 | Russian P-47| Aircraft Pictures Discuss Russian P-47 in the World War II - Aviation forums; In Victor Belenko's biography, he told of a story where his crew chief fell off the boarding ladder on ... |
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09-25-2006, 06:35 AM
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#31 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,970
Country:  | In Victor Belenko's biography, he told of a story where his crew chief fell off the boarding ladder on to the tarmac, we was totally drunk.
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09-25-2006, 10:13 AM
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#32 | | aka Dickcheese
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State
Posts: 9,886
Country: | Educate me. I did not realize that the D model had anything other than teardrop canopy. Wasn't the C model the last with the lattice canopy?
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09-25-2006, 10:45 AM
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#33 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NIAGARA
Posts: 4,354
Country:  | There have not been many aircrew teetotalers in any military . The most famous that I know about is Beurling and he was some ostracized for his lack of Espirit d'corp in the mess or O club
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09-25-2006, 08:44 PM
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#34 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,489
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Matt308 Educate me. I did not realize that the D model had anything other than teardrop canopy. Wasn't the C model the last with the lattice canopy? | Actually, no. The early D models had the razorback, and a few were even tested with Malcolm hoods. Joe Baugher has some great info here: Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
An excerpt Quote:
The 3962 P-47D-1RE to -22-RE Farmingdale-built Thunderbolts, the 1461 P-47D-2-RA to -23-RA Evansville-built Thunderbolts, and the entire lot of 354 P-47G-1-CU through P-47G-15-CU Curtiss-built Thunderbolts all had the original framed sliding canopy that was first used on the P-47B. However, combat experience indicated that the the rear fuselage decking on these Thunderbolts provided a serious blind spot aft which was a real hindrance in air-to-air battles. In an attempt to improve rearward visibility, a few P-47Ds were fitted in the field with the RAF "Malcolm hood", a Spitfire-like bubble canopy made in England which was made famous by its application to the P-51B and C Mustangs flown by both the RAF and USAAF. However, P-47Ds fitted with Malcolm hoods were quite rare, whereas P-51Bs and Cs with Malcolm hoods were quite common.
In the meantime, in search of a more lasting solution the USAAF fitted a standard P-47D-5-RE airframe (serial number 42-8702) with a bubble canopy taken from a Hawker Typhoon. In order to accommodate the bubble canopy, the Republic design team had to cut down the rear fuselage. This conversion was redesignated XP-47K, and was tested in July 1943. This modification was immediately proven to be feasible, and was promptly introduced on both the Farmingdale and Evansville production lines.
Ordinarily, the USAAF would have given such a radical modification as that which produced the bubble-canopy Thunderbolt a completely new variant letter (or perhaps even a new type number). However, the USAAF chose instead to designate it simply by giving it a new production block number in the D-series. Consequently, the first batches to feature this new bubble canopy were Farmingdale's P-47D-25-RE and Evansville's P-47D-26-RA. These batches also had the R-2800-59 or -63 engines, the paddle-bladed propeller, and the "universal" wing first introduced on the "razor-back" P-47D-20-RE. Stronger belly shackles capable of carrying a 91.6 Imp. gall. drop tank were fitted. This tank, together with the 170.6 Imp. gall. main fuselage tank, an 83-gallon auxiliary fuel tank and two 125-gallon underwing tanks, made it possible to carry a total fuel load of 595 Imp. gall, providing a maximum range of 1800 miles at 195 mph at 10,000 feet.
A single P-47D-20-RE (serial number 42-76614) was taken off the production line and modified as XP-47L with a bubble canopy as in the XP-47K and with increased capacity fuel tanks which raised internal fuel capacity from 305 to 370 US gallons. Both of these changes were incorporated in the P-47D-25-RE production batch.
The early "bubble-canopy" Thunderbolts had suffered from some directional instability as a result of the loss of aft keel area. From the P-47D-27-RE production lots onward, a dorsal fin was fitted just ahead of the rudder. This innovation successfully restored the stability.
Farmingdale produced a total of 2547 bubble-canopy P-47Ds and Evansville built 4632.
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__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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09-26-2006, 06:56 AM
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#35 | | Siggy Master
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland
Posts: 5,934
Country:  | Hi !!!
Here some colour profiles of the P-47 equipped with the Malcolm hood.
1. P-47 D-22-RE from 56FG England, June 1944.
2. P-47 D-22-RE from 511FS/405FG/9AF winter 1944/45.
3. P-47 D-15-RE from 394FS/367FG/9AF December 1944.
4. P-47 D-20-RE from 361FS/356FG/8AF France, November 1944.
Source unknown:
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Last edited by Wurger : 09-27-2006 at 07:38 AM.
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09-26-2006, 08:47 AM
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#36 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,489
Country: | Cool addition to the info, Wurger. 
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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09-26-2006, 10:36 AM
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#37 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country:  | the bottom profile makes it look a lot more like an F6F...........
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09-26-2006, 10:56 AM
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#38 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cracow
Posts: 3,119
Country: | ...
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"A good fighter pilot, like a good boxer, should have a knockout punch..... You will find one attack you prefer to all others. Work on it till you can do it to perfection... then use it whenever possible." - Captain Reade Tilley, USAAF 7 Victories, WW-II - | |
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09-26-2006, 11:20 AM
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#39 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,845
Country:  | Quote: |
Sovereign Sensations K. of P.
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09-27-2006, 02:48 AM
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#40 | | Siggy Master
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland
Posts: 5,934
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Pisis | An interesting question,Pisis.But looking at the blown up pic I was convinced that there was written "Sovereign Senators K. of P.
BTW Nice pic V2.
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09-27-2006, 04:31 AM
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#41 | | Siggy Master
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland
Posts: 5,934
Country: | I've found this profile and the info that the a/c was P-47D-10-RE serial no. 42-75202 from unknown unit. This plane was bought on money of American senators. It had personal name 'Knight of Pythias'. It was tested in Middle of 1944 in NII VVS and LII.
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09-27-2006, 09:10 AM
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#42 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,845
Country: | Good research man! Saved in my P-47 folder!  | |
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09-27-2006, 11:01 AM
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#43 | | Siggy Master
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland
Posts: 5,934
Country: |
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09-28-2006, 12:46 PM
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#44 | | Banned
Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Pominville, NY Population: 26
Posts: 201
Country: | Here's a photo of one of those Jugs with the malcolm hood mod...  Project 914 Archives
This ship was flown by a fella named Walter Grabowski who passed away a couple years ago... real nice guy he was...
Fade to Black... | |
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09-29-2006, 12:47 AM
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#45 | | Siggy Master
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Poland
Posts: 5,934
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by BlackWolf3945 This ship was flown by a fella named Walter Grabowski........ |
Yes,it was his plane.In addition:The first one was flown by both Mjr.Lesilie Smith and Capt.Witold Łanowski.The third - Lt.Jack Curtis.The fourth was flown by Lt.Col. Thomas Bailey.
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