The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was constructed with an all-metal
frame and armour around the pilot, engine and gas tanks, making
it one of the most rugged aircraft of the Second World War.
There were many reports of the P-47 returning to base filled
with a large number of bullet holes or, in one case, with the
wing tips sheared off.
The P-47 was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 engine
that produced 2,430-horse power. It was first designed to be a
lightweight interceptor, but was quickly converted to a
heavyweight fighter.
The P-47 Thunderbolt could carry six or eight .50 calibre
machine guns, in addition to either 1,136 kilograms of bombs or
ten rockets.
The plane was used in every theatre of the war, with the
Royal Air Force obtaining 830 P-47Ds, which were also known as
the "Thunderbolt I." The P-47Ds had a "razorback" design, unlike
the later version that had the pilot’s cockpit enclosed in a
bubble.
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