The pugnacious lines of this stocky fighter show its strength and ruggedness. It was first deployed as a long-range escort fighter, protecting the massed fleets of B-17 and B-24 bombers attacking targets in Europe. As the war progressed P-47s were increasingly used for ground-attack and by the end of the war they had accounted for 6,000 tanks, 9,000 locomotives, 86,000 rail wagons and 68,000 trucks. Add 3,916 enemy aircraft destroyed and the result makes it one of the most effective fighters of World War II.
Author Biography
Jerry Scutts has spent many years in journalism including a stint with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. As a full-time author since the 1980s he has written nearly sixty books dealing with aviation in WW2, Korea and Vietnam. Jerry has also written on his secondary interest, naval history.
