Excavations > 2006>

	Northrop P-61 Black Widow- Nantwich, England

The crash site of the only P61A 'Black Widow' in the UK has been excavated - a unique dig. The P-61A was the model without the four gun top turret (they needed them for B29s) Serial 42-5533. It belonged to 422 Night Fighter Squadron, 71st Fighter Wing, 9th Airforce and was based, at Scorton, Lancashire, where the crews were training with the RAF. The pilot, Edgar E Merriman, baled out due to lack of fuel and the plane came down near Nantwich, Cheshire, on 11th July 44.

According to the fire brigade records the remains had burned fiercely in the crater and this was shown by the terrible state of much of the wreckage, with the back end sections of both engines well melted. The site had been dug in the 80s and the some of the large sections removed, including the cannon. There were still enough bits left to fill 12 one ton sand sacks as well as some big parts of undercarriage strut, actuating rams and armour. It must have gone straight down as the deepest part found buried at nearly 20 feet. From a quick clean the remaining paintwork shows the plane in olive green and grey camouflage.

	The crash site of the only P61A 'Black Widow' in the UK. A large aircraft produced a very large hole - just scale it from the people on the far bank!
	The abandoned aircraft dived into soft farmland and the deepest part found buried at nearly 20 feet.