Not only was it capable of absorbing staggering amounts of punishment, the cockpit was roomy and comfortable. The P-47 was a popular plane with pilots. (Image source: WikiCommons) It could take a hit, too Late-model Jugs patrol the skies over the Pacific. When equipped with 4.5-inch M8 rockets, the Jug had the firepower equal to a battery of 105 mm howitzers. In fact, when fully armed, a P-47 Thunderbolt could deliver about half the payload of a B-17 Flying Fortress. It was even more effective as a ground attack aircraft it was capable of carrying as much as 3,000 pounds of external ordnance. While the Jug did poorly in fast turning dogfights against smaller planes, it was at its best when diving on (or “bouncing”) enemy fighters with all guns blazing.
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Its internal stores were capable of holding 3,400 rounds (the Mustang’s six guns could pack only 1,800 bullets), which enabled the P-47 to unleash a torrent of lead for 30 seconds straight. 50 caliber machine guns mounted in each wing, the Thunderbolt could shred both enemy warplanes and ground targets alike with equal ferocity. (Image source: WikiCommons) It packed a killer punch Point and Shoot - The P-47 carried eight. And while the P-47 could reach altitudes in excess of 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), its range of just over 800 miles (1,300 km) gave it half the legs of the P-51. Both had a top speed of around 440 mph (700 km/h).
(Image source: WikiCommons) It could move fastĭespite its considerable mass, the P-47’s 18-cylinder, 2,600-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine (the same power plant used by the Vought Corsair and Grumman Hellcat) enabled the unwieldy Jug to keep pace with the Mustang. Although big and heavy, the Thunderbolt could keep up with the fastest fighters of the war. In fact, along with the three-seat Grumman Avenger, the P-47 was among the heaviest single-engine aircraft of World War Two.
And at more than 10,000 pounds empty, it was about 50 percent heavier than the Mustang and nearly twice the weight of of the British Spitfire. It was three feet wider than the P-51 and four feet longer. (Image source: WikiCommons) It was more like a flying tank The P-47 was a large target, but solid construction made to be a durable opponent in combat. A prototype Thunderbolt first took to the skies on May 6, 1941. Designers soon came up with bigger, more rugged machine: The P-47. But as the war in Europe demonstrated the need for much more robust warplanes, the company was forced to rethink its plans. Army Air Corps before 1941, Republic was hoping to develop an improved version of the fighter. Based on the small P-43 Lancer, which saw limited service in the U.S. Here are some amazing facts about this remarkable aircraft: The short and stubby P-43 Lancer – the precursor to the Thunderbolt (Image source: WikiCommons) It was originally supposed to be a ‘light’ fighterĬonceived by Georgian-born aircraft designer Alexander Kartveli, the plane that would eventually become the P-47 was originally intended to be a featherweight interceptor. More than 15,600 Thunderbolts were manufactured between 19 and they served in every theatre of the war performing a variety of missions from bomber escort to close air support. Nicknamed the “Jug” (short for “Juggernaut”) by adoring pilots, the P-47 was a heavyweight warbird - and one that packed a devastating punch. And although the Mustang certainly helped win control of the skies over Europe and the Pacific, it was the less glamorous Republic P-47 Thunderbolt that was the real workhorse of the Allied victory. WITH ITS SLEEK LINES, nimble handling and lightning-fast speed, the North American P-51 quickly became a symbol of American air power in World War Two. (Image source: WikiCommons) “More than 15,600 Thunderbolts were manufactured between 19 and they served in every theatre of the war.” P-47D Thunderbolts of the 345th Fighter Squadron.
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