P-47
1. - Development
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug," was the biggest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine.
It was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World War II, and also served with other Allied air forces. The P-47 was effective in air combat but proved especially adept at ground attack. It had eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded the P-47 could weigh up to eight tons. A modern-day counterpart in that role, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, takes its name from the P-47.
Edit2. - Serial #'s
P-47 Thunderbolt SerialsEdit3. - Operational History
The Thunderbolt was the most famous of all the Republic aircraft in WWII. First flown on 6 May 1941, the P-47 was designed as a (then) large, high-performance fighter/bomber, utilizing the large Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine to give it excellent performance and a large load-carrying capability. The first deliveries of the P-47 took place in June 1942, when the US Army Air Corps began flying it in the European Theater.
Though it was an excellent airplane, several improvements were made as production continued, with each improvement adding power, maneuverability and range. As the war progressed, the Thunderbolt, or "Jug," as it was affectionately called, gained a reputation as a reliable and extremely tough airplane, able to take incredible amounts of damage and still return its pilot home safely. P-47s logged almost 2 million flight hours during the war, during which they were responsible for the destruction of over 7,000 enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground in the European Theater alone.
Later in the war, Jugs served as escort fighters for B-29 bombers in the Pacific. Mostly, though, they excelled in the ground-attack role, strafing and bombing their way across the battlefields of Europe. Early versions, up through the P-47C, had "razorback" fuselages, but the popular P-47D featured a bubble canopy which gave the pilot increased rearward visibility.
P-47s were also used during the war by the air forces of Brazil, England, France, Mexico and the Soviet Union. Following the war, the Jug served for nine more years in the US, flown by the Air National Guard. It continued to serve for many additional years with the air forces of over 15 nations around the world.
Edit4. - Variants
XP-47B Initial Thunderbolt prototype.
P-47B Initial production variant.
RP-47B Experimental reconnaissance variant.
P-47C Refined P-47B.
P-47D Late production with bubble canopy.
XP-47E One-off trials P-47B with various fixes.
XP-47F P-47B with laminar flow wings.
P-47G Curtiss production of P-47C and P-47D.
TP-47G Two-seat trainer.
XP-47H P-47Ds with XI-2220-11 inline engine.
XP-47J Lightened "hot rod" Thunderbolt.
XP-47K Bubble canopy trials machine.
XP-47L Trials machine with more fuel capacity.
YP-47M Trials machines for uprated engine system.
P-47M Production XP-47M.
XP-47N Trials machine with new "wet" wing.
P-47N Production machines with "wet" wing.
Edit5. - Technical Specifications
Specifications (P-47D): Engine: 2535hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 9,950 lbs., Maximum Takeoff 17,500 lbs.
Wing Span: 40ft. 9.25in.
Length: 36ft. 1.75in.
Height: 14ft. 8in.
Performance: Maximum Speed: 433 mph
Ceiling: 41,000 ft.
Range: 1900 miles with drop tanks
Armament: Eight 12.7mm (0.5 in.) wing-mounted machine guns
Up to 2500 lbs. of externally-mounted bombs, rockets, or other free-fall ordinance
Edit6. - Operators
Edit7. - Survivors
Big Ass Bird II
Big Chief
Big Stud
Cheek Baby
Hairless Joe
Hun Hunter XVI
Jacky's Revenge
Little Demon
No Guts No Glory
Norma
Spirit Of Atlantic City, NJ
Tarheel Hal
Edit8. - Links
Edit9. - Markings
Edit10. - References
http://www.warbirdalley.com/p47.htmhttp://www.vectorsite.net/avp47.html#m2