Browse Items (19 total)

The P-47 Thunderbolt was a heavy fighter aircraft, maxing out at 17,000 lbs. Part of this weight was owed to the extra protection given to the pilot. Armor plates were installed behind the seat and on each side of the cockpit below the window. In…

The propeller on the engine of a P-47. The engine, a Pratt and Whitney R-2800, helped to determine the size of the plane. The engine was covered with metal plates known as a cowling. During combat, the cowling cover was color-associated with the…

A side by side comparison of the original Razorback canopy (right) and the updated Bubble Top canopy (left) on P-47s. Complaints with the Razorback canopy included difficulty in bailing out for pilots in flight, as well as overall visibility.

This German anti-aircraft weapon was designed to fire flak at high-flying aircraft. It could do some damage, even on the ruggedly built P-47.

This German anti-aircraft weapon was designed to fire flak at low-flying aircraft. It could be used against P-47 during divebombing runs, close-air support, and fighter sweep missions.

This illustration shows the pathway of air into the engine of the P-47, showing how effective it made the P-47 at higher altitudes. The thinning air was compressed in the turbines as it passed on to the engine. This helped to increase horsepower and…

The pitot tube was used as a weather gauge, sending information like air speed and altitude to the console of the pilot. Pilots had to adapt to this plane quickly, but even experienced pilots had trouble in flying it. The pitot tube was located on…

The Hadrian glider was the most widely used glider in World War II. It was steered by a pilot and copilot as it was towed by a larger carrier, like a C-46 or C-47. It could hold up to 13 additional troops and their equipment or vehicles. Hadrian…

This insignia was introduced in 1943. The blue and white gloss insignia was referred to as the "star and bar" and was standard on all planes in the U.S. military in WWII. It was painted under both wings to help ground troops avoid friendly fire. The…