Browse Items (48 total)

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…

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 P-47D that sits in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, was painted to represent the P-47 flown by Colonel Joseph Lyle Laughlin, Five by Five. The museum's curator, Jeff Duford, put forth several pilots for the…

This article announces the return of Colonel Laughlin stateside after V-J day. It gives a brief overview of his time in the Pacific and European Theaters of Operation.

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…

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 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.

It was not uncommon for pilots to execute dual takeoffs when launching for a mission. It ensured the planes would get into the air and into formation quicker than doing it one-by-one. This picture is captioned as being at Station 159 in Wormingford,…

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.

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…