Republic P-47 Thunderbold.

The fastest American fighter in World War II!

P47-D LM-J číslo:42III7 s názvem Teddy

The origin of the Republic P-47 aircraft began in 1940 the cradles were the chief designer of the American company Republic Aviation Corporation: Alex Kartveli and his former boss, Major A. P. Seversky, who was also designer of previous types of fighter aircraft R.A. C. P-34 Lancer and P-35 Seversky. The original intention of the new machine with an inline engine Allison V-1710 a two machine guns, proved to be insufficient. Therefore, Kartveli had to construct subordinate the new fighters to the then most powerful engine available: the Pratt Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp with turbocharger (for maintaining power at higher altitudes). The entire project of the new aircraft was subordinated to the engine. It was mainly about installation of a turbo compressor powered by exhaust gases, located behind the cockpit down in the fuselage.Further on a large propeller with four blades, due to which it had to be raised chassis. And last but not least the installation of eight machine guns or in the fuselage located fuel. Thunderbold was a powerful, durable, powerful fighter with a large fuel consumption and maintenance. But it was the fastest US fighter (752 km / h-P47N), which withstood even hostile Fw 190, Ta 152 or Me 262.

P-47D vrtule,motor:
The first takeoff of the Thunderbold took place on May 6, 1941. Many others followed test flights in the elimination of defective and test machines.
Serial production began in May 1941. These first Thunderbolds, which were made with R-2800-21 engines with an output of 1471kW, did not differ much from the prototype. Some of These less than two hundred aircraft were deployed to the 8th US Army Air Force in Britain. There nicely since April 1943 service accompanied by bombers over Germany and in gaining air superiority over the enemy (so - called sweeps at destruction of V1 missiles and missiles and jets) and attacks on ground targets. Other variants in the development of P47 were: P-47D, P-47C (tanks under the fuselage) or 130pcs of speed P-47M with engines R-2800-57-C with power 2058kW, P-47N for Pacific long-haul flights as the last serial pieces.
The appearance of the Thunderbolds changed in the summer of 1943 with the introduction of a teardrop-shaped cockpit cover with engine R-2800-59W with water injection into the cylinders. Also used by the RAF Thunderbolds as F Mk I. FB Mk II. were used on the remote East.Thunderboldy fought in the USSR, the air forces of Mexico and Brazil. Many Thunderbolds flying to this day. See photo of P-47D below down.
And how did the Czechs meet the Thunderbolts?
May 1945 the peak of the small hills of Svabiny near Pilsen.Fifteen-year old boy Mila,goes on a dirt road to the top of the hill from which you can see almost the whole of Pilsen. It's almost after the war. Prez this boy suddenly heard the sound of an aircraft engine. Looking around and then him sees: Thunderbold! It was descending from a great height, almost headlong. the engine howled and his sound grew louder. The small plane will enlarge. When he reached a height of several tens of meters above tree level, the machine suddenly leveled, the engine stopped.The boy,just stood and looked up. He knew well what would follow. When Thunderbotd he approached, leaned slightly on the left wing and something fell out of the cockpit. Subject he landed near Mila. He ran to you and picked him up from the ground. Thuderbold pilot in the meantime he made a great circuit around the hill, waving the wings of his machines at the boy, then headed west. The boy opened a paper bag and beamed: they were there chocolate and chewing gum. This story is true, it happened at the very end war. My father, who experienced it himself, told me. But the truth is also that in At the end of the war, people in the West encountered Thunderbolds in some dangerous situations :
On the fourth of May 1945, just before noon, the station in Rakovník: "The boilers are attacking! "The storyteller and the crowd of people on the platform scattered into the shelter in the basement. Roaring again engine, again American P-47D attacking dive, again leveling low above This time, however, the package of chocolate and chewing gum does not fall to the ground. From the plane a real 45kg bomb is unleashed. Thunderbold is gaining height again, while a massive explosion scatters the building of the station heating plant. At the place where it stood there were only burning debris and a rising column of smoke. The plane rotates and in a slight The arch is gaining height to prepare for a new attack. This time its goal tank train parked on a siding. Sound of an approaching Pratt engine Whitney R-2800 Thunderbolt, cut the screams of his eight Colt Browning M2 machine guns caliber 12. 7 mm. This is followed by a series of massive fire explosions that scatter torn burning tanks around the former parking tracks. The explosions are so massive that it is destroying even the few remaining buildings that are still on Rakovnický the station is left.P-47D regains its height and checks the result of its "work": fire, smoke, debris, ruin. "Work" is complete and Thunderbold flies away more prey.After a moment of relative calm, people climb out of the shelter. They'll just see complete destruction and devastation. And the tears in his eyes are not just from the pungent smoke of burning gasoline! This is how it took place at the end of May 1945, the meeting of Rakovnik citizens with the P-47D Thunderbold aircraft.

P-47D rear view
USAAF fighter designation: yellow end of rudder = IX. USAAF (IX.USA Air Force = IX. Air Force of the United States) red stripe on the overlay engine = squadron designation.

P-47D Lion Demon Ozn.K-IS no.:28476.It is good to see the additional tank below.

P-47D Hun Hunter XVI. no.:44-90460 belonging to Neal Melton of Luttrell, Tennessee,USA In 2002 at the Yankee Air Museum Airshow.

Technical data of the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt:
Engine: two-star eight-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 (version 59) Duble Wasp o with the highest short-term power of 1690 Kw (2300k),
Dimensions: span-12.43m, length-11.03m, height-4.30m, wing area-27.87m2,
Weight-4858kg,
Max. Speed-700km /h, climb in 1535 = 15.75bm / s.Take-off to 9075 m 12.8 m.
Range: 2776 km.
Armament-8x machine gun Colt Broening M2-caliber 12.7 mm.s 370-420 rounds / weapon. Hinges for 45,112 and 228 kg. Bombs under the fuselage and under each wing bomb up to 450 kg (total bomb abduction up to 1135 kg)
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