Any P-47M or N's left flying?

[Arossihman]

I was just curious if anyone knew if there were any P-47M or N variants left flying today? If so where could i find one? To go one step further why are so few left or in civilian hands as there were so many produced and their combat surviveability was pretty high. Thanks for any and all replies!
Tony

 

[Njaco]

I don't know about how many are flying but there must be some. Usually the last mark of a type hangs around awhile.

As for your second question, I think its a matter of popularity. I'm sure that after the war when these types became available, everyone wanted the P-51 (why you still see them racing today). The Jug took a back burner. My speculation only though.

 

[Shortround6]

It might have been economics. The P-47 would be an expensive plane to maintain and fly ( fuel burn and maintenance) and in the 40's and early 50's when these planes were sold as surplus many of the buyers were ex service pilots without tons of money backing them up?

 

[Airframes]

Far as I know, there are some Ms and Ns in museums across the world. I'd need to check, but I think the RAF Museum example, painted in RAF SEAC markings, is a 'N'. I also think there are probably some museum examples in South America, for example, Brazil, who used them post WW2.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Flyable P-47N's

P-47N Thunderbolt, s/n 44-90447 owned by PT-17 Inc. in Dover, Delaware.

P-47N Thunderbolt, s/n 45-53436 owned by the Commemorative Air Force in Midland, Texas. It is based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.

 

[Arossihman]

Great info der adler....thanks for the replies guys! One of the things on my bucket list is to be able to see a flying Thunderbolt up close and personal....maybe if i hit the lottery i can buy one!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

The one in your avatar is based in Sevierville, TN. along with Hun Hunter XVI. The later of which I have had the good fortune of being able to photograph, hence my siggy.

 

[kettbo]

as a youngster, spied one parked at the Long Beach, CA airport. STAGGERING in size, pretty sure it was an M

 

[Milosh]

How would one tell the difference between the D and the M?

 

[Arossihman]

How would one tell the difference between the D and the M?

Going off memory here but depending on which production run ur looking at the "D's" came in both razorback and bubble canopy styles.....the "M's" only came in bubble canopy styles. Now at some point because they lost keel surface when they went from razorback to bubble canopy they added a dorsal fin to later "D" models and all others that came after to compensate. There is not much difference visually from "D" to "M" variants however the "M's" had a tweaked out R-2800 and larger supercharger which kicked the top speed up into the low 470's. Rate of climb of course was also greatly increased. If you see a 47 painted in blue and grey camo its most likely an "M" variant.

 

[Arossihman]

The one in your avatar is based in Sevierville, TN. along with Hun Hunter XVI. The later of which I have had the good fortune of being able to photograph, hence my siggy.

I take the original razorback hun hunter either crashed or was shot down?

 

[michaelmaltby]

Lots went to Central American and South Americans countries as American military aid, after WW2. The Brazilians and Mexicans flew them (not Ms) in WW2 so they (p-47's) had a certain mystique in that part of the world. Like air-Harleys . The question is - how did those AF's dispose of their P-47's when they moved up?

MM

 

[Airframes]

Probably turned them into kettles and saucepans!

 

[MikeGazdik]

I saw both of them flying when I was at the last gathering of the Mustangs in Columbus in 2007. They are sweet!

 

[glennasher]

There was a D across the river from me, about 15 miles away, as of 10 years ago. The owner had/has several warbirds, a Mustang, the Thunderbolt, a Corsair, a T-28, and others. He was getting on in years when I last heard anything about him, so they might all be sold off by now.

 

[Milosh]

Thanks Arossihman.

 

[Sagittario64]

I would love for some aircraft company to make flying replicas of all the wwii aircraft. we have the technical blueprints, and Bf.109s, P-51s, Me.262s replicas have already been built. If i had vast wealth, id create a flying museum of wwii aircraft, mostly replicas of course, as many wwii aircraft arent flying today. For example, the only Fokker G.1 around is a mockup in a museum. why not make a flying one? And im sure lots of museums and flying clubs would love to have flyable P-47s of all makes and models, from the prototype to the high speed record breaking variants.

 

[tomo pauk]

German company Flugwerk builds Fw-190 replicas (or 'new builds', as they say), 20 built so far. IIRC, they use Chinese copy of the Soviet ASh-82 radial engine as a powerplant.
Then there is Yak-3UA, new build, with V-1710s on board.

 

[Sagittario64]

I cant see why if there are blueprints to the BMW radial, they cant build that too. i understand modern engines are more reliable, but the engine is so much of what an airplane is. if this fw.190 replica isnt powered by the same radial engine that was central to its significance, then is it really a fw.190 in anything but name?

 

[tomo pauk]

I reckon they were thinking that it's better job to make a 100 000€ plane for selling, than a 1 000 000€ one