Today's post doesn't have much of a story to it, instead it's just eye candy for Thunderbolt fans. The plane shown is 42-25315, a Block 20RE P-47D, and it appears (by its cleanliness) to be factory-new. The back of the 8x10 glossy has no markings, and no information to indicate the significance of the plane or why it was shot.The D model was the most-produced version of the Thunderbolt, with over 12,600 built. During production, the model evolved fairly significantly, with each step being designated by a production block. The "RE" indicates that this plane was built at Republic's Farmingdale, LI plant, as opposed to their Evansville, IN plant (which had "RA" suffixes).
Most of the aircraft in this block went to the 79th Fighter Group (which had seven of her sisters lost between May and August 1944), but I have no information as to whether 225315 went there, or what the plane's ultimate fate was.
Beautiful plane.
ReplyDeleteI think this plane may have been lost with a man named Lt. William E. Petters on 11/6/44, according to two sites: http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbasn.asp?offset=31250 and http://usaafdata.com/?q=search&page=1171&order=field_rank_value&sort=desc
William Peters, of Wisconsin, was in the 79th FG, and the action code KCR indicates he died in the crash, apparently 5 miles SW of Jesi, Italy, which is near the west coast of that country.
Wow, thanks, Ran!
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