P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force

P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force PDF Author: Jonathan Bernstein
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780960379
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
The P-47 Thunderbolt, originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, became the principal US fighter–bomber of World War II. First adapted to the ground attack role by units of the Twelfth Air Force in early 1944, the strength and durability of the P-47 airframe, along with its massive size, earned it the nickname 'Juggernaut', which was quickly shortened to 'Jug' throughout the MTO and ETO. By October 1943, with the creation of the Fifteenth Air Force, nearly half of the Twelfth's fighter groups would be retasked with strategic escort missions, leaving six groups to perform close air support and interdiction missions throughout the entire Mediterranean theatre. The groups inflicted incredible damage on the enemy's transport routes in particular, using rockets, bombs, napalm and machine-gun rounds to down bridges, blow up tunnels and strafe trains. Myriad first-hand accounts and period photography reveal the spectacular success enjoyed by the Thunderbolt in the MTO in the final year of the war.

P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force

P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force PDF Author: Jonathan Bernstein
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780960379
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
The P-47 Thunderbolt, originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, became the principal US fighter–bomber of World War II. First adapted to the ground attack role by units of the Twelfth Air Force in early 1944, the strength and durability of the P-47 airframe, along with its massive size, earned it the nickname 'Juggernaut', which was quickly shortened to 'Jug' throughout the MTO and ETO. By October 1943, with the creation of the Fifteenth Air Force, nearly half of the Twelfth's fighter groups would be retasked with strategic escort missions, leaving six groups to perform close air support and interdiction missions throughout the entire Mediterranean theatre. The groups inflicted incredible damage on the enemy's transport routes in particular, using rockets, bombs, napalm and machine-gun rounds to down bridges, blow up tunnels and strafe trains. Myriad first-hand accounts and period photography reveal the spectacular success enjoyed by the Thunderbolt in the MTO in the final year of the war.

P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force

P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force PDF Author: Jonathan Bernstein
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849086737
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description
The P-47 Thunderbolt, originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, became the principal US fighter–bomber of World War II. First adapted to the ground attack role by units of the Twelfth Air Force in early 1944, the strength and durability of the P-47 airframe, along with its massive size, earned it the nickname 'Juggernaut', which was quickly shortened to 'Jug' throughout the MTO and ETO. By October 1943, with the creation of the Fifteenth Air Force, nearly half of the Twelfth's fighter groups would be retasked with strategic escort missions, leaving six groups to perform close air support and interdiction missions throughout the entire Mediterranean theatre. The groups inflicted incredible damage on the enemy's transport routes in particular, using rockets, bombs, napalm and machine-gun rounds to down bridges, blow up tunnels and strafe trains. Myriad first-hand accounts and period photography reveal the spectacular success enjoyed by the Thunderbolt in the MTO in the final year of the war.

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt PDF Author: Jerry Scutts
Publisher: Motorbooks International
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 184

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Book Description
The distinctive, rugged lines of this heavyweight single-seater earned it the nickname the jug. But what the Thunderbolt lacked in elegance, it more than made up for in firepower. Of the 15,683 Thunderbolts built, only 54 airframes are known to exist today. This book provides a generously illustrated and thoroughly researched tribute to the aircraft.

American Eagles

American Eagles PDF Author: Roger Freeman
Publisher: Classic Publications
ISBN: 9781903223185
Category : Fighter pilots
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
An essential reference guide to the P-47 Thunderbolts of the Eighth Air Force, profiling their service from the summer of 1942 to beyond D-Day. Details the progression of P-47 camouflage and markings, including photograph galleries of key Fighter Groups. Contains information on the bubble-top canopy Superbolts, plus biographies of the aces and combat reports.

P-47 Thunderbolt vs German Flak Defenses

P-47 Thunderbolt vs German Flak Defenses PDF Author: Jonathan Bernstein
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472846273
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 81

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Book Description
Since the end of World War 2, the tactical air war over Europe has been largely overlooked by historians and authors alike in favour of analysis of the higher profile strategic bombing campaign. Involving just as many aircraft as the daylight heavy bombing campaign, the fighter-bombers (principally of the Ninth Air Force) wreaked considerably more havoc on German ground forces. Indeed, Thunderbolt units undertaking such missions effectively complemented the strategic campaign, ensuring the defeat of Nazi Germany. P-47 pilots paid a high price to achieve this victory, however, as the German flak arm was well equipped (nearly a quarter of all war-related production was devoted to anti-aircraft weaponry) with weapons of various calibres to counter tactical air power's low to medium altitude threat. The USAAF four numbered air forces that saw action over the European continent suffered significant fighter-bomber losses to flak. The principle fighter-bomber from the summer of 1944 through to VE Day was the P-47D, with both dedicated ground attack units and squadrons that had completed their bomber escort tasking seeking out targets of opportunity across occupied Western Europe. While heavy-calibre anti-aircraft fire was intended to both shoot down enemy aircraft and force bombers to drop their ordnance sooner or from higher altitudes, thus reducing bombing accuracy, low-altitude flak batteries put up a virtual 'wall of steel' for enemy fighter-bombers to fly through. Damaging a low-flying fighter-bomber made it easier for other flak gunners to track, engage and destroy it. Innovations like lead-computing gunsights gave gunners a higher probability of intercepting low-altitude fighters. Conversely, the appearance of air-to-ground rockets beneath the wings of P-47s gave pilots better standoff range and a harder-hitting punch when dealing with low and medium altitude flak units. This volume analyses the tactics and techniques used by both P-47 fighter-bomber pilots and German flak gunners, featuring full-colour illustrations to examine the Allied tactical air power in Europe from 1943 and how German defences were overpowered by the air threat.

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt PDF Author: Richard Ward
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description


Victory in Italy

Victory in Italy PDF Author: Richard Doherty
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1783462981
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
While the main focus in early 1945 was on the advance to The Fatherland, 15 Army Group's 5th (US) and 8th (British) Armies were achieving remarkable results in Northern Italy. Superb generalship (Truscott – 5th Army and McCreery – 8th Army under General

P-47 Thunderbolt Aces of the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces

P-47 Thunderbolt Aces of the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces PDF Author: Jerry Scutts
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781855329065
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This book charts the story of the lesser known aces who flew the mighty Republic aircraft as a tactical fighter-bomber with the Ninth Air Force, rather than as a long-range escort. It also details the exploits of the Mediterranean-based 325th FG, which was the only P-47 group within the strategic Fifteenth Air Force. Thunderbolt aces within the Ninth Air Force, particularly, were rare, despite some 15 groups flying the fighter. Supporting troops on the ground rather than searching out aerial foes, was the name of the game for the men of the Ninth. However, with the Luftwaffe often opposing such sorties through to April 1945, more than 20 pilots had the opportunity to score five or more kills and 'make ace'.

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF Author: Maurer Maurer
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428915850
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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Book Description


P-47 Thunderbolt at War

P-47 Thunderbolt at War PDF Author: William N. Hess
Publisher: Doubleday Books
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description