What was the P-47 Thunderbolt used for?
Built in 1944, this P-47D-30-RA was used primarily as an aerial gunnery trainer in the United States. After the war, it became part of the U.S. Army Air Forces Museum, now the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, before being transferred to the Smithsonian.
Who was the best pilot in WW2?
Top Image: Major Richard Bong courtesy of the US Air Force. Known as the “Ace of Aces” for his rank as the top American flying ace during World War II, Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft over the course of his career as a fighter pilot.
Which pilot shot down the most planes in WW2?
Erich Hartmann
While serving in Germany’s Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills.
How many P-47 Thunderbolts were built?
By the end of WWII, more than 15,000 Thunderbolts had been built. The P-47D “Razorback” Thunderbolt on display is an early version of the “D,” nicknamed for the ridge behind the cockpit (later P-47Ds had a bubble canopy). It is painted to appear as the Thunderbolt Col. Neel Kearby flew on his last mission.
What is the P-47D Razorback Thunderbolt?
The P-47D “Razorback” Thunderbolt on display is an early version of the “D,” nicknamed for the ridge behind the cockpit (later P-47Ds had a bubble canopy). It is painted to appear as the Thunderbolt Col. Neel Kearby flew on his last mission.
What is a P-47D?
The rugged and heavily-armed P-47D proved to be ideal for ground attack, though, and it became the backbone of the fighter-bomber force in the 9th Air Force in western Europe and the 12th Air Force in southern Europe.
What is the best book on the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt?
Freeman, Roger A. Camouflage and Markings 15: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt U.S.A.A.F., E.T.O. And M.T.O. 1942–1945 (Ducimus Classic). London: Ducimus Books, 1971. Freeman, Roger A. Thunderbolt: A Documentary History of the Republic P-47. London: Macdonald and Jane’s, 1978. ISBN 0-354-01166-9. Goebel, Greg. “The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.”