My grandfather started his career at the beginning of WW2, making it all the way through. During his tenure he was credited with 52 aircraft downed. He was the worst mechanic the Luftwaffe ever had.
The emphasis on the ability of the Thunderbolt to be a successful ground-attack aircraft is a disservice to its real abilities, and what it was design for and why it was so big: to kick ass at high altitude. That big airframe was built to house the turbocharger and associated plumbing, and that turbocharger provided outstanding performance at high altitudes (pretty much above 20,000 feet). The P-47 could maintain manifold pressure, and thus power, much better than the 109 or 190 at high altitudes. As well, that big airframe is much less of a drag in the thin air up high. The P-47 did the heavy lifting against the Luftwaffe when it was still in its prime, and did well, but is overshadowed by the P-51. That’s really a shame. Greg’s Planes and Automobiles has detailed coverage of the P-47, and his videos are well worth the watch.
Agree ! Though the P51 Mustang was an incredible fighter and did a lot of damage to the Luftwaffe from mid 1944 onward , experts on airwar concur that it is the unsung P47 that really broke the back of the Luftwaffe during the 12 months prior to the Mustang entering service in great number.
Absolutely, when it comes to dogfighting it's like I describe it to people, it was a hockey player in a figure skating contest, and everytime one of those figure skaters got slammed against the boards the body parts would just go flying, arms, legs, blood all over the ice, oh the humanity.
I think it's Greg’s Planes and Automobiles explains that a rivalry US force's (Generals) that kept the P-47 unable to carry Drop Tanks and thus could not escort the B-17's & B-24's deep into germany in the early years.
Had a friend who's father flew both in WWII and Korea. He flew P-47s in the Ninth AF, and P-51s in korea. He said that the Thunderbolt always brought him home, once with almost 100 holes in it and missing a cylinder head. In Korea he was shot down twice in Mustangs, both times with very little damage to the plane but a few hits to the radiator.
those engines are crazy, i'd wager a modern piston engine couldnt do that. we have a small airforce museum in perth, western australia, attached to an airforce retirement home. they have one of the most powerful radial engines used during the war at over 2000hp. its mounted and cutaway with an electric motor attached so you can see how all the enternals worked. it was a sleeve valve job but just cant remember its bloody name. anyway, 3 or 4 row radial, a bristol engine i think. they also have a napier sabre inline.
@@shermansquires3979 most likely but i have heard accounts of engines still running after being holed in a cylinder. i've seen car engines do the same, pre fuel injection without ecu's of course.
The P-47 did had two final production variants the P-47M and P47N with the P-47M having a improved double wasp engine and the P-47N having extended larger internal fuel tanks inside the wings so it can operate in the pacific on VLR type missions.
I would like to see you do one on the F6F Hellcat. The P-47s “counterpart” big badass fighter plane of the US Navy. Both of these fighters could take SEVERE punishment and still bring their pilot’s home. My Dad flew the F6F as a member of VF-82 flying off of the USS Bennington CV-20. Credited with 3.5 victories in the air and another 8 aircraft destroyed on the ground. We just celebrated his 101st Birthday.
Great plane also built in Long Island NY by Grumman Aircraft Engineering as they were called way back then. Grumman & Republic must have built in excess of 20,000 planes during WWII here on Long Island.
Was a decade behind ya, but can def relate! Turned that passion/experience into a career as an illustrator! Love when I get the chance(not as often as I'd like) to work on projects where I get to revisit it!😊
Good video. Being an Evansville resident, the P-47 holds a special place in my heart. We have a fabulous example in our local wartime museum, Hoosier Spirit II. Thanks for highlighting our city and it's contribution.
My flight instructor, designated examiner and the director of the flight school where I was a flight instructor myself was Henry Lederer. He was the founder and the first president of the Thunderbolts pilots association. He was also the one that was chosen to fly the Thunderbolt down the Hudson River on American Bicentennial. During WW2 he flew both the Thunderbolt and then the P51 and he always told me his favorite was the Thunderbolt. He later worked for Fairchild Republic and Grumman and also was the one to write some of the specs for the F14 Tomcat.
I worked with an engineer in petroleum industry in Texas years ago, who had been a WWII fighter pilot with 359th FS of 356th FG. Reported to his squadron after D-Day, flying P-47s, the Group converted to P-51s early 1945. He actually damaged in midair a German Me-262 jet. On return trip from another mission, he had engine fire in his Mustang and he had to ditch into channel and rescued ok. He was a tranquil, devoted to God, southern gentleman from Texas and has passed away now. I once asked him, "which one...?", meaning, Mustang or Thunderbolt? He said, "I'd prefer Thunderbolt over Mustang in a given combat situation due to its ruggedness and firepower". Remember, 56th FG declined conversion from P-47s to P-51s and flew the Thunderbolt throughout the War 👍
principally because Doolittle took over command and turned them loose from bomber escort to tally kills both in the air and on the ground; it’s well and oft-recorded how displeased the bomber crews were of that glory-hunting;
@@johnceglick8714 that's doubtful. As much of a fan I am of the P-47, I think the Mustang did shoot down more Luftwaffe fighters, almost certainly more Luftwaffe planes in general. But I think the Thunderbolt shot down more than it's given credit for, and the Mustang only beat it due to unavoidable unfair reasons. It came in later when the Luftwaffe was already a softer, easier target, leading to more kills and less risk. It also had the ability to shoot down more planes like trainers and what not as the war progressed, as it became the predominant fighter for sweep missions. This all drove it's numbers up. In terms of which COULD do better given equal circumstances though, I think it's a toss up. It depends a little on the situation, so it's hard to say. But since I'm biased, I'm gonna say the P-47 was better lol.
The P47 D was also used by the Mexican 201 Squadron, this squadron helped the Americans to liberate the Philippine Islands and Taiwan from the Japanese, with this plane they caused 30,000 casualties to the Japanese and destroyed several supplies, with only 5 casualties, the P47 is a great plane :D
The P-47 is still my favorite WWII fighter. It's ability to dish out massive punishment on the enemy, take crazy amounts of damage and take it's pilot home is unmatched by any other fighter.
It was NOT nicknamed Jug because it was considered a Juggernaut. It received this nickname because the earlier razorback versions, if you imagined them standing on their nose, resembled milk jugs of the time.
Thanks for the shout out to Evansville! As a born and raised Evansville native I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the P-47. For the WW2 history buffs, we have a great WW2 museum with a P-47. In addition, on our riverfront we have the only fully operational LST in the world. Full tour available.
Something most don’t know, is that the modern-day A-10 is called the Thunderbolt II. It’s a throw back to the P-47 because both aircraft can take a lot of damage and keep going. Which when you think about why they were built, for Air to Ground operations, it make sense.
In some ways naming the A10 Thunderbolt II is a bit of a diservice. It was first and foremost a very successful high altitude air superiorty fighter. It has a big hand in breaking the back of the Luftwaffe along with the P38 and British fighters. The A10 is just as rugged, I will give it that.
I currently live in Evansville. Our war museum has an actual P-47 manufactured here during the war on display. As a captain on the airport fire dept., our uniforms proudly display the P-47 Thunderbolt on our patch. Our professional hockey team is named the Evansville Thunderbolts! *The memories live on.
my father in law was a P-47 pilot, WWII. He had said that " you take pictures ,for your girl friend next to a P-51, but if you want to get home to your girl friend, you fly a P-47.
Grest episode TJ! I learned some new things. I think an episode on the P-40 Warhawk would be a good one in this series. One of my personal favorites and a bit of an unsung hero for the allies in WW2.
the P-40 was another dogfighting slug had trouble even the fixed landing gear crates the Japanese used against the AVG in China; it was another dive hit and climb or run brick;
As a young kid, my Dad used to watch the P-47s roll off the Republic assembly line and out to a huge mound of dirt just off the Evansville airport runway to test their .50 caliber guns. The city of Evansville produced 167 LST ships, tanks, and over 95% of the .45 caliber ammunition during WWII.
I love the P47. However the P-38 is still my favorite WWII fighter aircraft. However I am becoming a huge fan of the Catalina PBY flying boats and would love to see a video on them (including when they assisted in the hunt for Bismarck).
Yeah I know what you mean and after the War. Catalina became the Private Jet of their time as they were converted into what would be like a cross between a yacht and a plane. And the owner would load their family or friends into them and would fly to either the Bahamas, or the Caribbean islands and land in a natural harbor or sheltered bay.
Greg's Airplane's and Automobiles did an excellent video on the PBY, it's full of all kinds of facts about it that you wouldn't know including it's war record which is surprising for an aircraft everyone considers to just be a flying boat, he even covers the Black Cats that conducted all kinds of night time combat operations. He considers it to be one of the most underappreciated aircraft of the war, after hearing all it's stats and learning it's capabilities I'd say he's right about that.
The B-17 flying Fortress and a P 51 mustang were sleek and sexy lines and they got all the press and are better known throughout history. But the B24 liberator and P47 were manufactured in greater numbers and did a lot more of the work. They are the unsung heroes and need greater recognition by historians. I was very glad to see that you made this video honoring the thunderbolt. Much of what was learned from the thunderbolt became the basis for the development of the A1 Sandy.
My Gandfather was a ball turret gunner on a B-17. He always swore that if he had served in a "flying coffin" he would never have made it through the war.
You missed one thing. Everyone has heard of the A10 Warthog but a lot of the younger generation do not realize it is actually the A10 Thunderbolt II, named in honor of the awesome ground attack ability of the P47.
@@peter2346 When I served 1970-1976 one of our favorite saying was "War is much too serious a matter to be entrusted to the miltary" for many reasons especially during Nam. But when the morons almost grounded the A-10s that quote backed up what we already knew. Not to mention the F-16, F-22, SR-71 to name a couple of more. Anyone want to add to that long list of early retired aircraft?
My all time favorite is the P-38. I do love the P-47 and the P-51 as well and the rest of the arsenal of American aircraft, but my favorite is the Lightning!
P47 was designed as a high altitude long range escort tighter. It’s range was initially crimped because USAF generals reused to import drop tanks. This tanks did arrive when Mustangs came on line giving the latter the name for long range.
Always have loved the Thunderbolt . My great grandfather was actually a pilot in Easy’s Angels, so I especially liked that you used that squadrons paint scheme as the thumbnail. Great video!
The P-47M was the fastest piston-powered aircraft of the war, powered by either the new Pratt & Whitney R-2800-14W or the R-2800-5 engine while using the brand new CH-5 turbo-supercharger, and new wide-bladed prop, and when hot rodded by the crews of the 56th FG, they hit an honest 500 mph. P-47s flew over 746,000 sorties on all fronts, more than the P-38, P-40 and P-51...wait for it...combined!!! and was THE "workhorse" of American aviation in WWII. It was also made in larger numbers than any other American fighter, even though it was expensive at $83,000 a plane. (A P-51 was $51,000) It was the best escort fighter by the end of the war in the long-range P-47N model holding an incredible 1266 gallons and a range of 2350 miles (a P-51D had a range of 1650 miles,) It had eight .50s with 3400 rds of ammo, enough for 32 seconds of firing and spit out 12.7 lbs of lead per second, (a P-51 had six .50s, only 1880 rds and only 22 seconds of firing putting out 9.23 lbs of lead per second,) With its duplication of controls/systems and tough air-cooled radial engine It had THE BEST survival rate of any aircraft in WWII and its loss per mission rate was an astounding 0.7%, amazing considering over 400,000 of its missions were ground attack, the hardest. (The vulnerable liquid-cooled P-51's survival rate per mission was also twice as bad at 1.2% and it was found after the war was shot down by ground attack at a rate of 3 Xs bad.) The P-47 was the aircraft that got you home. With its very rare and expensive electric dive brakes the P-47 was the fastest piston-powered diver of WWII, (the Me 262 was faster,) It fought for a year linger than the P-51, shooting g down German planes when they still had good pilots.
Need to read more, the P47M was the fastest production version at 470mph but the P51H did 487mph. The FW Ta152 did 475mph as well though the XP47J was the fastest of all at 504mph but never went into production.
@@StuckOnAFireHydrant AN-2 is larger than P-47 but wasn't a fighter. The AN-2 was a transport plane for troops, vehicles or supplies. So P-47 biggest and heaviest single engine fighter in WWII
Gotta love the P-47! You have presented very interesting tidbits here -- thanks. I am in a minority in that my favorite warbird is the PBY. There are lots of reasons for that opinion, and I think it would make a good subject for a future video on things we never knew.
The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair! Most especially the ones flown by Pappy Boyington & his Black Sheep Squadron! I LOVE those guys, especially since I was a kid watching them on TV WAAAY BACK in the late '70s! Aaaah, the memories!
How about covering the P-38 Lightning? From the difficulties with the twin engines, to the fact that Charles Lindbergh actually flew it in combat (as a civilian).
I was under the impression Lindbergh wea a tech-rep for Vought, teaching F4U fliers how to get more range and endurance out of their planes by sophisticated fuel management. He bombed Japanese positions and may have shot down a Japanese plane or two before they reeled him back in as too valuable to risk that way.
I live in Mt. Vernon Illinois, seen on that map about an hour west of Evansville. Although the P-47 is one of my favorite WWII planes i never knew they were made that close. may need to make a visit over there sometime.
Having seen Dottie Mae in person a few times, it is amazing that it sat at the bottom of a lake for so long and now looks practically new! The Jug is a pretty awesome bird.
The US service men called the P-47 a "Jug" because they thought it resembled a milk jug. The British didn't get the milk jug reference, and assumed that "jug" was short for juggernaut.
The great thing about Dottie Mae is that she is a fly able, fully restored and probably they most authentic Jug out there. I was one of the many people (there was probably almost 30 of us maybe less) to see her the day before she would be put on display(of course I was not invited for the actually ceremony).When I saw her I was stunned, I almost cried. She is the most beautiful plane I have ever layed eyes and no matter who I marry this plane will always have my heart. If you want to see her she can often be seen at chino airport in California where she visits Planes of fame and other venues in California such as airshows.
Great video. Not just specs and dogfights. Good stories about each plane connected with what was happening back in the USA during this period. Well done.
The P-47 was beast indeed and I love this airplane that flew well on the deck and flew very well at high altitude. They achieved far more than the P-51 and was a very tough airplane that could hold far more damage than the sexy P-51. After the war savagely downside the Airforce by scrapping the fleet of P-47 leaving very few of them. A decision that they will regret as those airplanes were far more suitable for ground attack in Korea. Resulting in the loss of many pilots flying the P-51...
@@zatarasankofa7892 yes but they were wonderful bricks that really did a good job on the deck and high altitude. That said the F-4 carried a massive load of ordinance and was perhaps even more versatile. But you can't really compare them as it was built some years apart but one thing is for sure: they were both magnificent airplanes and are one of my favourite airplanes...
@jack tattis let me tell you this: during the Korean war many pilots openly bemoaning not being able to fly on the P-47 that haw able to to absorb far more hits thanks both the engine and the long turbocharged system. Yes, it was "mushy" on the deck bat had a fire power quite unmatched. Survivability is the word but US authorities scrapped most of them after the 2nd WW, now the pilots had to fly with those beautiful P-51 that was almost totally unsuitable to fly on the deck as it was water cooled. Because of this many pilots died...
The Merlin 60 with 2 stage 2 speed supercharger came in 1942, after the Thunderbolt conception. It matched the P-51 airframe like a glove bringing up the best of both. This brought the Jug down to wreck havoc the enemy rolling stock, vehicles and infantry doing the same as RAF Typhoons, A-20s and others.
My father was a p-47 macanic He had 3 bronze stars Battle of Britain , and D-Day +6 , Battle of the bulge the went all the way to Germany he told me he saw them come back with cylinders shot off very tuff plane My uncle was a waist gunner on a B-17 he was a pathfinder first in Germany he wrote a book called bombs away you should check it out ……I’m very proud of them
Yeah, right. Your father was a mechanic on P-47's, and also was somehow in the Battle of Britain. Strange. Your uncle was a pathfinder!!? First in Germany? I'm calling bullshit on your whole story. Knock it off.
Kudos to Republic Aviation the P-47 Thunderbolt, pilots and crews for this tough, versatile aircraft. The people of Evansville, Indiana were fortunate to have an opportunity to produce this fighter!
I have a 50 cal round sitting on my desk. Its a weighty chunk about 2.5 inches long. The Jug's 8 Brownings would have created hell on earth for any target unfortunate enough to get their attention.
I'm from Evansville and my high school history teacher had a K-bar knife his dad made working at that plant, he took the handle off and made one out of a rejected canopy stacking it in the handle.
Think that the mighty Beau would be an appropriate candidate for one of the next videos. Regarding Thunderbolt, one of my most favourite aircraft, especially in late D and M variants😁
my dad flew B-24s, 15th AF from Italy. He said the P-38 was the best. He told me a cool P-38 story. He said this one P-38 pilot would feather one engine and tuck up close to a bomber to appear as a cripple to the German 190s. When they would roll in to attack he would crank up the shutdown engine and go kick butt.
Though the P51 Mustang was an incredible fighter and did a lot of damage to the Luftwaffe from mid 1944 onward , experts on airwar concur that it is the unsung P47 that really broke the back of the Luftwaffe during the 12 months prior to the Mustang entering service in great number. 🤔
@@zatarasankofa7892 not even close to true. The P-47 was used extensively, and very effectively, as an escort fighter, and also Air superiority fighter when needed. It excelled as a fighter as well, and was designed as one. It was not "exclusively" used as a ground pounder. That statement is not even kind-of correct. All through the war, it escorted and fought the Luftwaffe. Especially from July of '43 to June of'44.
My namesake, Col. Michael C. Horgan, flew P-47s with the 9th Air Force during WWII before continuing his career through Vietnam. My dad flew the P-47's son and grandson in Korea and Vietnam (F-84, both straight and swept winged, and F-105).
I was always a Mustang guy growing up in late 60s 70s and 80s. I never new much about the P47. I don't think it was glamorous enough and wasn't in the books or toys when I was a kid, but the Mustang sure was. I think it's the first airplane I could identify by seeing it. But I have learned so much about the P47 in the past years that I think it got ripped off and shafted by the bomber mafia trying to cover up their big screw up of banning all u.s. fighter's from using drop tanks. Ya know that story about how it wasn't till the Mustangs range they could finally hit Berlin? Not exactly true people! It was when they finally started putting drop tanks on the fighter's. The P47 could hit Berlin way before the Mustang. It is also responsible for the most kills when the German pilots were still really good and experienced. By the time the newer planes showed up almost all the good German pilots were out of the war and there new pilots were inexperienced using poorly built aircraft by then. I think if I had to choose today what airplane I wanted to use in ww2 it would the p47. I think it offers the better odds of me getting home and being an extremely effective fighter, especially in the later models. They were hitting 475mph. It's quite an airplane!
@@titaniusanglesmith9690 LOL, OK Stalin!! I bet you see conspiracy and propaganda everywhere you look. Your the one who has been manipulated and filled with propaganda, you just don't know it yet! But thanks for giving me a good laugh!!!! Hopefully when you get older, you will understand what I just said!
Another little known fact....there was an experimental version built to test the Chrysler built inverted V-16 Hemi aircraft engine. Legend has it that this engine in the Thunderbolt touched 500 mph. But by then the war was over and the demand for piston engines was waning as turbo jet engines came on line. The original factory that built them in Farmingdale Long Island is long gone with just one hanger left which is now the American Airpower Museum. However if you know where to look, the ruins of the original Seversky Works (Republic's predecessor) still stands between Conklin Street and the Long Island Rail Road racks. There was actually a station stop there, for workers coming out to Long Island from NYC to work at Republic, as there was near Grumman Aviation.
This was a very well done job of displaying the abilities of the P-47 and its accomplishments. For your next video, I'd like to see one done on one of the rarer bombers of WWII; the Consolidated B-32 Dominator. As a potential back-up for the B-29, it was used by only one squadron of the 312th bomb group. This should be an interesting subject.
Another Great Video TJ. I am really excited about the upcoming new video you gave us a sneak peek of on Patreon Too. Have a Great weekend buddy. Keep 'em flying.
I find it interesting that one of the most impressive facts is completely overlooked. The P-47 was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier. It had to be in a dive, but the rugged frame, control surfaces, and immense weight allowed it to do so years before the Bell X-1.
what? the P-47 was documented as going transonic but not supersonic, friend; the compressibility would tear apart even so stout an airframe long before it went supersonic, killing the pilot instantly;
Agree with others: The p47 was made to engage other aircraft at altitude, above 20K. At that altitude, it was nimble and could maneuver with the best of them. After the props got figured out, it could also climb as fast as any other fighter. It could out dive anything too, including the 109.
I grew up a friend and business partner with Todd Perego, His Father was General Frank Perego, the U.S. Army Air Corps youngest General in WWII and a P47 Ace. He also was in charge of the F-5 project at Northrup. It was a tank in the air.
I bought an A-2 leather flight jacket in Lawrenceville Illinois a few years ago. On the inside liner were stenciled two names, Gerald Edwards and Eugene H. Emmons. The numbers behind their names were only a couple of numbers different as if they were issued these numbers at their unit level. I found that both men had already passed away but I had to surmise that Edwards had given Emmons the jacket when Edwards was transferred to fly the P-51 Mustangs because the jacket had a beautiful P-47 Thunderbolt painted on the back. They had both been assigned to the 317th/325th at one time. Both had been awarded the Distinguished Fly Cross and Emmons had become an ace with 9 confirmed kills. Unfortunately, I was hard up for money and sold the jacket.
The late Ginger Lacey flew Thunderbolts in Burma. He reckoned that they were so big and heavy that the only way you could take evasive action was to undo your straps and run around in the cockpit !
Superb video best way to get up to a dinosaur such an education video for young adults never knew why Evansville was popular love to see something about airplanes with pontoon War aircraft
I live by the factory that made b-24s in Willow run in Michigan plus the great lakes had training carriers on it for navy pilots, the carrier was called the U.S.S Wolverine
Great vid again, buddy!!! It’s cool how this plane saved one of our towns in a unique way (even I didn’t know that)! For your next aircraft facts vid, do the Hawker Hurricane since it’s Battle of Britain Season!!
Wonderful video. Never knew some of the history of the P-47. Didn't realize over 6K were produced. Truly fascinating history and definitely keep it up. It's always great learning things you never knew before. Could you do a video on the history of the P-40 or the P-51?
That is very interesting about Dottie Mae! I was under the impression that was just another P-47! I am shocked to see this and have come to the understanding that IT IS THE ONE and only Mae!
I think the Jug name isn't short for Juggernaut. I remember reading Thunderbolt years ago. Robert Johnson referred to the airplane as The Jug long before it made it's mark. Jug wasn't a compliment, not at first.
Chuck is correct, I was going to make the same comment. If turned upright on it's prop the fuselage looked very similar to the Milk Jugs that were then in use.
@@danboren6567 Yes, this is what I have always been told as well. I just opted to go with what my source said. But good to know I'm not the only one that thought it was the Milk jug.
The P-47s pilot survival rate was higher than most fighter aircraft, largely due to the smooth undercarriage of the aircraft. Belly landings in other fighter aircraft designs of the time, especially ones with lower mounted radiators, would often result in a rollover.
@@chuck.reichert83 I didn't know that, thank you! However, the P-51 would seem to be a hard plane to belly land. My favorite fighter was the F4U Corsair.
@@jayfrank1913 Well not when compared to the Spitfire Fighters 44000 ft+ With a MkIX fighting a Ju87 at 45100ft or the MkXIX AT 49500ft or the the FwTa152H 48550 ft or the Do 217P 58000 ft
One of the remarkable facts about the JUG was that it carried 4 .50 caliber machine guns...in each wing!!! Compare that firepower to a modern 20mm electric Gatling gun...good read about this plane is the book "Thunderbolt!" By a former JUG pilot in WW2 his exploits in this plane are the stuff of movies..
My grandfather started his career at the beginning of WW2, making it all the way through. During his tenure he was credited with 52 aircraft downed. He was the worst mechanic the Luftwaffe ever had.
Lol.
This is good !
And the award for best UA-cam comment of the year .. goes to???
This guy😅🤣
@@howardcroft3748 I have seen that comment/joke 10 times alread
Well I haven't 👍 to Birdy
The emphasis on the ability of the Thunderbolt to be a successful ground-attack aircraft is a disservice to its real abilities, and what it was design for and why it was so big: to kick ass at high altitude. That big airframe was built to house the turbocharger and associated plumbing, and that turbocharger provided outstanding performance at high altitudes (pretty much above 20,000 feet). The P-47 could maintain manifold pressure, and thus power, much better than the 109 or 190 at high altitudes. As well, that big airframe is much less of a drag in the thin air up high. The P-47 did the heavy lifting against the Luftwaffe when it was still in its prime, and did well, but is overshadowed by the P-51. That’s really a shame. Greg’s Planes and Automobiles has detailed coverage of the P-47, and his videos are well worth the watch.
Agree ! Though the P51 Mustang was an incredible fighter and did a lot of damage to the Luftwaffe from mid 1944 onward , experts on airwar concur that it is the unsung P47 that really broke the back of the Luftwaffe during the 12 months prior to the Mustang entering service in great number.
Absolutely, when it comes to dogfighting it's like I describe it to people, it was a hockey player in a figure skating contest, and everytime one of those figure skaters got slammed against the boards the body parts would just go flying, arms, legs, blood all over the ice, oh the humanity.
Yes. Greg did a great job highlighting what the P47 was capable of (and ill-suited for) His videos deserve to be in historic archives.
The problem was the P47 was like the girl who could cook as opposed to the sexy pinup of the P51!😅
I think it's Greg’s Planes and Automobiles explains that a rivalry US force's (Generals) that kept the P-47 unable to carry Drop Tanks and thus could not escort the B-17's & B-24's deep into germany in the early years.
Had a friend who's father flew both in WWII and Korea. He flew P-47s in the Ninth AF, and P-51s in korea. He said that the Thunderbolt always brought him home, once with almost 100 holes in it and missing a cylinder head. In Korea he was shot down twice in Mustangs, both times with very little damage to the plane but a few hits to the radiator.
those engines are crazy, i'd wager a modern piston engine couldnt do that. we have a small airforce museum in perth, western australia, attached to an airforce retirement home. they have one of the most powerful radial engines used during the war at over 2000hp. its mounted and cutaway with an electric motor attached so you can see how all the enternals worked. it was a sleeve valve job but just cant remember its bloody name. anyway, 3 or 4 row radial, a bristol engine i think. they also have a napier sabre inline.
The cylinder head story is false. loose one of those, and you are going down, soon after.
@@shermansquires3979 most likely but i have heard accounts of engines still running after being holed in a cylinder. i've seen car engines do the same, pre fuel injection without ecu's of course.
@@shermansquires3979 Not false. Also, it's "lose" not "loose".
My father was with 912 fighter control squadron of the 9th. First in north afria then england and europe
The P-47 did had two final production variants the P-47M and P47N with the P-47M having a improved double wasp engine and the P-47N having extended larger internal fuel tanks inside the wings so it can operate in the pacific on VLR type missions.
I would like to see you do one on the F6F Hellcat. The P-47s “counterpart” big badass fighter plane of the US Navy. Both of these fighters could take SEVERE punishment and still bring their pilot’s home. My Dad flew the F6F as a member of VF-82 flying off of the USS Bennington CV-20. Credited with 3.5 victories in the air and another 8 aircraft destroyed on the ground. We just celebrated his 101st Birthday.
Great plane also built in Long Island NY by Grumman Aircraft Engineering as they were called way back then. Grumman & Republic must have built in excess of 20,000 planes during WWII here on Long Island.
basically the same fighter minus a brace if fifties and turbocharging but with water injection and much stronger landing gear;
Woot yeah, grats to your dad!!
@@Luigi-pk8mk see
Good on him
I love these videos. Growing up in the 70s I was obsessed with WWII aircraft, sketching them and building models. Great videos, coolest planes ever.
Agreed!
Me too! 👍
Was a decade behind ya, but can def relate! Turned that passion/experience into a career as an illustrator! Love when I get the chance(not as often as I'd like) to work on projects where I get to revisit it!😊
Good video. Being an Evansville resident, the P-47 holds a special place in my heart. We have a fabulous example in our local wartime museum, Hoosier Spirit II. Thanks for highlighting our city and it's contribution.
My flight instructor, designated examiner and the director of the flight school where I was a flight instructor myself was Henry Lederer.
He was the founder and the first president of the Thunderbolts pilots association.
He was also the one that was chosen to fly the Thunderbolt down the Hudson River on American Bicentennial.
During WW2 he flew both the Thunderbolt and then the P51 and he always told me his favorite was the Thunderbolt.
He later worked for Fairchild Republic and Grumman and also was the one to write some of the specs for the F14 Tomcat.
I worked with an engineer in petroleum industry in Texas years ago, who had been a WWII fighter pilot with 359th FS of 356th FG. Reported to his squadron after D-Day, flying P-47s, the Group converted to P-51s early 1945. He actually damaged in midair a German Me-262 jet. On return trip from another mission, he had engine fire in his Mustang and he had to ditch into channel and rescued ok. He was a tranquil, devoted to God, southern gentleman from Texas and has passed away now. I once asked him, "which one...?", meaning, Mustang or Thunderbolt? He said, "I'd prefer Thunderbolt over Mustang in a given combat situation due to its ruggedness and firepower". Remember, 56th FG declined conversion from P-47s to P-51s and flew the Thunderbolt throughout the War 👍
If I recall the last aircraft downed by a P47 in Europe was an ME262.
One man put it succinctly "The P-51 was a Ferrari, the P-47 a Muscle car. I know which one I'd rather take to a destruction derby."
I would of too. Great fighter bomber , that was superb in dog fights; I think the P47 shot down more Luftwaffe fighters than the P 38 , and P51.
principally because Doolittle took over command and turned them loose from bomber escort to tally kills both in the air and on the ground;
it’s well and oft-recorded how displeased the bomber crews were of that glory-hunting;
@@johnceglick8714 that's doubtful. As much of a fan I am of the P-47, I think the Mustang did shoot down more Luftwaffe fighters, almost certainly more Luftwaffe planes in general. But I think the Thunderbolt shot down more than it's given credit for, and the Mustang only beat it due to unavoidable unfair reasons. It came in later when the Luftwaffe was already a softer, easier target, leading to more kills and less risk. It also had the ability to shoot down more planes like trainers and what not as the war progressed, as it became the predominant fighter for sweep missions. This all drove it's numbers up. In terms of which COULD do better given equal circumstances though, I think it's a toss up. It depends a little on the situation, so it's hard to say. But since I'm biased, I'm gonna say the P-47 was better lol.
The P47 D was also used by the Mexican 201 Squadron, this squadron helped the Americans to liberate the Philippine Islands and Taiwan from the Japanese, with this plane they caused 30,000 casualties to the Japanese and destroyed several supplies, with only 5 casualties, the P47 is a great plane :D
Not to mention, the name "Aztec Eagles" sounds badass, and fitting considering their exploits
@@rollsroycegriffon2375 They could have named their infantry the “Aztec Beagles”.
@@MothaLuva huh ?
@@reubenblanco3021 …bcs it rhymes with eagles.
There was also a Brazilian AF squadron that fought with the USAAF in the Pacific. They flew P-47s too.
The P-47 is still my favorite WWII fighter. It's ability to dish out massive punishment on the enemy, take crazy amounts of damage and take it's pilot home is unmatched by any other fighter.
My favorite is the P-40.
She was there when the world needed her.
Not doing G/A
It was NOT nicknamed Jug because it was considered a Juggernaut. It received this nickname because the earlier razorback versions, if you imagined them standing on their nose, resembled milk jugs of the time.
Totally agree. I read that in numerous places as well. Surprising that the video which seems to contain accurate information had that detail wrong.
I like the description of the F4F .
A beer barrel , on a roller skate , run through with an ironing board.
Both are correct. Americans named it Jug because of the milk jug. The British are the ones who nicked named it Juggernaut and thus jug for short.
Yep it had another nickname of Razorback
@@ILSRWY4 when did the British ever nickname the p47 the juggernaut?
Thanks for the shout out to Evansville! As a born and raised Evansville native I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the P-47. For the WW2 history buffs, we have a great WW2 museum with a P-47. In addition, on our riverfront we have the only fully operational LST in the world. Full tour available.
Something most don’t know, is that the modern-day A-10 is called the Thunderbolt II. It’s a throw back to the P-47 because both aircraft can take a lot of damage and keep going. Which when you think about why they were built, for Air to Ground operations, it make sense.
P-47s werent built for ground attacks
In some ways naming the A10 Thunderbolt II is a bit of a diservice. It was first and foremost a very successful high altitude air superiorty fighter. It has a big hand in breaking the back of the Luftwaffe along with the P38 and British fighters. The A10 is just as rugged, I will give it that.
as they say "GO UGLY EARLY"
@@larshenrik8900 it’s a fighter-bomber so yes but no
@@prussia4428 it wasnt originally designed as one… early P-47s could not carry bombs
I currently live in Evansville. Our war museum has an actual P-47 manufactured here during the war on display. As a captain on the airport fire dept., our uniforms proudly display the P-47 Thunderbolt on our patch. Our professional hockey team is named the Evansville Thunderbolts! *The memories live on.
my father in law was a P-47 pilot, WWII. He had said that " you take pictures ,for your girl friend next to a P-51, but if you want to get home to your girl friend, you fly a P-47.
great words !
P51 is actually an ugly aircraft. Especially the first P51d models without the fin at the back.
Grest episode TJ! I learned some new things.
I think an episode on the P-40 Warhawk would be a good one in this series. One of my personal favorites and a bit of an unsung hero for the allies in WW2.
On my list!
the P-40 was another dogfighting slug had trouble even the fixed landing gear crates the Japanese used against the AVG in China;
it was another dive hit and climb or run brick;
As a young kid, my Dad used to watch the P-47s roll off the Republic assembly line and out to a huge mound of dirt just off the Evansville airport runway to test their .50 caliber guns. The city of Evansville produced 167 LST ships, tanks, and over 95% of the .45 caliber ammunition during WWII.
I love the P47. However the P-38 is still my favorite WWII fighter aircraft. However I am becoming a huge fan of the Catalina PBY flying boats and would love to see a video on them (including when they assisted in the hunt for Bismarck).
Yeah I know what you mean and after the War. Catalina became the Private Jet of their time as they were converted into what would be like a cross between a yacht and a plane. And the owner would load their family or friends into them and would fly to either the Bahamas, or the Caribbean islands and land in a natural harbor or sheltered bay.
I saw a Catalina flying recently. To me it's a beautiful aeroplane. Probably wouldn't be beautiful if you were serving on a U boat.
Look into the "Black Cats" if you like PBYs.
Same, although i like the B-17 the best
Greg's Airplane's and Automobiles did an excellent video on the PBY, it's full of all kinds of facts about it that you wouldn't know including it's war record which is surprising for an aircraft everyone considers to just be a flying boat, he even covers the Black Cats that conducted all kinds of night time combat operations.
He considers it to be one of the most underappreciated aircraft of the war, after hearing all it's stats and learning it's capabilities I'd say he's right about that.
The B-17 flying Fortress and a P 51 mustang were sleek and sexy lines and they got all the press and are better known throughout history.
But the B24 liberator and P47 were manufactured in greater numbers and did a lot more of the work.
They are the unsung heroes and need greater recognition by historians.
I was very glad to see that you made this video honoring the thunderbolt.
Much of what was learned from the thunderbolt became the basis for the development of the A1 Sandy.
Zactly why many of us love the Hi-Points!
The B-24 was a widow maker.
My Gandfather was a ball turret gunner on a B-17. He always swore that if he had served in a "flying coffin" he would never have made it through the war.
You missed one thing. Everyone has heard of the A10 Warthog but a lot of the younger generation do not realize it is actually the A10 Thunderbolt II, named in honor of the awesome ground attack ability of the P47.
A10 is an aircraft built around its huge GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun... it is something like P47 - a flying tank;-)
And the A10 Thunderbolt II was the LAST plane built by Republic in Farmingdale Long Island sadly before they went out of business in 1987.
@@peter2346 When I served 1970-1976 one of our favorite saying was "War is much too serious a matter to be entrusted to the miltary" for many reasons especially during Nam. But when the morons almost grounded the A-10s that quote backed up what we already knew. Not to mention the F-16, F-22, SR-71 to name a couple of more. Anyone want to add to that long list of early retired aircraft?
So that means , as i always suspected, that the younger one's NEED A LOT OF INSTRUCTION....AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT🥱
Village I grew up in The New Forest UK was one big Thunderbolt base. We used to love playing amongst the old ruins and remnants of Brownings etc.
My all time favorite is the P-38. I do love the P-47 and the P-51 as well and the rest of the arsenal of American aircraft, but my favorite is the Lightning!
P47 was designed as a high altitude long range escort tighter. It’s range was initially crimped because USAF generals reused to import drop tanks. This tanks did arrive when Mustangs came on line giving the latter the name for long range.
Always have loved the Thunderbolt . My great grandfather was actually a pilot in Easy’s Angels, so I especially liked that you used that squadrons paint scheme as the thumbnail. Great video!
Thanks!
The P-47M was the fastest piston-powered aircraft of the war, powered by either the new Pratt & Whitney R-2800-14W or the R-2800-5 engine while using the brand new CH-5 turbo-supercharger, and new wide-bladed prop, and when hot rodded by the crews of the 56th FG, they hit an honest 500 mph.
P-47s flew over 746,000 sorties on all fronts, more than the P-38, P-40 and P-51...wait for it...combined!!! and was THE "workhorse" of American aviation in WWII. It was also made in larger numbers than any other American fighter, even though it was expensive at $83,000 a plane. (A P-51 was $51,000)
It was the best escort fighter by the end of the war in the long-range P-47N model holding an incredible 1266 gallons and a range of 2350 miles (a P-51D had a range of 1650 miles,)
It had eight .50s with 3400 rds of ammo, enough for 32 seconds of firing and spit out 12.7 lbs of lead per second, (a P-51 had six .50s, only 1880 rds and only 22 seconds of firing putting out 9.23 lbs of lead per second,)
With its duplication of controls/systems and tough air-cooled radial engine It had THE BEST survival rate of any aircraft in WWII and its loss per mission rate was an astounding 0.7%, amazing considering over 400,000 of its missions were ground attack, the hardest. (The vulnerable liquid-cooled P-51's survival rate per mission was also twice as bad at 1.2% and it was found after the war was shot down by ground attack at a rate of 3 Xs bad.) The P-47 was the aircraft that got you home.
With its very rare and expensive electric dive brakes the P-47 was the fastest piston-powered diver of WWII, (the Me 262 was faster,)
It fought for a year linger than the P-51, shooting g down German planes when they still had good pilots.
WHERE did you get these EMBELLISHED facts??🤓🤓🤓
Need to read more, the P47M was the fastest production version at 470mph but the P51H did 487mph. The FW Ta152 did 475mph as well though the XP47J was the fastest of all at 504mph but never went into production.
no, it most certainly was not;
the Bearcat, late generation Mustang and no Spitfire and Mosquito were all decidedly faster;
Excellent points and explanation of the history of the P47, you can't go wrong with the P38 or the Hellcat . Great video
It was the plane used by the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) that fought in Italy. 43 Brazilian pilots performed 5465 combat flight hours.
Due to its size, the P-47 holds the record for largest propeller fighter plane ever built!
Largest single engine prop fighter.
@@gregorteply9034 I was going to say I'm pretty sure the an2 is larger and it's a single engine biplane lol
@@StuckOnAFireHydrant AN-2 is larger than P-47 but wasn't a fighter. The AN-2 was a transport plane for troops, vehicles or supplies. So P-47 biggest and heaviest single engine fighter in WWII
I thought that was the sky raider?
@@swanseajaffa .....it never saw combat duty in the war....it was a couple months too late, IIRC
Gotta love the P-47! You have presented very interesting tidbits here -- thanks. I am in a minority in that my favorite warbird is the PBY. There are lots of reasons for that opinion, and I think it would make a good subject for a future video on things we never knew.
The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair! Most especially the ones flown by Pappy Boyington & his Black Sheep Squadron! I LOVE those guys, especially since I was a kid watching them on TV WAAAY BACK in the late '70s! Aaaah, the memories!
How about covering the P-38 Lightning? From the difficulties with the twin engines, to the fact that Charles Lindbergh actually flew it in combat (as a civilian).
I was under the impression Lindbergh wea a tech-rep for Vought, teaching F4U fliers how to get more range and endurance out of their planes by sophisticated fuel management. He bombed Japanese positions and may have shot down a Japanese plane or two before they reeled him back in as too valuable to risk that way.
PBY Catalina gets my vote for next aircraft.
The Americans called it "The Jug", because they thought it looked like a milk jug. The Brits thought it was meant to be juggernaut.
It was both
@@WilliamWalker-ww1oe actually the real reason why the P-47 was called "Jug" was because of the design and shape of the fuselage
I live in Mt. Vernon Illinois, seen on that map about an hour west of Evansville. Although the P-47 is one of my favorite WWII planes i never knew they were made that close. may need to make a visit over there sometime.
Having seen Dottie Mae in person a few times, it is amazing that it sat at the bottom of a lake for so long and now looks practically new! The Jug is a pretty awesome bird.
I think you should do a video on the North American P-51 Mustang
Saw a P-47 flying with a B-17 several weekends ago at an airshow. A rare sight!
The US service men called the P-47 a "Jug" because they thought it resembled a milk jug. The British didn't get the milk jug reference, and assumed that "jug" was short for juggernaut.
very goof, grasshopper;
The great thing about Dottie Mae is that she is a fly able, fully restored and probably they most authentic Jug out there. I was one of the many people (there was probably almost 30 of us maybe less) to see her the day before she would be put on display(of course I was not invited for the actually ceremony).When I saw her I was stunned, I almost cried. She is the most beautiful plane I have ever layed eyes and no matter who I marry this plane will always have my heart. If you want to see her she can often be seen at chino airport in California where she visits Planes of fame and other venues in California such as airshows.
You almost hit 100.000 subs, good job!
Thanks!
Great video. Not just specs and dogfights. Good stories about each plane connected with what was happening back in the USA during this period. Well done.
The P-47 was beast indeed and I love this airplane that flew well on the deck and flew very well at high altitude. They achieved far more than the P-51 and was a very tough airplane that could hold far more damage than the sexy P-51. After the war savagely downside the Airforce by scrapping the fleet of P-47 leaving very few of them. A decision that they will regret as those airplanes were far more suitable for ground attack in Korea. Resulting in the loss of many pilots flying the P-51...
be honest..everyone know the P-47 flew like an F4 Phantom-i.e., a brick-on the deck;
@@zatarasankofa7892 yes but they were wonderful bricks that really did a good job on the deck and high altitude. That said the F-4 carried a massive load of ordinance and was perhaps even more versatile. But you can't really compare them as it was built some years apart but one thing is for sure: they were both magnificent airplanes and are one of my favourite airplanes...
They were terrible on the deck and should never have been used there.
@jack tattis let me tell you this: during the Korean war many pilots openly bemoaning not being able to fly on the P-47 that haw able to to absorb far more hits thanks both the engine and the long turbocharged system. Yes, it was "mushy" on the deck bat had a fire power quite unmatched. Survivability is the word but US authorities scrapped most of them after the 2nd WW, now the pilots had to fly with those beautiful P-51 that was almost totally unsuitable to fly on the deck as it was water cooled. Because of this many pilots died...
I go to Evansville va once every couple of months. At the airport they have a control panel from a P-47 thunderbolt
Cool!
The Merlin 60 with 2 stage 2 speed supercharger came in 1942, after the Thunderbolt conception. It matched the P-51 airframe like a glove bringing up the best of both. This brought the Jug down to wreck havoc the enemy rolling stock, vehicles and infantry doing the same as RAF Typhoons, A-20s and others.
My father was a p-47 macanic
He had 3 bronze stars
Battle of Britain , and D-Day +6 ,
Battle of the bulge the went all the way to Germany he told me he saw them come back with cylinders shot off very tuff plane
My uncle was a waist gunner on a B-17 he was a pathfinder first in Germany he wrote a book called bombs away you should check it out ……I’m very proud of them
Yeah, right. Your father was a mechanic on P-47's, and also was somehow in the Battle of Britain. Strange. Your uncle was a pathfinder!!? First in Germany? I'm calling bullshit on your whole story. Knock it off.
Apparently they used to say that the best way to take evasive action in a Thunderbolt was to unstrap and run around the cockpit. It was a big fighter.
water injection;
I think my Grandmother worked in Evansville on P-47's installing the cowlings .
Kudos to Republic Aviation the P-47 Thunderbolt, pilots and crews for this tough, versatile aircraft. The people of Evansville, Indiana were fortunate to have an opportunity to produce this fighter!
I'd love to see you cover the C-141 Starlifter. There just isn't a whole lot out there on this big agile bird. Love the sound of it.
I have a 50 cal round sitting on my desk. Its a weighty chunk about 2.5 inches long. The Jug's 8 Brownings would have created hell on earth for any target unfortunate enough to get their attention.
The P-47 is soo much larger than its contemporaries because of the ductwork and inter cooler for the turbocharger.
Just as a famous airmen said if you wanna impress,fly a p 51,if you wanna come back alive fly a p 47"
Brilliant video as always!
A good saying!
Actually the saying, back then went, "If you want to get the girl, fly a P-51. If you want to come back to your girl...fly the P-47!"
@@PoochAndBoo thanks for correcting me!
I forgot it but barely remembered
Thunderbolts, Lightnings, Mustangs, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Hellcats, Corsairs...love all those magnificent warbirds!
I'm from Evansville and my high school history teacher had a K-bar knife his dad made working at that plant, he took the handle off and made one out of a rejected canopy stacking it in the handle.
Think that the mighty Beau would be an appropriate candidate for one of the next videos. Regarding Thunderbolt, one of my most favourite aircraft, especially in late D and M variants😁
Excellent video Tj loved it. Please do a video about when Robert S Johnson encountered Egon Myer!
Wow. These videos, yours and others, are really high class.
One of the best fighter planes in WW2 . It have the Messerschmidt , and Focke Wolf fits filled w fear.
ONLY WERE IT ABOVE THEM;
Would be nice to see an episode on the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer .. keep up the brilliant work 👍
my dad flew B-24s, 15th AF from Italy. He said the P-38 was the best. He told me a cool P-38 story. He said this one P-38 pilot would feather one engine and tuck up close to a bomber to appear as a cripple to the German 190s. When they would roll in to attack he would crank up the shutdown engine and go kick butt.
Though the P51 Mustang was an incredible fighter and did a lot of damage to the Luftwaffe from mid 1944 onward , experts on airwar concur that it is the unsung P47 that really broke the back of the Luftwaffe during the 12 months prior to the Mustang entering service in great number. 🤔
BUT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY AS A GROUND ATTACK FIGHTER WHAT CAUGHT THE GERMANS ON THE GROUND AFTER DOGFIGHTS;
@@zatarasankofa7892 not even close to true. The P-47 was used extensively, and very effectively, as an escort fighter, and also Air superiority fighter when needed. It excelled as a fighter as well, and was designed as one. It was not "exclusively" used as a ground pounder. That statement is not even kind-of correct. All through the war, it escorted and fought the Luftwaffe. Especially from July of '43 to June of'44.
With its beautiful radial engine. What an engineering masterpiece.
My mother, her dad, and her mom all worked at the Republic Aircraft plant in Evansville for the duration of the war.
My fifth grade teacher was a P47 pilot and flight instructor. I heard stories about the "JUG" all that year
My namesake, Col. Michael C. Horgan, flew P-47s with the 9th Air Force during WWII before continuing his career through Vietnam. My dad flew the P-47's son and grandson in Korea and Vietnam (F-84, both straight and swept winged, and F-105).
I was always a Mustang guy growing up in late 60s 70s and 80s. I never new much about the P47. I don't think it was glamorous enough and wasn't in the books or toys when I was a kid, but the Mustang sure was. I think it's the first airplane I could identify by seeing it. But I have learned so much about the P47 in the past years that I think it got ripped off and shafted by the bomber mafia trying to cover up their big screw up of banning all u.s. fighter's from using drop tanks. Ya know that story about how it wasn't till the Mustangs range they could finally hit Berlin? Not exactly true people! It was when they finally started putting drop tanks on the fighter's. The P47 could hit Berlin way before the Mustang. It is also responsible for the most kills when the German pilots were still really good and experienced. By the time the newer planes showed up almost all the good German pilots were out of the war and there new pilots were inexperienced using poorly built aircraft by then. I think if I had to choose today what airplane I wanted to use in ww2 it would the p47. I think it offers the better odds of me getting home and being an extremely effective fighter, especially in the later models. They were hitting 475mph. It's quite an airplane!
its kinda weird that americans or whatever fantasize about what they would have done in WWII especially an older person. Propaganda at its finest.
@@titaniusanglesmith9690 LOL, OK Stalin!! I bet you see conspiracy and propaganda everywhere you look. Your the one who has been manipulated and filled with propaganda, you just don't know it yet! But thanks for giving me a good laugh!!!! Hopefully when you get older, you will understand what I just said!
Another little known fact....there was an experimental version built to test the Chrysler built inverted V-16 Hemi aircraft engine. Legend has it that this engine in the Thunderbolt touched 500 mph. But by then the war was over and the demand for piston engines was waning as turbo jet engines came on line.
The original factory that built them in Farmingdale Long Island is long gone with just one hanger left which is now the American Airpower Museum. However if you know where to look, the ruins of the original Seversky Works (Republic's predecessor) still stands between Conklin Street and the Long Island Rail Road racks. There was actually a station stop there, for workers coming out to Long Island from NYC to work at Republic, as there was near Grumman Aviation.
This was a very well done job of displaying the abilities of the P-47 and its accomplishments. For your next video, I'd like to see one done on one of the rarer bombers of WWII; the Consolidated B-32 Dominator. As a potential back-up for the B-29, it was used by only one squadron of the 312th bomb group. This should be an interesting subject.
The Nickname was The Jug not Juggernaut. The nickname was The Jug not Juggernaut because the Fuselage looks like Milk Jug.
Which has nothing to do with my entry.
EXCELLENT video. T E R R I F I C graphics for a superb WWII fighter plane! Great job indeed. Many thanks.
Another Great Video TJ. I am really excited about the upcoming new video you gave us a sneak peek of on Patreon Too. Have a Great weekend buddy. Keep 'em flying.
Thanks Rick!
A Jug admirer, my 1st balsa build & I use to Visit Evansville every Sunday , also. You have to if you live in dry, Owensboro.
I find it interesting that one of the most impressive facts is completely overlooked. The P-47 was the first aircraft to break the sound barrier. It had to be in a dive, but the rugged frame, control surfaces, and immense weight allowed it to do so years before the Bell X-1.
what?
the P-47 was documented as going transonic but not supersonic, friend;
the compressibility would tear apart even so stout an airframe long before it went supersonic, killing the pilot instantly;
I'd like to learn about some of the float planes of all sides and how they were used besides rescuing downed pilots.
Love the channel!
Thanks!
Check out Greg's Airplane's and Automobiles channel and the video he did on the PBY Catalina including it's combat record, it's really surprising.
Agree with others: The p47 was made to engage other aircraft at altitude, above 20K. At that altitude, it was nimble and could maneuver with the best of them. After the props got figured out, it could also climb as fast as any other fighter. It could out dive anything too, including the 109.
I grew up a friend and business partner with Todd Perego, His Father was General Frank Perego, the U.S. Army Air Corps youngest General in WWII and a P47 Ace. He also was in charge of the F-5 project at Northrup. It was a tank in the air.
I bought an A-2 leather flight jacket in Lawrenceville Illinois a few years ago. On the inside liner were stenciled two names, Gerald Edwards and Eugene H. Emmons. The numbers behind their names were only a couple of numbers different as if they were issued these numbers at their unit level. I found that both men had already passed away but I had to surmise that Edwards had given Emmons the jacket when Edwards was transferred to fly the P-51 Mustangs because the jacket had a beautiful P-47 Thunderbolt painted on the back. They had both been assigned to the 317th/325th at one time. Both had been awarded the Distinguished Fly Cross and Emmons had become an ace with 9 confirmed kills. Unfortunately, I was hard up for money and sold the jacket.
Evansville has a WW 2 museum with an actual P 47 in it It is a must see to appreciate the size of it.
The late Ginger Lacey flew Thunderbolts in Burma. He reckoned that they were so big and heavy that the only way you could take evasive action was to undo your straps and run around in the cockpit !
Superb video best way to get up to a dinosaur such an education video for young adults never knew why Evansville was popular love to see something about airplanes with pontoon War aircraft
A video on the mighty mosquito would be appreciated.
You should do a video on the Westland Lysander
Great airplane, always liked after seeing it at an Airshow. Also one of my fav's in War Thunder game!
I live by the factory that made b-24s in Willow run in Michigan plus the great lakes had training carriers on it for navy pilots, the carrier was called the U.S.S Wolverine
Great vid again, buddy!!! It’s cool how this plane saved one of our towns in a unique way (even I didn’t know that)! For your next aircraft facts vid, do the Hawker Hurricane since it’s Battle of Britain Season!!
Wonderful video. Never knew some of the history of the P-47. Didn't realize over 6K were produced. Truly fascinating history and definitely keep it up. It's always great learning things you never knew before. Could you do a video on the history of the P-40 or the P-51?
They are on my list!
Of all variants, over 15,000 P-47s were built making it the most produced American fighter in WWII.
9,000 were built in Farmingdale Long Island alone, plus the ones made in Evansville.
New sub, very interesting videos you post, keep up the good work! 👍
Thanks!
That is very interesting about Dottie Mae! I was under the impression that was just another P-47! I am shocked to see this and have come to the understanding that IT IS THE ONE and only Mae!
I think the Jug name isn't short for Juggernaut. I remember reading Thunderbolt years ago. Robert Johnson referred to the airplane as The Jug long before it made it's mark. Jug wasn't a compliment, not at first.
Covering the Hellcat would be a winner.
Love the Jug. Brought the Pilots home.
The "Jug" nickname is referring to the shape of the fuselage. It resembles a Milk Jug.
See this is actually what I thought as well! But upon research, it actually said that it was because of the name "Juggernaut". Hmmm...
Chuck is correct, I was going to make the same comment. If turned upright on it's prop the fuselage looked very similar to the Milk Jugs that were then in use.
@@danboren6567 Yes, this is what I have always been told as well. I just opted to go with what my source said. But good to know I'm not the only one that thought it was the Milk jug.
The P-47s pilot survival rate was higher than most fighter aircraft, largely due to the smooth undercarriage of the aircraft. Belly landings in other fighter aircraft designs of the time, especially ones with lower mounted radiators, would often result in a rollover.
@@chuck.reichert83 I didn't know that, thank you! However, the P-51 would seem to be a hard plane to belly land. My favorite fighter was the F4U Corsair.
My grandparents lived in Patoka Indiana during the war. My grandmother told me P-47's use to fly over for their shake down flight.
You should mention why the P-47 was so big. It's huge engine and the turbocharger in the rear. It had amazing high altitude performance.
Only to 40000ft occassionily
@@jacktattis Only? That's pretty high for a piston engine.
@@jayfrank1913 Well not when compared to the Spitfire Fighters 44000 ft+ With a MkIX fighting a Ju87 at 45100ft or the MkXIX AT 49500ft or the the FwTa152H 48550 ft or the Do 217P 58000 ft
@@jacktattis What is your source for a Stuka being at 45,000 ft?
@@jayfrank1913 Sorry It would have been a high Flying Stuka I will have a look.
My favorite aircraft in its class in WWII. Nothing beat a Jug!
Enjoyed your video and so I gave it a Thumbs Up
One of the remarkable facts about the JUG was that it carried 4 .50 caliber machine guns...in each wing!!! Compare that firepower to a modern 20mm electric Gatling gun...good read about this plane is the book "Thunderbolt!" By a former JUG pilot in WW2 his exploits in this plane are the stuff of movies..
The P-47 and B-24 just look like they belong together. Both built to get the job done. Great combo.
the B-24 packed a bigger payload but couldn’t sustain anything like the battle damage the B-17 could;
The P-38 is still my favorite WWII fighter aircraft.
Next you should cover a direct descendant of the P-47, a Douglas A-1H Skyraider.