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Number Forty-Seven in the Series--Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

By Joe Baugher (jfb@ihlpl.att.com)

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt originated from the drawing board of Alexander Kartveli of the Seversky Aircraft Corporation (later renamed Republic Aviation). The Thunderbolt is consistently rated as one of the three outstanding USAAF fighters of World War II-- rated right up there along with the North American P-51 Mustang and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. The P-47 was built in larger numbers than any other American fighter, 15,683 examples rolling off the assembly line before production finally ended.

At one time during the heady days of 1944, there were no less than 31 front-line fighter groups flying Thunderbolts. Thunderbolts fought on all fronts in World War 2, including Alaska. Approximately two-thirds of all Thunderbolts built actually reached operational units overseas. In two and a half years of combat, from March 1943 to August 1945, these Thunderbolts flew over half a million combat missions, destroying over 12,000 enemy aircraft both in the air and on the ground, as against a total of 5222 Thunderbolts lost, only 824 of them in the heat of combat. This corresponded to 54 percent of the Thunderbolts which went overseas being eventually lost either to enemy action or to accidents, which was a fairly typical attrition rate for a wartime fighter. Losses of Thunderbolts on operational missions were 0.7 percent of those dispatched, an exceptionally low figure.

By the end of the war, the Thunderbolt had established an overall ratio of air-to-air combat victories to losses of 4.6 to 1. Thunderbolts dropped 132,482 tons of bombs, fired 59,567 rockets, and expended 135 million belts of machine gun ammunition.

From D-Day to V-E Day in Europe, Thunderbolts destroyed 86,000 railway cars, 9000 locomotives, 6000 armored vehicles and tanks, and 68,000 trucks. By the end of the war, Thunderbolts had destroyed 2752 enemy aircraft in the air and 3315 on the ground.

The P-47 as originally conceived was quite different from the aircraft which was ultimately to emerge from the Republic factories. On August 1, 1939, Kartveli, in response to an official requirement, proposed a lightweight high-altitude interceptor to the USAAC under the company designation of AP-10. It was to be powered by a 1150 hp Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled in-line engine. This was a radical change in design philosophy for Kartveli, since he had always preferred radial air-cooled engines for fighters because of their greater simplicity and their ability to absorb a greater amount of battle damage. Gross weight was to be 4900 pounds and estimated maximum speed was 415 mph. Armament was to be a pair of 0.50-in machine guns mounted in the engine housing.

The USAAC looked over the proposal and was favorably impressed. However, they deemed that additional armament would be required, even if it adversely affected performance. Kartveli increased the size of his AP-10 design somewhat, and added four wing-mounted 0.30-inch machine guns. Gross weight rose to 6570 pounds. In this guise, in November 1939 the USAAC ordered one prototype of the AP-10 design under the designation XP-47. The serial number was 40-3051.

In addition, on January 17, 1940, the USAAC ordered a stripped, unarmed version under the designation XP-47A. The serial number of the XP-47A was 40-3052.

In the meantime, combat reports coming in from Europe were changing everyone's ideas about air combat. More firepower, more armament, more armor protection, and self-sealing fuel tanks were likely to be required in future air battles. Both the XP-47 and XP-47A had insufficient engine power to accommodate the additional weight required by these features, and the USAAC came to the conclusion that these designs were likely to fall far short of future air combat requirements. Kartveli went back to the drawing board.

In order to accommodate the heavy firepower, armor, and self-sealing fuel tanks and still provide a performance capable of meeting enemy aircraft on equal terms, a lot of engine horsepower would be needed. Kartveli decided to produce a design based around a turbosupercharged Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Twin Wasp eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, one of the most powerful aircraft engines available at the time. Armament was to be a set of eight 0.50-in machine guns in the wings, following the RAF's trend toward eight-gun fighters and making the Republic proposal among the heaviest-armed fighters yet considered by the USAAC up to that time.

Total weight was to be a massive 11,500 pounds, unprecedented for a USAAC single-seat fighter. On June 12, 1940, Kartveli submitted his ideas to the USAAC. The USAAC was sufficiently impressed with the proposal that on September 6, 1940 it ordered a prototype under the designation XP-47B. This designation was sort of unusual at the time, namely, using the same P-number for what was in effect a totally new design. All work on the XP-47 and the XP-47A was cancelled, and the serial number of the abortive XP-47 was transferred to the XP-47B.

One week later, on September 13, 1940, 773 production examples of the Thunderbolt were ordered by the USAAC, 171 to be delivered as P-47Bs and 602 as P-47Cs. At the same time, the Army contract placed back in 1939 for 80 P-44 Rockets was cancelled. The contract was replaced with an order for a similar quantity of P-43 Lancers which would keep the Farmingdale production lines occupied pending the introduction of the new fighter.

Kartveli decided to design the XP-47B fuselage around the large turbosupercharger from the start, rather than to add it onto the aircraft later as sort of an afterthought. In order to preserve a streamlined fuselage with a small cross-section, the large turbosupercharger was placed in the rear fuselage. It was fed by an air duct located beneath the large R-2800 engine. Engine exhaust gases were directed back to the rear fuselage in separate pipes to the turbine and were expelled through an exhaust under the rear tail. Ducted air was fed to a centrifugal impeller and was returned to the engine under pressure via an intercooler.

Another problem that had to be solved was that the aircraft required a very large twelve-foot diameter four-bladed propeller in order fully to take advantage of the R-2800 engine's high power output. This large propeller in turn required a long and stalky undercarriage in order that the propeller be given adequate ground clearance during takeoff and landing. If a conventional retractable undercarriage were used for the P-47, its suspension would have to have been placed very far outboard on the wings, leaving insufficient space for the eight wing guns and their ammunition. In order to solve this problem, the landing gear telescoped and was nine inches shorter when retracted than when extended. Somewhat surprisingly, this complex telescoping landing gear seems to have caused few problems in the field.

Like the earlier P-35 and P-43 fighters, the P-47 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane, the wing being elliptical in shape with the ailerons on the outer trailing edge and flaps on the inner trailing edge. The semimonocoque fuselage was all metal, but initially the control surfaces were fabric covered. The tailwheel was steerable and was fully retractable. All the fuel tanks were inside the fuselage and were self-sealing from the start. The cockpit was protected by armor and was unpressurized.

The XP-47B prototype flew for the first time on May 6, 1941, piloted by Lowry L. Brabham. This was only eight months after the order was placed. The XP-47B was the largest single-engine fighter built up to that time. On the first flight, the pilot was forced to make an unplanned emergency landing because of a leakage of exhaust fumes into the cockpit. At a loaded weight of 12,086 pounds, the XP-47B dwarfed all previous fighters, being almost twice as heavy as most of its contemporaries. Its eighteen-cylinder XR-2800-21 radial engine offered 1960 hp at 25,800 feet, and gave it a maximum speed of 412 mph, 12 mph faster than Kartveli had projected. An altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in five minutes. Empty and normal gross weights were 9189 pounds and 12,086 pounds respectively. The prototype was destroyed in an accident on August 8, 1942.

At one time, it had been hoped that it would be possible for the RAF to test the Thunderbolt in combat in the Middle East, but production difficulties caused the British Air Ministry to be informed in September 1941 that it was probably not a good idea to do this until all the bugs had been wrung out of the design.

The first production P-47B was delivered on December 21, 1941, and five more were delivered in March 1942, only eight months after the XP-47B had first flown. Numerous problems soon presented themselves as the test program advanced. At altitudes above 30,000 feet, ailerons snatched and froze, the cockpit canopy could not be opened, and control forces became excessive. These problems caused further P-47B acceptances to be delayed until May. The problem of the freezing ailerons was solved by having all control surfaces being fully metal-covered on all subsequent P-47Bs. The ailerons were revised in shape and fitted with blunt noses, which alleviated the excessive control force problem. Balanced trim tabs were adopted to reduce rudder pedal loads. The stuck cockpit canopy problem was solved by replacing the original hinged canopy by a rearward sliding hood. This meant that the dorsal radio antenna had to be redesigned and moved aft to accommodate the rearward-sliding hood.

The production P-47B was fitted with a a production R-2800-21 engine of 2000 hp. An increase in the amount of internal equipment raised the empty, normal loaded, and maximum loaded weights to 9346, 12,245 pounds, and 13,360 pounds respectively. However, the increased power of the production-ready engine provided an increase in level speed to 429 mph at 27,000 feet. The maximum speed was 349 mph at 5000 feet. Initial climb rate was 2560 feet per minute and an altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in 6.7 minutes. Service ceiling was 42,000 feet. Range (clean) at maximum cruising power was 550 miles at 335 mph at 10,000 feet. Wingspan was 40 feet 9 3/4 inches, length was 35 feet 3 1/4 inches, height was 14 feet 1 3/4 inches, and wing area was 300 square feet.

P-47Bs were first issued in mid-1942 to the 56th Fighter Group. This group was chosen to be the first recipient of the P-47B because it was based near New York City and hence located near the Farmingdale plant where Republic engineers could be easily called upon to help in ironing out problems as they arose. The P-47Bs of the 56th Fighter Group were used largely for stateside testing and operational training, and very few ever went overseas. The 56th Fighter Group found the process of working up to its new mounts rather difficult--13 pilots and 41 aircraft were lost in accidents.

The last P-47B was delivered in September 1942. Serial numbers of the 170 P-47Bs constructed were 41-5895/6065.

The last example of the P-47B series (41-6065) was converted during manufacture in September 1942 as the XP-47E with a pressurized cockpit and a hinged canopy. However, increased emphasis on low-level operations over Europe lead to the cancellation of plans to introduce this pressurized Thunderbolt into production.

XP-47F was the designation given to another P-47B airframe (serial number 41-5938) which was used to test a new larger-area wing with a laminar-flow aerofoil. It flew for the first time on September 17, 1942. No production was undertaken.

The P-47C was the next production version of the Thunderbolt. It began to leave the production lines in September of 1942. It was externally similar to the P-47B, but had the forward fuselage extended 8 inches at the firewall and was provided with a new engine mounting. The rudder and elevator balance system was completely redesigned. The forward-slanted radio antenna mast of the P-47B was replaced by a shorter upright mast. Overall length was increased from 35 feet 3 1/4 inches to 36 feet 1 3/4 inches. Perhaps the most important change was the provision of under-fuselage shackles which permitted a 166.5 Imp. gall. drop tank to be carried. This extended the range to 1250 miles at an altitude of 10,000 feet and a cruising speed of 231 mph.

The P-47C-1-RE production block was powered by the same R-2800-21 engine which powered the P-47B, but the P-47C-5-RE block had the R-2800-59 engine which could be provided with water injection capability, permitting a war-emergency power of 2300 hp to be achieved for a brief time at an altitude of 27,000 feet.

602 P-47Cs were delivered by February 1943, when the improved P-47D replaced it on the production line.

Serials of the P-47C were as follows:

41-6066/6177 Republic P-47C-1-RE Thunderbolt

41-6178/6305 Republic P-47C-2-RE Thunderbolt

41-6306/6667 Republic P-47C-5-RE Thunderbolt

Specs of the P-47C-5-RE:

Maximum speed was 433 mph at 30,000 feet, and 353 mph at 5000 feet. Initial climb rate was 2780 feet per minute. An altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in 7.2 minutes. Service ceiling was 42,000 feet. Range at maximum cruise power was 640 miles at 335 mph at 10,000 feet. Range with a 166.5 Imp. gall. drop tank was 1250 miles at 10,000 feet at 231 mph. Weights were 9900 pounds empty, 13,500 pounds normal loaded, 14,925 pounds maximum. Wingspan was 40 feet 9 3/4 inches, length was 36 feet 1 3/4 inches, height was 14 feet 1 3/4 inches, and wing area was 300 square feet.

The P-47D was the first version of the Thunderbolt to undergo really large-scale production. The first USAAF order for the P-47D took place on October 14, 1941, when 850 examples were ordered. However, it was to be followed by many, many more.

In its initial form, the P-47D differed very little from the P-47C-5-RE which preceded it on the Farmingdale production lines. The P-47D had some changes in the turbosupercharger exhaust system which incorporated an adjustable duct and redesigned vents for the engine accessory section. More extensive armor protection was provided for the pilot. Generally, however, early P-47Ds can be distinguished from Cs only by their serial numbers.

Demand for the Thunderbolt was so great that Republic built a new factory at Evansville, Indiana to augment production of the P-47D. 1050 P-47Ds were ordered from Evansville on January 31, 1942, and the first Evansville-built P-47D rolled off the assembly line in September of 1942.

Following cancellation of the Army contract for the P-60A in January 1942, the Curtiss-Wright company was given a contract to begin construction of the D-version of the Thunderbolt under license at its Buffalo plant. The Curtiss-Wright built version was designated P-47G. The first delivery of a P-47G took place in December of 1942. The first 20 P-47Gs produced by Curtiss (P-47G-CU) were similar to the concurrent P-47C, but the remainder were similar to Republic-built P-47Ds. Curtiss produced a total of 354 P-47G-1-CU through P-47G-15-CU Thunderbolts by March of 1944, these planes being identical to Republic-built P-47Ds. They could be distinguished from Republic-built Thunderbolts only by their serial numbers.

All early Thunderbolts used the R-2800-21 engine, but water injection capability was added beginning with the D-3-RA and D-5-RE production blocks. In the D-5 to D-10 blocks, the pilot manually controlled the water flow of the injector, but the injection procedure was automatic on the D-12 and subsequent blocks.

Shackles for a belly tank or a 500-pound bomb were added to P-47D-4-RA and later blocks.

Drop tanks under the wings were introduced on the D-15-RA and D-16-RE, along with the more powerful R-2800-63 engine.

Two Curtiss-built P-47Gs were converted as tandem, two-seat trainers. One of the fuselage fuel tanks was removed and a second cockpit was fitted in its place. Known as the TP-47G, these aircraft retained the eight-gun armament of the single-seat version.

Toward the end of 1943, Eighth Air Force Thunderbolts began returning from escort missions over the Continent "on the deck", seeking out enemy ground targets of opportunity for their unused ammunition as they made their way back to the Channel. Somewhat surprisingly, it was found that the Thunderbolt was rather well-suited for this new role. This led to perhaps the most successful adaptation of the Thunderbolt--as a fighter-bomber.

The P-47D-6-RE to P-47D-11-RE and P-47G-10-CU to 15-CU production blocks had only ventral shackles, which were stressed to accommodate one 500-lb bomb, but subsequent production blocks were fitted with underwing pylons and stronger wings which permitted them to carry two 1000-lb bombs, three 500-lb bombs or a combination of bombs and drop tanks. Either six or eight machine guns could be carried, and maximum ammunition capacity was 425 rpg. However with the full ordinance load, ammunition capacity was reduced to 267 rpg.

At about this time, a number of Thunderbolts suffered mysterious engine failures during missions over the Continent that could not be ascribed to enemy action. It was eventually discovered that the additional weight of the bombs and drop-tanks added so much weight to the aircraft that the Thunderbolt was able to build up excessively-high speeds during bombing attacks. During the recovery from these high-speed dives, g-forces got so high that a surge or vapor lock was produced in the fuel lines which the fuel pump was unable to overcome.

Production batches from the P-47D-20-RE onward were fitted with a "universal" wing which could carry a variety of drop tanks or bombs. These batches also introduced the R-2800-59 or -63 engine with an increased war emergency power of 2535 hp. Beginning with blocks D-22-RE and D-23-RA, a larger (13-foot diameter) paddle-bladed propeller was fitted to accommodate this increased power. It added 400 feet per minute to the climb rate, but during landings and takeoffs there was only a scant six inches of clearance between blade tips and the ground. Takeoffs and landings must have both been hair-raising.

Blocks D-22-RE and D-23-RA were also provided with a jettisonable cockpit canopy which was activated by the pilot pulling a ring. The hood would then be pushed backward, and the force of the slipstream would then do the rest of the job of pulling the canopy free of the aircraft. A bullet-proof windshield was fitted, and internal fuel capacity was increased.

The 3962 P-47D-1RE to -22-RE Farmingdale-built Thunderbolts, the 1461 P-47D-2-RA to -23-RA Evansville-built Thunderbolts, and the entire lot of 354 P-47G-1-CU through P-47G-15-CU Curtiss-built Thunderbolts all had the original framed sliding canopy that was first used on the P-47B. However, combat experience indicated that the the rear fuselage decking on these Thunderbolts provided a serious blind spot aft which was a real hindrance in air-to-air battles. In an attempt to improve rearward visibility, a few P-47Ds were fitted in the field with the RAF "Malcolm hood", a Spitfire-like bubble canopy made in England which was made famous by its application to the P-51B and C Mustangs flown by both the RAF and USAAF. However, P-47Ds fitted with Malcolm hoods were quite rare, whereas P-51Bs and Cs with Malcolm hoods were quite common.

In the meantime, in search of a more lasting solution the USAAF fitted a standard P-47D-5-RE airframe (serial number 42-8702) with a bubble canopy taken from a Hawker Typhoon. In order to accommodate the bubble canopy, the Republic design team had to cut down the rear fuselage. This conversion was redesignated XP-47K, and was tested in July 1943. This modification was immediately proven to be feasible, and was promptly introduced on both the Farmingdale and Evansville production lines.

Ordinarily, the USAAF would have given such a radical modification as that which produced the bubble-canopy Thunderbolt a completely new variant letter (or perhaps even a new type number). However, the USAAF chose instead to designate it simply by giving it a new production block number in the D-series. Consequently, the first batches to feature this new bubble canopy were Farmingdale's P-47D-25-RE and Evansville's P-47D-26-RA. These batches also had the R-2800-59 or -63 engines, the paddle-bladed propeller, and the "universal" wing first introduced on the "razor-back" P-47D-20-RE. Stronger belly shackles capable of carrying a 91.6 Imp. gall. drop tank were fitted. This tank, together with the 170.6 Imp. gall. main fuselage tank, an 83-gallon auxiliary fuel tank and two 125-gallon underwing tanks, made it possible to carry a total fuel load of 595 Imp. gall, providing a maximum range of 1800 miles at 195 mph at 10,000 feet.

A single P-47D-20-RE (serial number 42-76614) was taken off the production line and modified as XP-47L with a bubble canopy as in the XP-47K and with increased capacity fuel tanks which raised internal fuel capacity from 305 to 370 US gallons. Both of these changes were incorporated in the P-47D-25-RE production batch.

The early "bubble-canopy" Thunderbolts had suffered from some directional instability as a result of the loss of aft keel area. >From the P-47D-27-RE production lots onward, a dorsal fin was fitted just ahead of the rudder. This innovation successfully restored the stability.

Underwing zero-length launching stubs for a total of ten five-inch HVAR rockets were fitted to Thunderbolts from production blocks P-47D-30-RA onward.

The high diving speeds of which the Thunderbolt was capable pushed the aircraft into the edge of compressibility, and new blunt-nosed ailerons were fitted to improve controllability at these high speeds. In order to help in dive recovery at these high speeds, an electrically-operated dive recovery flap was fitted on the undersurfaces of each wing.

Farmingdale produced a total of 2547 bubble-canopy P-47Ds and Evansville built 4632.

The Royal Air Force was supplied with a total of 830 P-47Ds. In RAF service, the "razorback" P-47D was known as the Thunderbolt I and the "bubble canopy" P-47D was known as Thunderbolt II. Thunderbolt Is were delivered in two batches--serials FL731 to FL850 and HB962 to HD181. They were delivered to the RAF from the P-47D-22-RE production blocks. The "bubble-topped" Thunderbolt II fighters were from the P-47D-25/-30-RE and the P-47D-30/-40-RA production blocks, and four main batches were delivered--serials HD182 to HD301, KJ128 to KJ367, KL168 to KL347, and KL838 to KL976. A few aircraft in the last two batches were equipped with the dorsal fin strake. The RAF Thunderbolts were evaluated in Europe, but most of them were shipped to the CBI theatre, where they fought against the Japanese.

The Soviet Union was allocated 203 P-47D-22-RE and 27-RE Thunderbolts under Lend-Lease, but only 196 actually reached their destination. I have no information about their service.

A total of 446 P-47Ds was supplied to the Free French forces during the war, and by V-E Day, they equipped two Escadres de Chasse. They were replaced in service by De Havilland Vampire jets during 1951. Many of these French Thunderbolts were then transferred to Algeria, where they were used against the nationalist forces during the Algerian civil war. They were finally phased out of service during 1960, at about the same time that the French pulled out of Algeria.

It is not widely known, but the Brazilian Air Force participated in combat on the Allied side on the Italian front in 1944. A squadron of P-47Ds operated by Brazilian Air Force pilots was attached to the US Twelfth Air Force and went into action for the first time on November 11, 1944. Before the end of the war, the Brazilian Air Force had received 88 P-47Ds.

The Mexican Air Force was equipped with 25 P-47D Thunderbolts during World War II, and the 201st Fighter Squadron of the Mexican Air Force was preparing to go overseas to serve alongside US forces in the South West Pacific when the Japanese capitulated. Consequently, Mexican Thunderbolts never saw any action. However, at least one of my sources has Mexican units entering combat in the Philippines in early 1945. Details, anyone?

During the immediate postwar years, numerous surplus ex-USAAF Thunderbolts were supplied to foreign air forces. These included the air forces of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Honduras, Iran, Nicaragua, Peru, Turkey, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia. Some of these foreign-operated Thunderbolts remained flying until the late 1960s until they were finally replaced by jet aircraft.

A "razorback" P-47D is on display at the Champlin Fighter Museum at Mesa, Arizona. A Thunderbolt is also on display at the WPAFB museum, but I don't have any record of its serial number.

Specifications of the P-47D-25-RE:

One Pratt and Whitney R-2800-59 Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial, war emergency power of 2535 hp. Maximum speed was 429 mph at 30,000 feet, 406 mph at 20,000 feet, 375 mph at 10,000 feet, 350 mph at sea level. Initial climb rate was 2780 feet per minute. Climb rate at 30,000 feet was 1575 feet per minute. Service ceiling was 40,000 feet, and range was 950 miles at 10,000 feet. Range with maximum external fuel was 1800 miles at 10,000 feet at 195 mph. Weights were 10,700 pounds empty, 14,600 pounds normal loaded, and 17,500 pounds maximum. Dimensions were wingspan 40 feet 9 3/8 inches, length 36 feet 1 3/4 inches, height 14 feet 7 inches, and wing area 300 square feet.

Serials of Republic-built P-47Ds:

42-7853/7957 Republic P-47D-1-RE Thunderbolt

42-7958/8402 Republic P-47D-2-RE Thunderbolt

42-8403/8702 Republic P-47D-5-RE Thunderbolt

42-22250/22363 Republic P-47D-1-RA Thunderbolt

42-22364/22563 Republic P-47D-2-RA Thunderbolt

42-22564/22663 Republic P-47D-3-RA Thunderbolt

42-22664/22863 Republic P-47D-4-RA Thunderbolt

42-22864/23113 Republic P-47D-11-RA Thunderbolt

42-23114/23142 Republic P-47D-16-RA Thunderbolt

42-23143/23299 Republic P-47D-15-RA Thunderbolt

42-25274/25322 Republic P-47D-20-RE Thunderbolt

42-25323/25538 Republic P-47D-21-RE Thunderbolt

42-25539/26388 Republic P-47D-22-RE Thunderbolt

42-26389/26773 Republic P-47D-25-RE Thunderbolt

42-26774/27388 Republic P-47D-27-RE Thunderbolt

42-27389/28188 Republic P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt

42-28189/28438 Republic P-47D-26-RA Thunderbolt

42-28439/29466 Republic P-47D-27-RA Thunderbolt

42-74615/74964 Republic P-47D-6-RE Thunderbolt

42-74965/75214 Republic P-47D-10-RE Thunderbolt

42-75215/75614 Republic P-47D-11-RE Thunderbolt

42-75615/75814 Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt

42-75865/76118 Republic P-47D-16-RE Thunderbolt

42-76119/76364 Republic P-47D-15-RE Thunderbolt

42-76365/76614 Republic P-47D-20-RE Thunderbolt

43-25254/25440 Republic P-47D-20-RA Thunderbolt

43-25441/25664 Republic P-47D-21-RA Thunderbolt

43-25665/25753 Republic P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt

44-19558/20307 Republic P-47D-28-RE Thunderbolt

44-20308/21107 Republic P-47D-30-RE Thunderbolt

44-32668/33867 Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt

44-89684/90283 Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt

44-90284/90483 Republic P-47D-40-RA Thunderbolt

45-49090/49554 Republic P-47D-40-RA Thunderbolt

Serials of Curtiss-built P-47Gs:

42-24920/24939 Curtiss P-47G-CU Thunderbolt

42-24940/24979 Curtiss P-47G-1-CU Thunderbolt

42-24980/25039 Curtiss P-47G-5-CU Thunderbolt

42-25040/25119 Curtiss P-47G-10-CU Thunderbolt

42-25120/25273 Curtiss P-47G-15-CU Thunderbolt

Sources:

American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Enlarged Edition, Doubleday, 1982.

The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion Books, 1987.

War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William Green, Doubleday 1964.

United States Military Aircraft since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

The Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, Aircraft in Profile, Edward Shacklady, Doubleday, 1969.

Famous Fighters of the Second World War, Volume I, William Green, 1967.

Thunderbolt!, Robert S. Johnson and Martin Caidin, Ballantine Books, 1958.

British Military Aircraft Serials, 1912-1969, Bruce Robertson, Ian Allen, 1969.

Joe Baugher

AT&T Bell Laboratories

2000 North Naperville Road

Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033