This P-47D-30-RA was delivered to Godman Field, Kentucky, in 1944. It served as an aerial gunnery trainer before being transferred to the U.S. Air Force Museum and then the Smithsonian. Republic Aviation restored the airplane and displayed it to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first P-47 flight.
Republic
P-47D-30-RA
Thunderbolt
The P-47 was a feared ground-attack aircraft with a combination of a robust, reliable engine and heavy armament. USAAF commanders considered it one of the three premier American fighters, along with the P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning.