B-24 #42-94811 “Tommy Thumper II”
On the 22nd January 1945, Captain John T. McArthur Jr. took charge of Tommy Thumper II for a training mission. The aircraft took off from RAF Rackheath in the early afternoon. Not long after takeoff, at about 13:45, Captain McArthur radioed the tower at Rackheath stating that he had engine problems. The tower instructed McArthur to return to the airfield.
The aircraft was sighted near to Horsham St. Faith airfield (now Norwich airport). Number 1 propeller appeared to be feathered and there were bursts of smoke coming from the number 2 engine. Things must have become serious as McArthur radioed the tower at the nearer Horsham St Faith airfield. He was instructed to circle until another aircraft was landed. Then, at about 13:56, flying at a height of about 400 feet, the aircraft appeared to stall, did a complete wing over, and spun into the ground. It crashed on the grounds of Catton Hall, near Church Street in Old Catton. All nine crew members died.
The crew members were:
John T. McArthur - Pilot
James R. Prendergast - CoPilot
Otto W. Stokes - Navigator
William E. Walker - Engineer
John F. O'Malley - Radio Operator
Clarence J. Rachford - Armorer and Gunner
Floyd W. Erickson - Assistant Engineer and Gunner
Leonard B. Rostkowski - Assistant Radio Operator and Gunner
Frank C. Wassow - Assistant Armorer and Gunner