Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 52 minutes ago
On the morning of December 17, 1944, the 48th Fighter Group prepared for a critical mission. Army Air Corps Lt. Edwin Cottrell, then a young pilot, vividly recalls the day as the squadron set out to strike German Tiger tanks advancing toward Belgium. Now at the age of 103, Cottrell credits his survival to the resilient Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine that powered his P-47 Thunderbolt. “I owe my life to the Pratt & Whitney engine,” he said.
Cottrell’s legacy reminds us to continue to push, persevere and innovate. For a century, Pratt & Whitney engines have connected people, grown economies and powered freedom. This enduring purpose, mirrored in Ed’s remarkable life, fuels our journey forward for the next 100 years as part of RTX. #100YearsOfFlight
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Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.
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On the morning of December 17, 1944, the 48th Fighter Group prepared for a critical mission. Army Air Corps Lt. Edwin Cottrell, then a young pilot, vividly recalls the day as the squadron set out to strike German Tiger tanks advancing toward Belgium. Now at the age of 103, Cottrell credits his survival to the resilient Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine that powered his P-47 Thunderbolt. “I owe my life to the Pratt & Whitney engine,” he said.
Cottrell’s legacy reminds us to continue to push, persevere and innovate. For a century, Pratt & Whitney engines have connected people, grown economies and powered freedom. This enduring purpose, mirrored in Ed’s remarkable life, fuels our journey forward for the next 100 years as part of RTX. #100YearsOfFlight
***
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.
Subscribe for more videos like this: prattwhitney.co/3QXn6aw
Follow and engage with us on social media:
• LinkedIn: prattwhitney.co/3XEjCxm
• Instagram: prattwhitney.co/3QU2q3d
• Facebook: prattwhitney.co/3XEjEFu
