The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was designed by Alexander Kartveli to replace the Seversky P-35.
The prototype XP-47B was of all metal construction, with the exception of the tail control surfaces and with elliptical wings slightly swept back.
The cockpit is spacious with a large pilot’s seat and air conditioning. The fuel tanks were self-sealing and positioned under the cockpit giving a fuel capacity of 305 US gal.
The engine is a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp in a cowling, with a four bladed constant-speed propeller. The cowling also supplied air flow for the oil coolers and the intercooler.
To give ground clearance to the 146 inch diameter propeller the main landing gear struts telescoped out by 9 in when extended.
Although the XP-47B had some teething troubles the USAAF placed an order for 171 production aircraft.
PRODUCTION
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was produced from 1941 to 1945, with 15,636 built.
ARMAMENT
8 x Browning 0.5” machine guns
2,000 lb (908 kg) Bomb/Rocket load.
The P-47 was made combat operational in England towards the end of 1942. It was nicknamed the ‘Jug’ because it looked like the profile of a common milk jug of the time.
Two fighter groups, the 4th Fighter Group and the 78th Fighter Group, introduced the P-47 in January 1943 to replace the Spitfire and P-38 Lightning respectively.
The first air combat with a P-47 took place on 15 April 1943 when Major Don Blakeslee of the 4th Fighter Group downed a Focke-Wulf Fw190.
By mid-1943, the P-47 was also in service in Italy with the 12th Air Force and in the Pacific with the 348th Fighter Group. The P-47 was in combat with all the USAAF’s operations by 1944.
As the P-47’s range was developed it was able to escort bombers on raids all the way to Germany until it was replaced in that role by the P-51 Mustang.
