P-47 Thunderbolt at War

Perhaps the most significant fighter aircraft of World War II, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was the largest and most powerful single-engine fighter of the war, and with over fifteen thousand P-47s built, its production numbers topped any other American fighter. P-47 Thunderbolt at Wartraces the history of the P-47, including the pioneering efforts of Alexander de Seversky and Alexander Kartveli, who designed the prototype; the features that played into the P-47's combat performance; and its wartime construction and testing. The rugged Thunderbolts flew in combat across Europe, Africa, and the Pacific. Whether as air superiority fighters, protective escorts for fleets of bombers, or tactical fighter-bombers, their speed, firepower, and durability made them a mainstay of American aerial combat.. The Thunderbolt is brought to life through numerous photographs, many in full color, and through personal war stories from the men who flew them. Affectionately known as the "Jug," P-47s may not have been the most agile fighters, but they could take a pounding and get back home-an attribute worthy of any pilot's affection.Cory Graff is the author of 'P-47 Thunderbolt at War', published 2007 under ISBN 9780760329481 and ISBN 0760329486.