Republic P-47D Thunderbolt – Spirit of Atlantic City, 64rd FS, USAAF, Bud Mahurin, 1944

Corgi Aviation 1/72 scale US33815: Republic P-47D Thunderbolt “Spirit of Atlantic City” of 64rd FS, 56th FG USAAF, as flown by Bud Mahurin, 1944. Limited Edition of 1810 Pieces, intended mainly for US issue

Length 6 inches Wingspan 6.75 inches

PLEASE NOTE: Boxlid has a vertical scratch extending most of its length. Model is new

Capt ‘Bud’ Mahurin shot down a total of 19.75 aircraft, ranging from Fw 190s to a Ju 88, whilst with the 56th FG. This War Bond presentation aircraft (the second assigned to Mahurin) was used for all three of these victories – the first two (Fw 190s) were achieved in C-2 42-6259/UN-V on 17 of August, and he claimed a Bf 109 (and a second damage) in D-11 42-75278/UN-B on 29 of November. Unusual in that it retained its full squadron code letters (the inscription tended to replace the two letters on the other subscriber- purchased P-47s), this machine is not known to have had any other form of personal marking on the starboard side. Mahurin was shot down in 42-8487 on 27 of March 1944 by the rear gunner of a Do 217 that he had helped destroy south of Chartres. As a young fighter pilot, Bud Mahurin was always photographed with a big smile on his face, especially in his early WWII photographs. He couldn’t have known that he would be one of the new US fighter pilots who would be shot down in two different wars. He also couldn’t have known he’d become a fighter ace, a POW and an American hero.

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.