World War II Database

1.  David Stubblebine says:
23 May 2008 12:50:20 AM

Tail numbers suggest these aircraft served in the Pacific theater.

2.  David Stubblebine says:
8 Jan 2009 08:12:21 PM

Tail numbers also suggest these Republic P-47N-5-RE Thunderbolts were manufactured in late 1944, making the photo dated sometime after that – likely mid-1945.

3.  BILL says:
17 Mar 2009 03:19:32 PM

Chief Test Pilot, Carl Bellinger leads a flight of P-47N-5's over their Farmingdale, Long Island plant in 1945.

4. Erik says:
17 Apr 2009 01:26:40 PM

I agree, these are new undelivered aircraft due to the lack of squadron designations also they are pretty and shiney.:)

5.  Bill says:
25 Jul 2010 01:18:09 PM

After World War II The P-47 Thunderbolt
continued to serve with the USAAF.

The P-47 named the F-47 served with the
now independent USAF, until the aircraft was phased out and passed on to National Guard
units and served until 1949.

The Thunderbolt continued to serve with many
nations, as a first-line fighter. Different
countries in South America continued to use
the P-47 into the 1960's.
Today many P-47's have been restored and are
part of aircraft museums,or privately owned.

6.  Bill says:
10 Dec 2010 03:44:38 PM

The total number of P-47s produced during
WWII was 15,686, of all types, second to the
North American P-51 production of 16,766.

The last P-47 was built in October 1945,
after that the assembly closed down.
The last P-47 cost the American taxpayer
$83,000 in 1945 dollars!

1,816 N models were built, maxium speed was
467mph, ceiling of 30,000ft.
the range was listed at 800 miles, but with good fuel management a pilot could get over 2,000 miles, of course with combat against
enemy aircraft, that figure goes down.

All models of the P-47 carried eight fifty
caliber machine guns, that's a lot of lead going into a target. The later models of the
P-47 even had air conditioning!
The P-47J was designed but never built, it would have had a maximum speed of 504mph in
level flight.

World War II ended the piston-engine propeller-driven fighter, the era had passed some would still soldier on in the US armed
forces into the 1950s.
Surplus fighters would be sold or given away to friendly governments.

7.  Bill says:
26 Dec 2010 11:01:01 AM

THE WHOLE NINE YARDS!

a P-47 Thunderbolt carried eight fifty caliber machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
trays were filled to the top, sometimes leading to jammed guns.

The more common load was 300-330 rounds per gun, thats 2640 rounds, a lot of lead going into a target. The feed belts would be about nine yards long feeding each of those .50s.
After firing his ammo into a target, a pilot would say,
"I gave him the whole nine yards"

8.  Bill says:
19 Feb 2012 11:29:52 AM

BUY THE BOOK:


The P-47 was armed w/8x50 caliber machine guns, the standard load was 3400 rounds of 50 caliber ammo or 425 rpg this gave the pilot 34 seconds of firing time.
Some pilots used the standard load, others used less, for reliable feeding the weapons were fired electrically, the ammo was fed by a disintergrating metal link belt.