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Why did American pilots love the P-47 Thunderbolt?

The P-47 Thunderbolt is one of the most recognisable American fighter planes from the Second World War. After the United States joined the war, pilots from the US Army Air Force were sent to Britain to aid in the war effort, along with their trusty Thunderbolts. Used in every major theatre of the war, the Thunderbolt was loved by its pilots – and feared by its enemies – for its deadly combination of high firepower and bomb-carrying capabilities.  Nicknamed the ‘Jug’, the P-47 would destroy over 7,000 enemy aircraft during the war.

In this video, our expert Graham Rodgers walks us through the history and technical aspects of this iconic aircraft.

Story written by IWM staff and copyright of Imperial War Museums (© IWM). The copyright in the images belongs to IWM as well as other third parties. Neither the stories nor the images contained may be reproduced or licenced without IWM’s permission. IWM Licensing

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