P-47 Thunderbolt Books and Pictures, WW2 Fighter Aircraft.

A reprint of the official government handbook designed to show the new cadet how  to fly the aircraft. Heavily illustrated with all the data.

During WWII, Pratt and Whitney's R-2800 18-cylinder radial, the "Double Wasp," was used exclusively for fighters and medium bombers such as the P-47, the F6F Hellcat, the F4U Corsair, and  the B-26 and A-26 twin-engine mediums. Post-war, its reliability commended its use  for long-range patrol planes and for the DC-6, Martin 404, and Convair transports.  This is the story of the engine that helped lead a nation to victory in war, and of the  men and women who made it all possible. 726 pgs., 8½"x 11", hdbd.

In this carefully researched novel, you'll meet numerous historical figures, including Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers, Nancy Love, leader of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, Generals Douglas MacArthur and Dwight Eisenhower, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Russian Premier Josef Stalin. A thoroughly enjoyable  way to absorb history!
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The 348th was the most  successful P-47 unit in the Pacific. Ranging over the Japanese homeland, first in P-47s and later in P-51s, the 348th completed their impressive record with honor  under the leadership of Colonel Neel Kearby. 224 pgs., 350 photos, 8½"x 11", hdbd.

The 350th Fighter Group in the Mediterranean Campaign 2 November, 1942 to 2 May 1945. The group comprised the 345th, 346th, and 347th Fighter Squadrons, flying  against the Luftwaffe during the Moroccan, Tunisian, Sicilian and Italian campaigns in P-39s and P-47s. 80 pgs., 90 photos, 9"x 12", sfbd.

Click Here to see the 34 Fighter Squadron
Exhibit about the P-47 Thunderbolts in WW2

Close air support of infantry and tanks was  key to Allied success in WWII. Flying rugged P-47 Thunderbolts nearly at ground level  - or "Angels Zero" - over northwestern Europe, the pilots of the 9th Air Force strafed  and dive-bombed bridges, rail yards, supply depots, troops and tanks. This was the  most dangerous of air operations, exacting heavy casualties. Here is a recounting of  support missions with the 366th Fighter Group, linking daily experiences in the cockpit  with events in the wider European theater. A wonderful combination of both personal and historical detail vividly recreates this lesser-known aspect of the air war in  Europe. 208 pgs., 24 B&W photos, 6"x 9", hdbd.

The 8th Fighter Group in WWII. The 8th took the first P-39s into combat against the Imperial Japanese Navy. They added victories in P-40s and P-47s, and finally took the air war to the enemy with P-38s over Rabaul Hollandia. 500 photos, 320 pgs., 8½"x 11", hdbd.

Book Description 
100 b/w and 40 color illustrations & 7 x 9 & Although initially thought to be burdened with a craft too large,  heavy, and unmaneuverable, the P-47 pilots eventually acquired the skills they needed to counter the nimble  Luftwaffe fighters. And the introduction of P-47Cs in mid-1943, with their added external tanks, improved the pilot's combat radius. This book, covering both ETO and MTO fighter groups, contains black and white  photography collected from all over the world as well as scale drawings of all major Thunderbolt variants.

Among the first American-built fighters to be operated by the USAAF in Europe, the P-47's initial encounters with German fighters were not encouraging.  However, new variants and new tactics meant that by mid-1943, the Thunderbolt  was very much able to hold its own. Read here about the P-47's evolution from  "lackluster" to "favored mount." 96 pgs., 100 photos and 13 pages of color profiles. 7¼"x 9¾", sfbd.

While much is written of the Thunderbolt over Europe, here is the  harder-to-find story of its action over North Africa and the Mediterranean. Covers  the airplane, its markings and the brave men who flew it. 96 pgs. incl. 14 pgs. of color profiles, 90 photos, 7¼"x 9¾", sfbd.

An exciting first-hand account of flying P-40s and P-47s on ground support  missions in North Africa and Italy. Few fighter bomber pilots became aces, but they had the gratitude of the foot soldiers as they strafed and bombed enemy tanks, guns, trains and troop columns. Photos. 209 pgs., 5"x 8¼", sfbd.

Although it recorded 3,916 kills as a fighter, the P-47 was later used primarily as a ground-attack aircraft, destroying thousands of tanks, locomotives, rail cars, and trucks. A generously illustrated tribute to the "Jug". 100 B&W illustrations and 8 color pgs., 160 pgs., 7"x 9½", hdbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now.

Book Description 
A huge World War II fighter and the acknowledged champion as a late war ground attack aircraft, the T-Bolt  embodied many interesting technical innovations that are detailed in this new volume. Includes technical looks at razor back models, high speed versions, ground attack armaments, troubles with aerodynamic compressibility, and more. 

Not as glamorous as the P-51 Mustang, the P-47 nonetheless earned a  reputation for accomplishment and durability. In the hands of skilled pilots, the Thunderbolt was a remarkable fighter. This coverage includes technical drawings, 100+ photos, 3-views and tech manual excerpts. 100 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd

Book Description 
Production P-47 Thunderbolts were in the air in early 1943, excelling in bomber escort and ground-attack bombing. P-47s were flown by the air forces of Australia, Brazil, France, the Soviet Union, and Great  Britain--more than 12,000 planes in all, more than any other U.S. fighter before or since. The seventh volume in  the "Living History" series. 58 color and 47 b&w photos. 

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can buy a used copy now. 

A personal narrative of the wartime experiences of a combat pilot with the 8th AF's 353rd Fighter Group, 350th Fighter Squadron. Bill flew both P-47s and P-51s and augments his interesting story with  over 60 photos and stills from his own gun camera film. 128 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can buy a used copy now. 

Debden, Kingscliffe, Alconbury– names that evoke  images of P-51s, P-47s, B-17s. This book features comparative photos taken 35  years apart, with details and anecdotes about each of the major U.S. bases in  England. Some fields are still in use today by USAFE, others are abandoned and weed-covered, but each is a piece of history. 240 pgs., 8½"x 12", hdbd

Witness a most amazing change of scenery. Here is a look at the WWII B-26, P-47, and Glider bases in England, with superb documentation of  their original layout, construction and history, contrasted to their current use as  farms, housing tracts, private airfields and even race tracks. 256 pgs., 510 photos,  8½"x 12", hdbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can buy a used copy now. 

The P-47 Thunderbolt was used  in the fighter groups of nine U.S. Air Forces spread across the globe during WWII. It  was also used by numerous foreign air forces. The P-47 ‘Jug’ was legendary for its  power and ruggedness as it conducted fighter sweep, bomber escort, and ground   attack missions in every theater of the war. Extensive photographic coverage,  numerous full color paintings, 64 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

A detailed photo essay on the P-47, including both period photos and 220 color photos taken from four modern restorations. Engineering drawings, cutaways, 3-view drawings - they're all here. The ultimate technical reference. 81 pgs., 10"x 10", sfbd.

A photo essay of the P-47 Thunderbolt covering all production versions. No  less than ten existing Thunderbolts were photographed to show every detail from the  propeller hub to the position light on the rudder. Includes excerpts from the original operations manual and period photos of the P-47 in action. 225 photos, 3-view drawings and line art. 80 pgs. with 16 in color, 8½"x 11", sfbd.

The P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the most versatile fighters of the Second  World War, seeing service as an escort fighter and fighter-bomber in every combat  theater. This volume gives a pilot’s eye view of the Thunderbolt, covering details  seldom seen in other publications. 80 pgs., 40 in color, over 200 photographs, 11"x 8¼", sfbd

Book Description 
With names like Zemke, Schilling, Gabreski, Mahurin and Johnson, the 56th Fighter Group was, and still is, one  of the legendary fighter units of World War II. BEWARE THE THUNDERBOLT ( the apt official motto of the  56th) is the story of the 56th Fighter Group in a chronological narrative of their combat missions. Composed of  heroic pilots that aggressively took the air war into the enemy heartland in 1943, the "Wolfpack's" P-47 Thunderbolt contrails crossed high in the upper stratosphere as they escorted heavy bomber missions, or fell upon  the enemy on the ground as their pilots destroyed over 1000 Luftwaffe aircraft. The story is also coupled with  their post-war history of innovative Mustang missions to Alaska, and the first trans-Atlantic jet fighter missions in  the P-80 Shooting Star. The foreword is by Hub Zemke, former commander of the 56th Fighter Group. David  McLaren is also the author of Lockheed F-94 Starfire (with Marty Isham), available from Schiffer Publishing., over 250 color and b/w photographs, 8 1/2" x 11", index, appendices 

The "Jug" is presented in photos, line drawings and 10 color profiles. Good selection is evident in the 90+ B&W photos, from first proto-types to front line action, showing major aircraft variants and a variety of markings. 3-view drawings of the razorback P-47D and many scratch drawings of details. 49 pgs., 11"x 8¼", sfbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

A collection of 15 true hair-raising combat stories from the logs of a Mustang ace who shot down five Fw 190s in fifteen minutes, a B-24 pilot after the Ploesti raid, a P-47 pilot who blasts a Nazi armored column, and more. Illustrated, 179 pgs., 6"x 9", sfbd

Book Description 
Production P-47 Thunderbolts were in the air in early 1943, excelling in bomber escort and ground-attack  bombing. P-47s were flown by the air forces of Australia, Brazil, France, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain--more than 12,000 planes in all, more than any other U.S. fighter before or since. The seventh volume in  the "Living History" series. 58 color and 47 b&w photos. 

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can buy a used copy now. 

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

Beautiful paintings of six of the most renowned aircraft of WWII: the  Spitfire, Lancaster, B-17 Flying Fortress, Messerschmitt 109, P-51 Mustang, and  P-47 Thunderbolt. Includes art by Robert Taylor, Frank Wooton, Charles Thompson, and Craig Kodera, along with more than 20 other artists. 70 color paintings, 20 pencil  sketches, 96 pgs., 12½"x 11½", hdbd.

The P-47 Thunderbolt ran contrary to all precepts of fighter  design. It was the biggest and heaviest aircraft to be powered by a single piston  engine and, at that time, it was also the most expensive. However, calling the P-47  successful would be an understatement: it became the most prolific of all U.S.  fighters, with 12,600 of the "D" variant alone being built. What was this plane's  secret to success? The answer is here! 160 pgs., 7"x 10", hdbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

Biography of woman pilot, Teresa James. Lady barnstormer, James became  a WASP and delivered fighters and bombers to air bases across the country, including "Ten Grand", the 10,000th P-47. Married to a bomber pilot, whose fate she didn't learn for 40 years, her story is both dramatic and touching. 98 photos, 184 pgs., 6"x 9", sfbd.

These are the memoirs of a P-47  fighter pilot whose incredible experiences fighting against the Luftwaffe in WWII  include being shot down over the English Channel and spending 21 months as a POW of the Germans. It's a story of commitment to country that was so typical of those wartime years. 136 pgs., 50 B&W photos, 6"x 9", sfbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

The story of a man, a plane and a fighter group in the deadly air  war over Europe in WWII. When Robert Johnson returned from the European Theater  in 1944, he was the highest-scoring American ace of the war. The plane he flew was  the Republic P-47C Thunderbolt, a rugged 2,000 horsepower fighter that weighed  seven tons. British pilots said that the "Jug" wouldn't stand a chance against the  more maneuverable Luftwaffe fighters. But in the hands of aces like Johnson and Gabreski, the Thunderbolt proved itself the most deadly fighter plane of the war. 308  pgs., 5¼"x 8¼", sfbd.

Covers in detail the eleven fighter types  produced during WWII. P-40, P-39, P-38, P-47, P-51, Corsair, Hellcat, Wildcat and others. Includes development, production, combat records, comparative records with  a chronology of combat, and more. 608 pgs., 1000 photos, 8½"x 11", hdbd.

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order a used copy now. 

Although far better known for their exploits over the war-torn skies of Germany and Italy, the USAAF's premier  fighters, the P-47 and P-51, also made significant contributions to the victory against Japan from 1943 onwards. They saw action from Rangoon, India, to the jungles of New Guinea in 1943, and escorted B-29s on long-range bombing sorties against the Home Islands in 1944/45. Interviews with several leading aces.