While I'm at it, there was another one, the P47 Thunderbolt. More chopped liver I guess.
Growing up in the 60s, my best friends father had been a WW 2 fighter pilot with experience in multiple different planes, both theaters.
His favorite plane, bar none was the P-47.
"Why" we asked ?
Two reasons, he answered.
#1 A thick sheet of steel armor right behind the pilots seat, thick enough to stop a 8mm machine gun bullet.
#2 The very heavy and powerful P-47 could out dive just about anything, giving the pilot a sure escape from a bad situation.