Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is an American single-engine fighter aircraft built by Republic Aviation, entering United States Army Air Forces service in 1942 and produced in greater numbers than any other American fighter of the Second World War. Built around the largest and most powerful radial engine available to American fighter designers at the time, the P-47 was unusually large and heavy for a single-engine fighter of its era, a characteristic that gave it exceptional structural durability and the ability to absorb significant battle damage and still return its pilot safely, a quality especially valued in its extensive use for low-level ground-attack missions in the European theater. Alongside its ground-attack role, the P-47 also served effectively as a long-range bomber escort once drop tanks extended its range sufficiently to accompany heavy bombers deep into German-occupied Europe, and its combination of ruggedness, firepower and eventual range made it one of the most versatile American fighters of the war.