Subject: Number Forty-Seven in the Series--Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (7 of 9)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 1 Feb 93 15:43:12 GMT

>From [email-masked]

The P-47N version of the Thunderbolt was the last version to be 
manufactured in quantity.  It was a specialized long-range version 
built specifically for service in the Pacific theatre.  

Four P-47D-27-RE airframes (serials 42-27385/27388) had been taken off 
the production line at Farmingdale and fitted with the Pratt & Whitney 
R-2800-57(C) engine driving a larger CH-5 turbosupercharger.  This 
engine could produce a war emergency power of 2800 hp at 32,500 feet 
with water injection.  These aircraft had been redesignated YP-47M and 
served as the prototypes for the P-47M series.  

However, the war in the Pacific required fighter ranges even greater 
than did operations over Germany.  In pursuit of better long-range 
performance, in mid-1944 the third YP-47M prototype (42-27387) was 
fitted with a new "wet" wing of slightly larger span and area.  The 
aircraft was redesignated XP-47N.  For the first time in the 
Thunderbolt series fuel was carried in the wings, a 93 US gallon tank 
being fitted in each wing.  When maximum external tankage was carried, 
this brought the total fuel load of the XP-47N up to an impressive 
1266 US gallons.  This fuel load make it possible for a range of 2350 
miles to be achieved.  

The new wing also incorporated larger ailerons and squared-off 
wingtips.  These innovations enhanced the roll-rate of the Thunderbolt 
and improved the maneuverability.  The dorsal fin behind the bubble 
canopy was somewhat larger than that on the P-47D.  However, the 
increased fuel load increased the gross weight of the aircraft.  In 
order to cope with the increased gross weight, the undercarriage of 
the XP-47N had to be strengthened, which increased the weight still 
further.  The maximum weight rose to over 20,000 pounds.  

The XP-47N flew for the first time on July 22, 1944.  Such was the 
USAAF confidence in the Thunderbolt design that they went ahead and 
ordered 1900 P-47Ns in June 20, 1944, even before the first XP-47N had 
flown.  

The P-47N was destined to be the last version of the Thunderbolt to be 
manufactured.  The first P-47N-1-RE appeared in September of 1944, and 
24 were delivered by year's end.  The P-47N-5-RE and subsequent 
batches had zero-length rocket launchers added.  The R-2800-77 engine 
was installed in late production models such as the P-47N-25-RE.  

The P-47N gave excellent service in the Pacific in the last year of 
the War, particularly in escorting B-29 Superfortress bombers in raids 
on the Japanese mainland.  P-47Ns were able to escort the bombers all 
the way from Saipan to Japan and on many other long, overwater 
flights.  

A total of 1667 P-47Ns was produced by the Farmingdale plant between 
December 1944 and December 1945, when the Thunderbolt line finally 
closed down.  149 more P-47Ns were built by the Evansville factory.  
V-J Day cancellation of 5934 Thunderbolts brought production of the 
type abruptly to an end.  

Performance of the P-47N-5-RE included a maximum speed of 397 mph at 
10,000 feet, 448 mph at at 25,000 feet, and 460 mph at 30,000 feet.  
Initial climb rate was 2770 feet per minute at 5000 feet and 2550 feet 
per minute at 20,000 feet.  Range (clean) was 800 miles at 10,000 
feet.  Armanent included six or eight 0.50-inch machine guns with 500 
rpg and two 1000-lb or three 500-lb bombs or ten 5-inch rockets.  
Weights were 11,000 pounds empty, 16,300 pounds normal loaded, and 
20,700 pounds maximum.  Dimension were wingspan 42 feet 7 inches, 
length 36 feet 4 inches, height 14 feet 7 inches, and wing area 322 
square feet.  

Serials of the P-47N were: 

44-87784/88333 	Republic P-47N-1-RE Thunderbolt 
44-88334/88883  Republic P-47N-5-RE Thunderbolt 
44-88884/89083  Republic P-47N-15-RE Thunderbolt 
44-89084/89283  Republic P-47N-20-RE Thunderbolt 
44-89284/89450  Republic P-47N-25-RE Thunderbolt 
45-49975/50123  Republic P-47N-20-RA Thunderbolt 

Sources:

  American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Enlarged Edition, Doubleday, 
  1982.  

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion Books, 
  1987.  

  War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume Four, William 
  Green, Doubleday 1964.  

  United States Military Aircraft since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and 
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.  

  Famous Fighters of the Second World War, Volume I, William Green, 
  1967.  

Joe Baugher       AT&T Bell Laboratories    2000 North Naperville Road 
		  Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033.   (708) 713-4548