Republic P-47D Thunderbolt – Miss Mary Lou, 19th FS, USAAF 1944

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 scale AA33803: P-47D Thunderbolt “Miss Mary Lou” of the USAAF 19th Fighter Squadron, 218th Fighter Group based on Saipan in the Marianas in July 1944. Mint and boxed limited edition. Superb model.

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.