Republic P-47D Thunderbolt – Hairless Joe, Col. Schilling, 56th FG, USAAF, Boxted, England 1944

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 scale AA33801: Republic P-47D Thunderbolt Hairless Joe, as flown by Colonel Dave Schilling of the 56th Fighter Group based at Boxted, England in December 1944. Non limited.

Length 6 inches Wingspan 6.75 inches

Designed by Alexander Kartveli meeting a USAAC requirement for a heavy fighter, the P-47 was first flown on May 6th, 1941. Later models featured a “bubble-top” canopy rather than the sharply peaked “razorback” fuselage which resulted in poor visibility for the aircraft’s pilot. The P-47, a deadly pursuit aircraft, featured 8 x 12.7mm machine guns; all mounted in the wings. Even with the complicated turbosupercharger system, the sturdy airframe and tough radial engine, the P-47 (“Jug” or “Juggernaut” as it was nicknamed) could absorb damage and still return home. Built in greater quantities than any other US fighter, the P-47 was the heaviest single-engine WWII fighter and the first piston-powered fighter to exceed 500 mph.