the plane was on fire. It circled over the RAF Camp at West Kirby (Greasby). It was seen to lose height and flip over, landing in a field near the Arrow Brook. Pieces were dug up in 1974 and now reside in the museum of the War Plane Wreck Investigation Group at Fort Perch, New Brighton, Wallasey. This American pilot came from Gillett, Wisconsin. His gold class ring was found in the wreckage and presented to his cousin Rose Nell Godfrey, who gave it to the local Legion post. His unused parachute was also found on the wreck site. As he was test flying I presume he was checking to ensure a fault had been repaired, maybe it wasn't?
