P-47 Thunderbolt at War

by Graff, Cory

• ISBN13: 9780760329481
• ISBN10: 0760329486
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-15
• Publisher: Zenith Press

Summary

Unmatched in it's durability, the P-47 Thunderbolt is the largest and heaviest single-engine aircraft ever built, and some are still flying today. With eight.50 caliber machine guns, and a Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engine, the largest air-cooled radial of all time, it was an impressive size, leading to it's nickname "Juggernaught" or "Jug" for short. One of the most important fighters in World War II, and certainly the most prolific with 15, 683 produced, these aircraft saw service over the globe in combat - with the RAF in England, over Italy in the fighting following D-day, escorting bombers on missions over Germany, and in the Pacific arena, flying out of Brisbane, and doing service as fighter-bombers. Still flying in the Fifties and Sixties, the P-47 is unmatched in length of service, and Cory Graff pays tribute to this amazing plane, describing it's role as a fighter, escort, typical mission activist, and wartime construction, with a look at the factories, methods, people, involved. There are personal accounts of flying the Thunderbolt on missions in World War II, and later in China, Iran, Yugoslavia and Turkey. Rounded out with full technical details, weapons specs, charts and diagrams this is a must-have for any military and aviation enthusiast.

Author Biography

Cory Graff is the Assistant Curator of Military Collections at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. One of his articles covering the battered aircraft of World War II was published in the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Magazine. He is the author of Shot to Hell: The Stories and Photos of Ravaged WWII Warbirds, also from MBI. He lives in Seattle.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 6
Introduction	p. 7
Bloodlines: Origins of the P-47	p. 8
Building the Monster: Construction of the P-47	p. 22
The Home Front: The Battle to Build P-47s	p. 38
Ramrod: P-47 Fighter Escorts	p. 52
The War to the South: P-47s in the Mediterranean	p. 68
Ground Pounders: P-47 Fighter-bombers in Europe	p. 82
Island Hoppers: P-47s Over the Pacific	p. 94
Still Flying: P-47s After World War II	p. 108
Appendix	p. 124
Bibliography	p. 126
Index	p. 127
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