Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Sierra embedded blanks with a WWII Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aluminum wing material. All blanks will come with one COA per blank. COAs are 4" x 6" card stock with foil COA seal. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American aerospace company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. Its primary armament was eight .50-caliber machine guns, and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack role it carried five-inch rockets or a bomb load of 2,500 lb. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to eight tons, making it one of the heaviest fighters of the war. The Thunderbolt was effective as a short-to medium-range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat and ground attack in both the European and Pacific theaters. The P-47 was designed around the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engine, which also powered two USN and USMC fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair. The P-47 was one of the main USAAF fighters of World War II, and also served with other Allied air forces, including those of France, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. Mexican and Brazilian squadrons fighting alongside the USAAF also flew the P-47. The armored cockpit was relatively roomy and comfortable, and the bubble canopy offered good visibility. Nicknamed the "Jug" owing to its appearance if stood on its nose, the P-47 was noted for its firepower, as well as its ability to resist battle damage and remain airworthy. The present-day U.S. ground-attack Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft takes its name from the P-47. These blanks were made using original aluminum from USAAF P-47D Thunderbolt ‘Sally’ serial number 42-26393. Flown by Capt. Thomas N. Montag of the famous ‘Panzer Dusters’ in the 395th FS, he scored three victories on German aircraft, two Me 109 and one Fw 190. ‘Sally’ was clipped trees and was lost in action while strafing a truck convoy in Normandy, France on August 14, 1944. The crash site was rediscovered in 2011 and partially excavated. The material is certified and distributed by Hardin Penworks, LLC. This material is guaranteed to be 100% Authentic.