The P-47 Thunderbolt

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#1

P-47N Thunderbolt - my favorite version of the P-47 series aircraft.


From: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, by The Aeronautical Staff of Aero Publishers, Inc. in cooperation with Edward T. Maloney, curator of The Air Museum, Aero Publishers, Inc., 1966


From: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, by The Aeronautical Staff of Aero Publishers, Inc. in cooperation with Edward T. Maloney, curator of The Air Museum, Aero Publishers, Inc., 1966


http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/3vues/p47n_3v.jpg


From: American Aircraft of World War II, by David Mondey, Chancellor Press, 1996, p 222.

Partial Quotes from:

THE REPUBLIC P-47 THUNDERBOLT
http://www.chuckhawks.com/p47.htm

Robert S. Johnson and Martin Caidin collaborated on Johnson’s memoirs, which dealt intimately with the P-47. Their book is aptly titled Thunderbolt, and tells the story of the famous 56th Fighter Group. Johnson was one of the top U.S. aces of the war, with 28 victories, all flying the P-47. He was sent to Europe to fly and fight in January 1943, and returned home in the middle of 1944 as the leading American ace. The 56th Fighter Group, which included legendary aces like Johnson, Zemke, and Gabreski, shot down 1006 German aircraft against the loss of only 128 P-47’s, a kill ratio of 8 to 1 against the stiffest competition in the world.

[b]The last P-47 variant to achieve series production was the P-47N. This model was designed specifically for the pacific theatre, where very long range was a requirement. The “N” used the same engine as the “M”; late production models received the P-2800-77 engine. A new, stronger, wing with squared tips was designed, which incorporated eight internal fuel cells. The landing gear was strengthened to deal with the increased weight of the aircraft. From the P-47N-5-RE model on, zero length rocket launchers were added beneath the wings.

Habitability improvements included an automatic pilot, an armchair seat, and folding rudder pedals to give the pilot increased leg room. These improvements were intended to increase the pilot’s comfort on long escort missions.

Maximum speed was 467 mph at 32,500 ft. Initial climb was 2,770 ft./min., and the range on maximum internal fuel was 2,350 miles. The P-47N saw extensive use in the last months of the Pacific War, and had the range to escort the B-29’s all the way from Saipan to Japan. Between December 1944 and December 1945 a total of 1,816 P-47N’s were manufactured.

A total of 15,677 P-47 Thunderbolts of all types were built before production ceased at the end of 1945. More Thunderbolts were produced than any other USAAF fighter.[/b] (The P-51 was second with 15,386 produced; the P-40 was third with an even 15,000 produced; the P-38 was fourth with 10,037 produced.) In addition to the USAAF, during WW II P-47’s were sold or supplied to Brazil, Free France, Mexico, the UK, and the USSR. After the war, surplus P-47’s were operated by the Air Forces of Bolivia, Chile, China, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Iran, Italy, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Turkey, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia.

P-47N Thunderbolt - Specifications
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=90329&postcount=81
http://library.thinkquest.org/2819/p-47n.htm
http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/Thunderbolt.htm
http://rwebs.net/ghostsqd/p-47.htm
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/specs.html

General characteristics
Maker: Republic Aviation Corporation
Type: Single-seat fighter-bomber
Crew: One
Length: 36 ft. 1 in. (11.07m)
Wingspan: 42 ft. 7 in. (12.98m)
Height: 14 ft. 8 in. (4.47m)
Wing area: 332.2 sq. ft. (30.86 sq. m.)
Empty weight: Empty 10,994 lb. (4,987 kg.)
Max takeoff weight: 20,699 lb. (9,389 kg.)
Powerplant: One 2,800-hp Pratt and Whitney R-2800-57,-73,or -77 18-cylinder two-row radial engine
Performance
Maximum speed: 467 m.p.h. (752 km/h) at 32,500 ft (685 km/h at 9,145 m)
Range: 2,170 miles (3,492 km.) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
Rate of climb: 3,120 ft/min (15.9 m/s), other sources 2,770 ft/min
Armament
8 x 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
10 x 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets
10 x 5-inch HVAR air-to-surface rockets

#2

P-47 color video clips from WWII (including gun camera footage).

WWII film of the 337th Squadron based in Etaine, France, flying P-47 Thunderbolts (with narration and sound):
P47 Thunderbolts in Action_France 1945 - All Color Footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-fk9qdOUG4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shsxuauQA3w

American Pilots in Action at Second World War,Based in Etaine,France.On March 16th 1945, the 362nd fighter Group dispatched a total of 175 P47 Thunderbolts fighters against enemy transportation, associated facilities and ground artillery.

P47 in Action_France 1945 (same as above in B&W)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXNRQBdCOSg

American Pilots in Action at Second World War,Based in Etaine,France.On March 16th 1945, the 362nd fighter Group dispatched a total of 175 P47 Thunderbolts fighters against enemy transportation, associated facilities and ground artillery.

1944-45 “THUNDERBOLT” Uncensored Complete Version (1 of 5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLl3v7rmAU

1944-45 “THUNDERBOLT” Uncensored Complete Version (2 of 5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drE0D_Z1zOs

1944-45 “THUNDERBOLT” Uncensored Complete Version (3 of 5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKaKHyL7YM

1944-45 “THUNDERBOLT” Uncensored Complete Version (4 of 5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqgP26cyorQ

1944-45 “THUNDERBOLT” Uncensored Complete Version (5 of 5)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TRV15kcac0

“Thunderbolt” (1947)
Director: William Wyler, John Sturges
Production Company: Carl Krueger Production
Introduced by James Stewart

Filmed in 1944 and early 1945 but edited only in 1947, this 45 minutes well preserved and almost forgotten documentary (by the great William Wyler) is about the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter bomber and its use in missions over Italy. In the prologue outstanding shots showing various placements of 1944 late model automatic color movie-cameras on board of the planes.

P47-350o. 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron - In Combat WWII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWp-PhZaMkQ

FEB Brasil com Caças P47 em combate - Senta a pua! - WWII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f1n7yMQFwk

FEB - JAMBOCK - P47-Brazilian Fighter Squadron - WARII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBOUk2vFRQI

Republic P47 Thunderbolt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evPGnicmrQk

“The Unbreakable” P-47 Thunderbolt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83TWBAiAIs8

P-47 Guncam Footage - Strafing Tanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f9cqhuARrM

Airshows

P-47 "Thunderbolt - Wings Over Houston Air show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_gwlWCI0V0

A P-47 thunderbolt taking off in Sevierville, Tennessee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi1d4P774eE

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - P-47 Flyby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ej-h3TS3OU

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - YABBOS! P-47 “ThunderJets” er…umm “Thunderbolts” hehe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbVZPvcJUv0

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - P-47 Strafing Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYE6gfL0oE

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - P-47 Strafing Run 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSlWfAjzA80

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - P-47 Strafing Run 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqLN38fdBKA

Thunder Over Michigan 2005 - P-47 Strafing Run 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITrBRdFJBEs

P-47-P51-B25-PhotoShoot
Photo shoot P-47 Thunderbolt P-51 Mustang over Kentucky before 2001 not sure on time frame. Confederate Air Force B-25 Show-Me formation flight/photo shoot dawn patrol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BO7xOsU2CM

Duxford’s Flying Legends - Big Birds & Little Friends (includes P-47 and B-17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyIg73UNQ8g

Duxford Spitfire 2-seater taxi take-off (P47 Thunderbolt and others in the static line up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pVH5RDkzZA

Video taken from iEN’s Warbirds 3 featuring the P47 Thunderbolt. (flight simulator game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WbV72dGQIA

#3

I took the liberty of copying George’s fine posts because --well-- I felt like it! I want to discuss the P-47’s impact on WWII: as a fighter, a ground attack aircraft (called the ‘jabolt’ by the Germans?) and how the aircraft was improved.

Was the P-47N roughly on par with the P-51D and the last generation of Luftwaffe aircraft?

#4

Thank you, thank you Nick :slight_smile:

Well, you know where my loyalties lie. The P-47N, being the best of the P-47 series with one of the fastest top speeds and longest range.

Personally, I think that it was better than the P-51D, but I am biased. :wink:

I would like to add more - probably a little at a time (I’ve been pretty busy this week - family member in hospital).
Hopefully, I’ll be more active next week.

#5

The P-47´s impact on WWII in statistics:

P-47´s flew 545575 missions, delivered 132482tons of bombs, shot 134899415 rounds of 12,7mm, fired 59657 rockets, logged 1352810 flight hours using 773025120 litres of fuel. It destroyed 3752 aircraft air-air and “3250+” air-ground
From March 1943 to August 1945 other P-47 victims included 9000 locomotives. 86000 trucks, 6000 AFV´s and 60000 carriages.

(It seems to me that the ground target claims are very, very high (must be very, very difficult to confirm too). And sorry; the source of those stats. eludes me, somewhere in the book shelves…)

It´s said that 1/3 of the P-47´s produced saw combat and another 1/3 never left the USA.

The Germans called it the “Flying milk bottle” (due to the fuselage shape), RAF pilots aired the opinion that a P-47 pilot could dodge enemy bullets by running around inside the cockpit…

According to: P-47 Thunderbolt, Edward Shacklady (what a name…)
"The Germans initially, ridiculed the Thunderbolt, stating “This bulky giant of an aeroplane would remain forever in the test facilities of Republic”.

About the P-47N: one should think a new wing would alter flying performance, but I´ve never read anything remotely like a comparison between the N and the earlier marks, I´ll be happy to hear about it if any here have.

#6

It´s said that 1/3 of the P-47´s produced saw combat and another 1/3 never left the USA.

What happened to the other 1/3???

#7

Partial quote from following article posted before:

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=76510&postcount=49

[b]Now read Rip Collins’ words. Rip (back then Lieutenant Collins) was a WW II fighter pilot from the class of 44-C, Aloe Field, Victoria, Texas. Rip was assigned to the 40th Fighter Squadron, a Squadron in the 35th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force, FEAF (Far East Air Forces) in the Pacific. (There is a link to the 40th at the end of this article.)

Rip flew both the P-47 and P-51 in combat in the Pacific. He is a big fan of the P-47, and took me to task for choosing the P-51 over the P-47 in my article “Best Fighter Planes of WW II.” In that he is not alone, but he was the only correspondent who actually flew both in combat, so his words carry a lot of weight. At one point he wrote to me that he could give me a dozen reasons why the P-47 was superior to the P-51. Naturally, I asked him to do just that. After reading his reasons, I asked him if I could use his material (with credit) in an article about the P-47, and he kindly consented. From now on you are reading Rip’s words:[/b]

For sure, fighter pilots are a different cut of guys. I guess we got spoiled because we were considered the “cream of the crop.” In most cases, not all, but most, if you were going into the USAAC, USAAF, USAF, or whatever name it was called at the time, the majority of us young bucks wanted fighters (1055) and not multiengine (bombers, transports, surveillance, rescue, etc.). I’ve seen the disappointment at “wash out” time, when the primary and basic flight instruction group was split up prior to advanced training. The men that couldn’t cut it went on to multiengine advanced training bases, while the “cream” went on to single engine bases to fly the AT-6 Texan (advanced fighter trainer).

It is not unusual to favor your own aircraft. In fact, it is a bit common. We probably all look at this in a different way, and in a different light. And if you didn’t get to fly both the Jug and the Mustang, you were at a decided disadvantage. Here are my dozen reasons why the T-bolt was the superior fighter of the two.

1. The Republic Thunderbolt had a radial engine that could take hits and keep on running. I know of an actual case where a Jug brought a pilot back from Borneo after 8 hours in the air. The pilot landed with the master cylinder and three other cylinders blown out of commission. But the Jug kept chugging along, running well enough to bring its pilot back safely to his base at Morotai. I was there.

2. The Jug’s radial engine was air cooled, instead of liquid cooled with a radiator system, like the Mustang’s V-12. This is significant because one small caliber hit on an aluminum cooling line in a Mustang would let the coolant leak out, and when the coolant was gone, the engine seized, and the show was over.

I took a small caliber hit in a coolant tube over Formosa (Taiwan). When I landed back at base, my crew chief said, “Lieutenant, did you know you got hit?” I replied, “No.” He continued, “You took a small caliber shell in the coolant tube on the right side of the engine. I’d give you between 10 and 15 minutes flying time remaining.” I had just flown from Formosa, over nothing but the Pacific Ocean, to our fighter strip on Okinawa.

3. The P-47 could fly higher than the P-51. With its huge turbocharger, it could climb to over 40,000 feet. You could just look down at your enemy in a stall and smile.

4. The Jug could out dive the Mustang. As a matter of fact, it could out dive any enemy fighter, and at 7.5 tons loaded, it dove fast! I have personally been in a dive at what we called the “state of compressibility,” at nearly 700 mph indicated air speed. I was scared to death, but with a tiny bit of throttle, I pulled it out at about 2,000-foot altitude, literally screaming through the sky.

5. The Thunderbolt had eight .50’s. The Mustang had six. That’s 33 1/3% more firepower. This made a major difference.

6. The later model Thunderbolt’s could carry and deliver 2,500 pounds of bombs. (One 1,000-lb. bomb on each wing, and one 500 lb. bomb under the belly.) This was a maximum load and you had to use water injection to get airborne. But it would do this with sufficient runway. I have done this myself.

In addition to being a first class fighter, it was also a superb fighter-bomber and ground level strafer. Jugs practically wiped out the German and Italian railroads. I have strafed Japanese trains, troops, ships, gunboats, warships, airfields, ammo dumps, hangers, antiaircraft installations, you name it. I felt secure in my P-47.

7. The P-47 was larger and much stronger, in case of a crash landing. The Jug was built like a machined tool. Mustangs had a lot of sheet metal stamped out parts, and were more lightweight in construction. One example was the throttle arm. You can see the difference. What does all this mean? The safety of the fighter pilot.

8. The Thunderbolt had no “scoop” under the bottom. You can imagine what happens during a crash landing if your wheels would not come down (due to damage or mechanical trouble). On landing, it could make the P-51 nose over in the dirt as the scoop drags into the earth. In water (and I flew over the Pacific Ocean most of my 92 combat missions), it could cause trouble in a crash landing because the air scoop would be the first part of the aircraft to hit the water. Instead of a smooth belly landing, anything might happen.

9. The Thunderbolt had a much larger, roomier cockpit. You were comfortable in the big Jug cockpit. In my Mustang, my shoulders almost scraped the sides on the right and left. I was cramped in with all my “gear.” I could not move around like I could in the P-47. I found the ability to move a little bit very desirable, especially on seven and eight hour missions.

10. The Mustang went from 1,150-horse power Allison engines to the Packard built Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that had 1,590 hp. The Thunderbolt started out with a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney engine, and ended up with 2,800 war emergency hp with water injection. That’s close to twice the power.

11. The Jug had a very wide landing gear. This made it easy to land just about anywhere, with no tendency to ground loop. Many times we had to land on rice paddies and irregular ground. When you set the Thunderbolt down, it was down. In the Far East, England, Africa, and Italy, this helped you get down and walk away from it. To me, that was very important for the safety of the pilot.

12. The Jug’s record against all opposing aircraft is remarkable. The ratio of kills to losses was unmistakably a winner. Thunderbolt pilots destroyed a total of 11,874 enemy aircraft, over 9,000 trains, and 160,000 vehicles.

But, the big factor, above all else, it saved pilots in great numbers. Ask most fighter pilots who flew both in active combat and they will tell you that, given a choice to fly either one in combat, it would be the Juggernaut hands down.

Now one last thing: the P-51 Mustang was a superb fighter. I am fully aware of that! But, considering that I flew about every kind of mission the Pentagon could dream up, and a few they didn’t know about, I will rate that 8 tons of destruction first as long as I live, and no one can change my mind. I was there. Simply walk up to one of them and see for yourself.

The dictionary defines “juggernaut” as: “any large, overpowering, destructive force or object.” That was the P-47 of World War II.

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=79279&postcount=56

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=83544&postcount=66

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=90329&postcount=81

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=90510&postcount=85

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=91594&postcount=97

#8

P-47 Thunderbolt
From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47_Thunderbolt

Contains overview of Thunderbolt models:
P-47B / P-47C / XP-47E / XP-47F
P-47C
P-47D / P-47G / XP-47K / XP-47L
XP-47H / XP-47J
P-47M
P-47N

Bubbletop P-47s

All the P-47s to this point had a “razorback” canopy configuration with a tall fuselage spine behind the pilot which resulted in poor visibility to the rear. The British also had this problem with their fighter aircraft, and had devised the bulged “Malcolm hood” canopy for the Spitfire as an initial solution. This was fitted in the field to many North American P-51 Mustangs, and to a handful of P-47Ds. However, the British then came up with a much better solution, devising an all-round vision “bubble” canopy for the Hawker Typhoon. USAAF officials liked the bubble canopy, and quickly adapted it to American fighters, including the P-51 and the Thunderbolt. The first P-47 with a bubble canopy was a modified P-47D-5 completed in the summer of 1943 and redesignated XP-47K. Another older P-47D was modified to provide an internal fuel capacity of 370 US gallons (1,402 L) and given the designation XP-47L. The bubble canopy and increased fuel capacity were then rolled into production together, resulting in the block 25 P-47D (rather than a new variant designation). First deliveries to combat groups began in May 1944.

It was followed by similar bubble-top variants, including the P-47D-26, D-27, D-28 and D-30. Improvements added in this series included engine refinements, more internal fuel capacity, and the addition of dive recovery flaps. Cutting down the rear fuselage to accommodate the bubble canopy produced yaw instability, and the P-47D-40 introduced a dorsal fin extension in the form of a narrow triangle running from the vertical tailplane to the radio aerial. The fin fillet was retrofitted in the field to earlier P-47D bubble-top variants. The P-47D-40 also featured provisions for ten “zero length” stub launchers for 5 inch (127 mm) High Velocity Aerial Rockets (HVARs), as well as the new K-14 computing gunsight. This was a license-built copy of the British Ferranti GGS Mark IID computing gyroscopic sight which allowed the pilot to dial in target wingspan and range, and would then move the gunsight reticle to compensate for the required deflection.

The bubbletop P-47s, per Roger A. Freeman, 56th Fighter Group, p. 81, were nicknamed “Superbolts” by combat pilots in the field.

NOTE: The final version of the Thunderbolt was the P-47N - first built and test flown in July 1944. It was the long-range version designed for use in the Pacific escorting B-29 bombers to Japan. It had a maximum range of 2,170 miles (3,492 km.) with drop tanks, top speed of 467 m.p.h. (752 km/h) at 32,500 ft (685 km/h at 9,145 m) and a service ceiling of 43,000 ft (13,100 m).

By 1944, the Thunderbolt was in combat with the USAAF in all its operational theaters, except the Battle of the Aleutian Islands. With increases in fuel capacity as the type was refined, the range of escort missions over Europe steadily increased until the P-47 was able to accompany bombers in raids all the way into Germany. On the way back from the raids, pilots shot up ground targets of opportunity, and also used belly shackles to carry bombs on short-range missions, which led to the realization that the P-47 could perform a dual-function on escort missions as a fighter-bomber. Even with its complicated turbosupercharger system it could absorb a lot of damage, and its eight machine guns could inflict heavy damage on lightly armored targets. The P-47 gradually became the USAAF’s best fighter-bomber, carrying the 500 pound (227 kg) bombs, the triple-tube M-8 4.5 inch (115 mm) rocket launchers, and eventually HVARs. From the invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, to VE day on May 7, 1945, the Thunderbolt destroyed 86,000 railway cars, 9,000 locomotives, 6,000 armored fighting vehicles, and 68,000 trucks.

Although the P-51 Mustang replaced the P-47 in the long-range escort role in Europe, the Thunderbolt still ended the war with 3,752 air-to-air kills claimed in over 746,000 sorties of all types, at the cost of 3,499 P-47s to all causes in combat. In Europe in the critical first three months of 1944 when the German aircraft industry and Berlin were heavily attacked, the P-47 shot down more German fighters than did the P-51 (570 out of 873), and shot down approximately 900 of the 1983 claimed during the first six months of 1944. In Europe, the Thunderbolt flew more sorties (423,435) than P-51s, P-38s and P-40s combined.

By the end of the war, the 56th FG was the only 8th Air Force unit still flying the P-47, by preference, instead of the P-51. The unit claimed 665.5 air victories and 311 ground kills, at the cost of 128 aircraft. Lieutenant Colonel Francis S. “Gabby” Gabreski scored 31 victories, including three ground kills, Captain Bob Johnson scored 27 (with one unconfirmed probable kill leading to some giving his tally as 28), and 56th FG Commanding Officer Colonel Hubert Zemke scored 17.75 kills.

In the Pacific, Colonel Neel Kearby of the 5th Air Force destroyed 22 Japanese planes and was awarded the Medal of Honor for an action in which he downed six enemy fighters on a single mission. He was shot down and killed over Biak in March 1944.

Designers:

Alexander Kartveli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kartveli

Alexander Procofieff de Seversky
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_de_Seversky

P-47D Thunderbolt - Specifications
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47_Thunderbolt
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/specs.html

General characteristics
Maker: Republic Aviation Corporation
Type: Single-seat fighter-bomber
Crew: One
Length: 36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 9 in (12.44 m)
Height: 14 ft 7 in (4.45 m)
Wing area: 300 ft² (27.87 m²)
Empty weight: 10,000 lb (4,535 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 17,500 lb (7,935 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 twin-row radial engine, 2,535 hp (1,890 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 426 mph at 30,000 ft (685 km/h at 9,145 m)
Range: 800 miles combat, 1,800 mi ferry (1,290 km / 2,900 km)
Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
Rate of climb: 3,120 ft/min (15.9 m/s), other sources 2,780 ft/min
Armament
8 x 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
10 x 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets

P-47N Thunderbolt - Specifications
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=90329&postcount=81
http://library.thinkquest.org/2819/p-47n.htm
http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/Thunderbolt.htm
http://rwebs.net/ghostsqd/p-47.htm
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/specs.html

General characteristics
Maker: Republic Aviation Corporation
Type: Single-seat fighter-bomber
Crew: One
Length: 36 ft. 1 in. (11.07m)
Wingspan: 42 ft. 7 in. (12.98m)
Height: 14 ft. 8 in. (4.47m)
Wing area: 332.2 sq. ft. (30.86 sq. m.)
Empty weight: Empty 10,994 lb. (4,987 kg.)
Max takeoff weight: 20,699 lb. (9,389 kg.)
Powerplant: One 2,800-hp Pratt and Whitney R-2800-57,-73,or -77 18-cylinder two-row radial engine
Performance
Maximum speed: 467 m.p.h. (752 km/h) at 32,500 ft (685 km/h at 9,145 m)
Range: 2,170 miles (3,492 km.) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,100 m)
Rate of climb: 3,120 ft/min (15.9 m/s), other sources 2,770 ft/min
Armament
8 x 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
10 x 5 in (127 mm) unguided rockets
10 x 5-inch HVAR air-to-surface rockets

WAR DEPARTMENT
AIR CORP, MATERIAL DIVISION
Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio
June 18, 1942
P-47B Airplane, A.C. No. 41-5902
Acceptance Performance Tests
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/p-47.html

FLIGHT TEST DIVISION MEMORANDUM
REPORT SERIAL NO. TSFTE-2012
17 September 1946
FLIGHT TESTS OF THE P-47N AIRPLANE
AAF NO. 44-88406
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-47/p-47n-88406.html

Pratt & Whitney R-2800
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_&_Whitney_R-2800

#9

Regarding armor-piercing M2 .50 cal ammunition (19mm max penetration)
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=92027&postcount=109

Regarding P-47 Thunderbolt
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=108603&postcount=25

Russian Designers of P-47 Thunderbolt:

Alexander Kartveli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kartveli

Alexander Kartveli (Georgian) 1896-1974, born Kartvelishvili) was one of the greatest aircraft engineers of the 20th century and a pioneer of American aviation.

Kartveli was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, then in Russian Empire. He graduated from the Gymnasium in Tbilisi in 1914.

Kartveli graduated in 1922 from the Highest School of Aviation in Paris. In 1922-1927, he worked for a while at the Louis Bleriot Company and designed the “Bernard” and “Ferbois” aircraft . In 1924, one of his aircraft established a world speed record.

In 1927, American millionaire Charles Levine invited Kartveli to New York. In 1928 he joined the Fokker American Company. In 1931 Kartveli met well-known engineer Alexander de Seversky, who was also from Georgia, and became Chief Engineer at the Seversky Aircraft Corporation. In 1939 this Company changed its name to the “Republic Aviation Company”.

Kartveli and Seversky created a series of aircraft and during World War II they designed one of its greatest planes, the Republic P-47.

After World War II, Kartveli designed well-known aircraft such as the Republic F-84 Thunderjet and the Republic F-105 Thunderchief.

Kartveli died in 1974, in New York.

Alexander Procofieff de Seversky
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_de_Seversky

Alexander Nikolaievich Prokofiev de Seversky (also Prokofiev-Seversky or DeSeversky), (June 7, 1894 – August 24, 1974) was a Russian-American aviation pioneer, inventor, and influential advocate of strategic air power.

Biography

Of noble Russian parentage, Seversky was born in Tiflis. He served as a Russian naval aviator in World War I, lost a leg in combat, and continued to fly, shooting down six German aircraft. In 1917 he was in the U.S. as a member of the naval aviation mission and decided to stay. He worked as a test pilot and became an assistant to air power advocate General Billy Mitchell, aiding him in his push to prove airpower’s ability to sink battleships. Seversky applied for and received the first patent for air-to-air refueling in 1921.

He was awarded the Order of St. George (4th Class); Order of St. Vladimir (4th Class); Order of St. Stanislaus (2nd & 3rd Class); Order of St. Anne (2nd; 3rd; and 4th class).

Seversky married New Orleans socialite and pilot Evelyn Oliphant (c1895-1967) in 1923; the two settled in New York City. In 1927, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

He founded the Seversky Aircraft Corporation in 1931, but despite landing several government contracts the company was never able to turn a profit under his management; the Board of Directors voted him out and reorganized as the Republic Aviation Company, which was successful and produced many planes, including the famous Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. Republic was acquired by Fairchild in 1965.

Often described as “flamboyant” and a “showman,” Seversky was always good at capturing the public eye, and was considered a newsworthy celebrity. In 1942 The New York Times considered it news that “Airplane Designer Rents Apartment: Major Seversky One Of Seven New Tenants in 40 Central Park South.”

He was the author of the influential 1942 book, Victory Through Air Power, which Disney adapted into a motion picture. Seversky argued for the immediate development of long-range bombers, specifically intercontinental bombers capable of directly striking Germany and Japan from the U.S. without refueling. He urged the shift of manufacturing resources away from traditional land- and sea-based armaments and air-support aircraft and toward these bombers. He argued that existing U.S. strategy was futile and could not achieve victory, due to the disparity between the long supply lines needed by U.S. forces and the excellent interior communications within Germany and Japan. No matter how many machines and planes the U.S. threw at the Axis powers, they could withstand the assault by shrinking their defensive perimeter and concentrating their power. Seversky argued that direct bomber attacks from U.S.-based aircraft were the only way of administering a knockout blow. He acknowledged that shifting priorities to strategic air would reduce the strength of traditional forces, but argued that this would require only a temporary yielding of ground.

He was one of a number of strategic air advocates whose vision was realized in the 1946 creation of the Strategic Air Command and the development of aircraft such as the Convair B-36 and B-47 Stratojet. Seversky continued to publicize his ideas for innovative aircraft and weaponry, notably the 1964 Ionocraft which was to be a single-man aircraft powered by the ionic wind from a high-voltage discharge. A laboratory demonstration was acknowledged to require 90 watts to lift a two ounce (60 g) model, and no man-carrying version was ever built.

He was a trustee of The New York Institute of Technology, which in 1972 acquired an elegant mansion originally built by Alfred I. du Pont. It was renamed “The DeSeversky Center” in his honor, and is a popular venue for weddings.

His died in 1974, and was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

#10

Thanks George. Good to hear it from somebody who was there.

The dozen reasons:

Point 1 and 2: same thing

Point 10: not an advantage in itself

Point 12: doesn´t prove it a better aircraft than the P-51

Go back to him and get 3 more reasons :wink:

The funny thing is that there´s little describing their behaviour in the air, except the better ceiling, dive speed and apparently landing characteristics of the P-47.

When it comes to survival in an enemy environment he talks only of the P-47s better ability to absorb punishment. Reading between the lines it looks like he´s done some air-air fighting, so one would think he had an opinion on their respective merits in air-air combat?

#11

Wow George, that’s a lot of research you did. It was very interesting, but didn’t get to check out all the links. I’ve bookmarked for later:)

#12

Thanks ww2admin,

Much of it was compiled from my previous posts from various threads, then checked and updated. I’m glad that you like it. It is rather long though, so take your time. :slight_smile:

Thanks snebold, you’re welcome. :slight_smile:

Well, Rip Collins still rated the P-51 as a superb fighter, but he did fly both in combat and preferred the P-47, rating the Thunderbolt as the better of the two.

Comparing the P-47N versus P-51D, the P-47N had a higher top speed - 467mph vs 437mph, higher ceiling - 43,000 ft vs 41,900 ft, and longer range with external tanks - 2,350 miles vs 2,300 miles.
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/specs.html

Yeah, I guess on point 1 Rip Collins talks about the survivability of the P-47’s engine whereas in point 2 he compares it to the vulnerability of the P-51’s engine. Since much of Rip Collins’ flying was done over vast expanses of shark infested ocean, I could see his desire for a rugged engine and airframe.
I am also reminded of the fate of America’s top scoring Mustang ace - Major George E. Preddy, Jr. - killed in action 25 Dec 1944.
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=89626&postcount=15
http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=114034&postcount=23

Point 10, the close to double the horsepower of the P-47’s engine over the Mustang’s would give the P-47 an advantage at high altitudes where the air is much thinner. Add to that the P-47’s higher ceiling (43,000 ft) and better performance at high altitude.

Point 12, Rather impressive nonetheless :slight_smile:

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=123780&postcount=7

The Jug’s record against all opposing aircraft is remarkable. The ratio of kills to losses was unmistakably a winner. Thunderbolt pilots destroyed a total of 11,874 enemy aircraft, over 9,000 trains, and 160,000 vehicles.

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=123782&postcount=8

By 1944, the Thunderbolt was in combat with the USAAF in all its operational theaters, except the Battle of the Aleutian Islands. With increases in fuel capacity as the type was refined, the range of escort missions over Europe steadily increased until the P-47 was able to accompany bombers in raids all the way into Germany. On the way back from the raids, pilots shot up ground targets of opportunity, and also used belly shackles to carry bombs on short-range missions, which led to the realization that the P-47 could perform a dual-function on escort missions as a fighter-bomber. Even with its complicated turbosupercharger system it could absorb a lot of damage, and its eight machine guns could inflict heavy damage on lightly armored targets. The P-47 gradually became the USAAF’s best fighter-bomber, carrying the 500 pound (227 kg) bombs, the triple-tube M-8 4.5 inch (115 mm) rocket launchers, and eventually HVARs. From the invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, to VE day on May 7, 1945, the Thunderbolt destroyed 86,000 railway cars, 9,000 locomotives, 6,000 armored fighting vehicles, and 68,000 trucks.

Although the P-51 Mustang replaced the P-47 in the long-range escort role in Europe, the Thunderbolt still ended the war with 3,752 air-to-air kills claimed in over 746,000 sorties of all types, at the cost of 3,499 P-47s to all causes in combat. In Europe in the critical first three months of 1944 when the German aircraft industry and Berlin were heavily attacked, the P-47 shot down more German fighters than did the P-51 (570 out of 873), and shot down approximately 900 of the 1983 claimed during the first six months of 1944. In Europe, the Thunderbolt flew more sorties (423,435) than P-51s, P-38s and P-40s combined.

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showpost.php?p=123655&postcount=1

Robert S. Johnson and Martin Caidin collaborated on Johnson’s memoirs, which dealt intimately with the P-47. Their book is aptly titled Thunderbolt, and tells the story of the famous 56th Fighter Group. Johnson was one of the top U.S. aces of the war, with 28 victories, all flying the P-47. He was sent to Europe to fly and fight in January 1943, and returned home in the middle of 1944 as the leading American ace. The 56th Fighter Group, which included legendary aces like Johnson, Zemke, and Gabreski, shot down 1006 German aircraft against the loss of only 128 P-47’s, a kill ratio of 8 to 1 against the stiffest competition in the world.

#13

Have you seen the doco ‘‘Thunderbolts over the Reich’’

Hap Arnold had several squadrons of P-47’s rigged up with colour cameras, and it showed the carnage they sowed throughout Germany in the last months of the war.

Very few air to air fights at that stage, mainly large formations of Me 109’s and FW 190’s caught on the ground, wing tip to wing tip, a case of no pilots or no fuel, probably both.

Locomotive boilers exploding made a spectacular sight, and a lot of horse and carts carrying supplies were caught in the gun sights.

A pilot said that German radar controlled AA was deadly, and when they heard the whining in their head phones, they knew they were targeted, scary feeling.

#14

Thanks for the tip Ashes,

I have not seen that movie before. I’ll have to look it up at Amazon and eBay - it sounds interesting.

I do have the documentary Thunderbolt (1944) directed by William Wiler with intro by James Stewart. It’s about P-47 Thunderbolts and pilots of the 12th Air Force operating over Italy during “Operation Strangle”.

#15

George, you can find it under this title. “Thunderbolts:Conquest of the Reich”

It’s out of circulation but Amazon has some used copies.

It’s footage culled from over 300+ hours of footage, Arnold had B25’s with camera crews fly along and film the action. Lots of angles you won’t see from guncamera footage.

#16

I have the DVD. I bought it from the History Channel a few years ago after I was blown away with the clarity of the footage. Anyways, here’s a clip from the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f9cqhuARrM

#17

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
http://www.p47millville.org/P47-Millville.cfm?pageName=P47-Thunderbolt

Combat Statistics:

546,000 combat sorties with a combat loss rate of only 0.7 percent.
132,000 tons of bombs dropped
135 million rounds of 50 cal. fired
1-1/2 million hours of combat
20 million gal of fuel consumed
11,878 Enemy planes destroyed; 1/2 in the air; 1/2 on the ground
160,000 military vehicles destroyed
9,000 enemy locomotives destroyed
More victories than any other American aircraft in W.W.II

The Tank’s Formidable Enemies
http://www.aero-web.org/history/wwii/d-day/8.htm

The Ninth Air Force and the Second Tactical Air Force had vast quantities of fighter-bombers. IX TAC, for example, had twenty four squadrons of Republic P47 Thunderbolts, while 2 TAF had eighteen squadrons of Hawker Typhoons. Both were beefy, powerful aircraft, capable of absorbing considerable battle damage and still returning to base. Of the two, the P47 was the more survivable, in part because it had a radial piston engine. The Typhoon had a liquid-cooled engine and “chin” radiator installation that was vulnerable to ground fire. Affectionately known as the Jug, the P47, on occasion, returned to base not merely with gaping holes from enemy defenses, but with whole cylinders blown off its engine. Pilot memoirs reveal that while the P47 was regarded with affection and even fierce loyalty, the Tiffie (as the Typhoon was dubbed) had earned an uncomfortable respect and awe bordering on fear.

Both fighter-bombers had, for their time, prodigious weapons- carrying capabilities. Both could lug up to a 2,000-lb bomb load, one 1,000-lb bomb under each wing. Typically, however, both operated with smaller loads. A P47 would carry an external belly fuel tank and one 500-lb bomb under each wing; many were also configured so that the plane could carry air-to-ground rockets, typically ten 5-in HVARs (high-velocity aircraft rockets). P47s on an armed reconnaissance mission would usually operate three flights, two armed with a mix of bombs and rockets, and the cover flight carrying only rockets. Over 80 percent of the bombs dropped by P47s during the European campaign were 500-lb weapons; less than 10 percent were 1,000-lb bombs, and the difference was made up by smaller 260-lb fragmentation bombs and napalm. While acknowledging the spectacular effects and destructiveness of rockets, the AAF considered bombs more effective for “road work” due to accuracy problems in firing the solid-fuel weapons.

#18

A P-47D-30 was dived to Mach 0,83 (that is 900km/h+) on 27oct1949, and that was the limiting Mach number for the type, it would not go faster (barring redesign or perhaps dropping it from real high).

The P-47M is credited with a max speed of 752km/h at 9000m, but did attain 788km/h in level flight in some test.

#19

Thanks snebold,

A P-47D-30 was dived to Mach 0,83 (that is 900km/h+) on 27oct1949…

That translates to 540 mph+ in dive.

Flying the Thunderbolt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-47#Flying_the_Thunderbolt

The Thunderbolt was also one of the fastest-diving aircraft of the war — it could reach speeds of 480 knots (550 mph, 885 km/h). Major Robert S. “Bob” Johnson described the experience of diving the big fighter by writing, “the Thunderbolt howled and ran for the earth”. Some P-47 pilots claimed to have broken the sound barrier, but later research revealed that due to the pressure buildup inside the pilot tube at high speeds, airspeed readings became unpredictably exaggerated.

The P-47M … did attain 788km/h in level flight in some test.

That translates to 472.8 mph level flight.

Comparing the P-47N versus P-51D, the P-47N had a higher top speed - 467mph vs 437mph, higher ceiling - 43,000 ft vs 41,900 ft, and longer range with external tanks - 2,350 miles vs 2,300 miles.
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/specs.html

#20

In his novel ‘Goodbye Mickey Mouse’ by Len Deighton, the air group at the centre of the story have switched from P-47’s to P-51s. The group commander is a big fan of the P-47 but discovers the real reason they have switched (I am suggesting there must be a element of fact in the reason): cost.

P-47 = $115 434 each

P-51 = $ 58 546 each

‘So for two thousand lousy bucks onto the price of a Jug, you can get two Mustangs’ rants Colonel Dan…