During the 1930s, the Seversky Aircraft Company, that later became the Republic company, started work on various prop fighters. The P-47 was one of them and redesign took place to improve performance. The re-designed aircraft used a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp XR-2800 engine and had eight machine guns. A USAAC contract was awarded and the aircraft flew mid 1941. Despite new problems, several hundred aircraft of the P-47B and P-47C were put into production known as the "razorback". It was deployed into the war end 1942 in Europe. New versions were also developed Thunderbolt as it was generally known , and the P-47D got a bubble canopy for better pilot visibility. Also a P-47N and M were developed with longer range for escorting bombers. It was particularly also effective as grond attack fighter and over 15,000 aircraft were built. After the Second World War several air forces used the type well into the 1960's.
P-47D
This P-47D Thunderbolt has current civil registration NX47RP . It has code 2Z-P and serial cn 399-55744. This aircraft is at the Palm Springs Air museum (CA). It has been restored to flying condition and displaying nose art "Squirt VIII".
Photographed November 2013 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt
This P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt with serial 44-32691 is in splendid condition. It is since 2003 on display at the Steven F.Udvar Hazy Center of the Smithsonian.
Photographed 2016 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
P-47G Thunderbolt
This P-47G is shown with no. 42-25254. It was at various museums and restored after a crash in 1971 at Chino. It is now at Planes of Fame museum at Chino. CA.
Photographed 2016 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
YP-47M
This is a special YP-47M serialled 42-27385 (FAA registration N27385). It is still in flying condition and is now at the Yanks Air museum at Chino. CA.
Photographed 2016 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
P-47D-40 Thunderbolt
This P-47D with serialno. 45-49346 was delivered to the Brazilian air force as F-47/ 4191. From 1968 - 1975 it was on display in Sao Paulo. It went to the Chino USA in 1988 and was furher restored and got civil registration N33112D. It now is on display as USAAF 5493466 at the Yanks museum at Chino, CA.
Photographed November 2015 by Cees Hendriks (c) , Copyright IPMS Nederland
Many, many scale models have appeared over the years of the P-47, also in various variants.
Vintage Fighter has a basic but large 1/24 kit. Very nice is a Hasegawa 1/32 scale P-47D with also an Eduard kit which is the Hasegawa kit but with some extra parts.
In 1/72 Tamiya and Academy have very nice kits.
In 1/48 Tamiya has a fine kit but there are many many models.
The first version of this page was created January 2014 by M. de Vreeze ; note Copyright!