Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Renowned for its ruggedness, firepower and speed, the massive Republic P-47 was one of the most famous and important USAAF fighters during World War II. Produced in larger numbers than any other U.S. fighter, the Thunderbolt -- affectionately nicknamed the "Jug" -- served as a bomber escort and as a very effective ground attack fighter.  By the end of WWII, more than 15,000 Thunderbolts had been built.
  • The P-47D "Razorback" on display at the USAF Museum (Dayton) 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. Col. Kearby named all of his aircraft Fiery Ginger after his red-headed wife Virginia. Recovered from the crash site and obtained by the museum, the actual vertical fin of Fiery Ginger IV is also on display. This aircraft was donated by Republic Aviation Corp. in November 1964.
  • The NASM's P-47D-30-RA was delivered to Godman Field, Kentucky, in 1944. It served as an aerial gunnery trainer before being transferred to the U.S. Air Force Museum and then the Smithsonian. Republic Aviation restored the airplane and displayed it to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first P-47 flight.
  • The aircraft P-47D-40 (S/N 45-49167) on display at the USAF Museum (Dayton) was built at the Republic plant in Evansville, Ind. In the late 1940s, it was transferred to the Peruvian air force. The aircraft later came to the museum in 1981. It is painted as the P-47D-30 Five by Five flown by Col. Joseph Laughlin, commander of the 362nd Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, in early 1945.
  • The P-47D-30-RA, S/N 44-32798, at Hill AFB Museum was manufactured by Republic Aviation in Evansville, Indiana, and delivered to the US Army Air Forces on November 13, 1944. The following month the aircraft was assigned to the 413th Fighter Group. In April 1949 it was dropped from active USAF-inventory and transfered to Venezuela.  It was recovered from a salvage yard in Tucson, Arizona,underwent a complete restoration and finally unveiled at the museum on Memorial Day 2007.