Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Source: World War Photos

The Thunderbolt was one of the three most important American fighters produced during the war and saw extensive service with the United States Army Air Force before its comparatively late introduction into RAF operational service in 1944.

This big and strongly built fighter bomber, with its good low level performance and long range made an ideal replacement for the RAF’s Hurricane fighter bombers operating over Burma.

By 1944 air/ground co-operation had been successfully developed into a powerful tactical tool and RAF Thunderbolts in Burma quickly adopted ‘cab rank’ patrols available to attack any enemy ground target holding up the Allied advance. Directed by ground visual control posts, the Thunderbolts, with their heavy gun armament and 500lb bombs, created havoc amongst Japanese troop concentrations and their supply lines.

Three years of flying the Hurricane came to an end on 6 July 1944 when the Sqn converted to the P-47D Thunderbolt. Significantly, the Thunderbolt was powered by the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp engine that produced 2300hp compared to the 1280hp of the RR Merlin, giving a vastly different performance. Also, the range was double that of the Hurricane, and could carry 2000lbs of under-wing bombs, again, twice that of the Hurricane.

RAF Museum London. Notice the fin!

The pilots’ comments of their new mounts were, almost without exception, favourable. Flt Lt D A McDonald remembers the day well:

It was delightful to fly. A big, spacious cockpit and controls that handled very well. A water injection button on the throttle was intriguing. I always thought that water and gasoline didn’t mix, but to my surprise, and according to instructions, when the button is pressed there is a very appreciable boost in power. I also found out that you had to help the Thunderbolt get airborne. With the Hurricane, you would be airborne at 100 mph airspeed with little, or no, back-pressure on the stick. On my first take-off in the Thunderbolt, I was surprised to see the airspeed indicator at 150 mph [on the ground]. I pulled back a little more and was airborne.