P-47 pilot scores the ultimate kill.
To all P-51 Mustang or P-47 Thunderbolt pilots who flew combat over France and Germany in World War II, any jet kill they made would rate at the top of the charts. Their most successful prop versus jet victories were made against the Me 262, which was produced in larger numbers (1,430), while the tiny rocket-propelled Me 163 only had a production run of about 370. The Allied pilots ran up some impressive scores against the Me 262. Germany was always far ahead of England and the U.S. in their research and production of jet-propelled aircraft, as they had designed and tested at least 12 different jet airframes by war’s end.
The first real competition the Luftwaffe faced over France from the American fighters was the presence of the P-38 Lightnings and the P-47 Thunderbolts (aka “Jugs”). The latter was like a flying tank built around ruggedness and sporting eight .50-caliber machine guns. The first P-47s in England went to the 78th Fighter Group in January 1943, with T-Bolts becoming operational in March. Their numbers continued to grow, and by the spring of 1944 they peaked when the 8th Air Force had eight P-47 groups.
This story is from the 2019 Special Issue: WWII Air War edition of Flight Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the 2019 Special Issue: WWII Air War edition of Flight Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
STARFIRES Over Korea
F-94 pilots tangle with MiGs
Training Mission
BY THE TIME THIS TRAINING SCENE WAS RECORDED in Canne, Italy, in July 1944, Allied Yugoslavian airmen had several years of experience working side by side with the RAF.
KC-46A PEGASUS
Next generation aerial refueler
The Corsair Maker
BRINGING THE VOUGHT CORSAIR to the fleet was a daunting challenge that spanned nearly three years.
"SATAN'S ANGELS" ACE - Tales from a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific
\"AS A KID GROWING UP on the bow of my father's tugboat, hauling oil from Seattle to Alaska, I had a lot of time on my hands.
WACO YKC - Stunning and Ultra Rare Golden Age Cabin Flier
BETWEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 and December 31, 1948, all U.S. registered flying machines sported an N-number, much as they do today, the \"N\" being an internationally recognized identifier for the United States. During that period, however, an additional letter-identifier followed the \"N.\" Depending on their category, they were registered in the NC (Commercial), NG (Glider), NL (Limited), NR (Restricted, usually meaning race airplanes), NS (State government), and, finally, NX (experimental).
BADER'S HURRICANES
Double amputee fighter ace Douglas Bader and his Battle of Britain Hurricanes
KEEPING 'EM FLYING!
The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics
Scourge of the Allied Fighters
IT HAD TO BE THE MOST HELPLESS FEELING in the world: you're at 25,000 feet over Europe knowing that your primary function is to drop bombs-or flying escort for the bombers while being a slow-moving target for some of the world's finest shooters. However, you have John Browning's marvelous .50 caliber invention to give some degree of protection. Unfortunately, you're absolutely helpless against flak. Piloting and gunnery skills play no role in a game where sheer chance makes life and death decisions. For that reason, the Krupp 88 mm Flak 18/36/37 AA cannon could be considered WW II's ultimate stealth fighter. You never saw it coming.
ZERO MYTH, MYSTERY, AND FACT
A test pilot compares the A6M5 Zero to U.S. fighters
