P-47 THUNDERBOLT

The P-47 Thunderbolt is the largest single-engined fighter of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) fighters of World War II and was manufactured by Republic Aviation.

The P-47 Thunderbolt was the product of Russian immigrant Alexander de Seversky and Georgian immigrant Alexander Kartveli, who had left their homelands to escape the Bolsheviks. The P-47s maiden flight was on May 6, 1941 and was introduced in 1942. Initial deliveries of the P-47s to the USAAF were to the 56th Fighter Group on Long Island. In 1942, P-47s prepared for combat operations in England. The first P-47 combat mission started in March 10, 1943 and the mission failed due to radio malfucntions. The P-47 gradually became the best fighter-bomber which could carry 500 pound bombs, the triple-tube M-8 4.5 inch rocket launchers and eventually HVARS.

P-47s were operated by several Allied air arms during World War II. Theres a large number of surviving airframes exist in flying condition as well as in museum collections worldwide. A total of 15,686 P47s built.