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The book just came in the mail, I know what I'm reading tonight.

Is this about the P-47?

Yup, about Robert S. Johnson who flamed 28 German planes while flying the 'Bolt. I've been waiting a long time to read this one.

There was a good biography of General Abrams, by the same name. I think it was his call sign, maybe when he served under Patton.

Sycamore

greatest piston prop warplane ever made, hands down. lemme know what you think when done.

All 7 tons of it!

That is a great book, by Lewis Sorely. "Thunderbolt" was the name of Abrams' command tank; by the time Abrams left Europe (after having led the relief of Bastogne in 1944) he was riding in "Thunderbolt VII."

excellent video bb215, thanks!

I hardly feel the Jug rises to that accolade, but it was a good plane.

Pilots loved it. And I know my 2 uncles that flew in bombers in the ETO loved having them around. Some of the photos I have seen of the damage those Jugs could absorb and still bring their pilots back are incredible.

EXCELLANT VIDEO,Thanks.

i've seen the video interview of 1 guy who flew both the P47 and the P51 in combat... He loved both of them for different reasons...
As I recall, he described the P47 as a rock solid weapons platform which maximized a pilots chances of achieving an attack mission and returning alive. He thought the P51 to be the best flying machine of it's day, with greater agility, faster climb, and better high altitude flight qualities...

No first hand knowledge of course but I believe the agruement as to which was best P47 VS P51 is the same as the arguement as to which heavy bomber was the best B17 VS B24.

I have a cousin who flew in WWII and had two confirmed kills in the Pacific. He says the Corsiar was the best ever of course.

Sums things up nicely. Of course, no one in the air or on the ground wanted to face eight of John Browning's finest creation. The P-51 had to make do with six.

P-47 vs P-51 apples & oranges in my IMO.Both great air frames but I'd side with the Mustang in any air/air most of the time..the Jug did have one advantage it could usually get out of jamb by pointing it's big heavy nose at the ground to out run most opponents if necessary.Gotta love that Hellcat and Corsair too!

The quote I like about B-17 vs. B-24 is one I read in a book somewhere, can't attribute the source right now, and I may be slightly butchering it: The B-24 could take you further away faster but the B-17 was more likely to bring you back in one piece.

I was walking a few miles outside Duxford back in 2004, and the Fighter Collection P47 came roaring over, and proceeded to do some aerobatics. Beautiful English day, with the blue sky, clouds, and brilliant green landscape. I still remember how the sun glinted off the aluminum, and how visible the invasion stripes were. One of my favorite airplane spectator memories.

Too bad the USAAF/USAF didn't keep a few squadrons; it would have been much better than the Mustang for close air support in Korea.

Yes, the Air Force Brass cost many pilots their lives in Korea with that foolish decision. They knew the jets were coming after WWII and that the piston aircraft would get regulated to attack rather than air superiority roles. That alone should have gotten them to keep the Radial engined aircraft over the liquid cooled models. Radials were always better for attack aircraft because they were more survivable.

The p-51 was a sweet aircraft to fly, but the p-47 was far more survivable.

Mark in GA

Here is a read for the Thunderbolt pilots who virtually had face to face, air to ground combat supporting the D-Day Invasion.

These guys were largely responsible for making the German Wehrmacht ineffective. Also, ending any serious threat and deployment of the V1 program. There were a lot of Allied ground troop who loved to see those pilots and crews at work wearing the markings of the Ninth Air Force. Those in combat on the ground, knew the Ninth was making their trip to Berlin easier than it would have been.

The book below is aptly titled:

HELL HAWKS - Robert F. Dorr & Thomas D. Jones