The story
A F4U Corsair fighter of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 suffered a belly tank accidental detachment during its landing aboard USS Franklin in the Pacific Ocean between California, United States and the Territory of Hawaii. The tank flew forward into the propeller blades, and the resulting fuel spill was ignited into a fire that would burn for an hour. The pilot Ralph Husted was killed.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.