P-47 Thunderbolts Against the German Army

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This is part 1 of the story of Ed Cottrell, a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot who flew for the 493rd Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Group during World War II. This was made using the World War II flight simulator War Thunder - Download free here: playwt.link/tj3 Hope you enjoy! Please like, comment, and subscribe. #WW2 #WWIIHistory #WarThunder
RESEARCH SOURCES: Research sources in all of my content include the United States National Archives (NARA) - and specifically, Missing Air Crew Reports, as well as combat reports and diaries from various fighter and bomber squadrons. catalog.archiv...
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[@TJ3]

Want more videos like this? Support my work: Patreon.com/TJ3History - Know a living veteran of the air war? Fill out our form here! forms.gle/KaUPzKGFWKDy9uym9

[@Rusty_Gold85]

No not until you read more history on the war in Europe . The war started in 1939 not 1941

[@Eisbaer-xh9gx]

My Dad was with the US 1st ID from Normandy to Cologne and he always said the Jug was the infantrymen's best friend

[@johndilday1846]

My mom and her parents worked six days a week during the war at the Republic Aircraft factory in Evansville, Indiana making P-47 fighter planes. They were very proud to work for the war effort. I would like to think that they helped to build your plane. My mother installed radios and my grandparents installed the aluminum skins on the aircraft. Thanks for sharing.

[@Special.Purpose.Weapon]

I say it all of the time , this is an extremely underrated channel . TJ does an amazing job bringing us these videos . Let's help him by giving him more likes to help the channels algorithm and get it more views . It only takes a split second. 😉

[@TJ3]

Thanks for the support!

[@dezmondw7927]

TJ's work is indeed great. Thank you for giving him kudos. TJ! When your work fully gets recognized and appreciated you're gonna have many more doors opening then you do now. Keep up the amazing work and again, thank you.

[@TJ3]

@@dezmondw7927 thanks :)

[@kennethbarrett3902]

I get overjoyed when I see the notification that they have dropped a new video and my wife laughs at me calling me her nerd lol but I can’t help it I love history and she tells me all the time that when it comes to our children needing help in history and social studies classes at school that they will be referred to me bc she will tell you herself that she slept through her history classes and would cheat on the tests to get a passing grade. lol but I love her anyways!!

[@Querencias7]

Well said, SPW! Totally agree.

[@smellyfella5077]

Basically the 9th was tactical and the 8th was strategic. Thanks for summing it up for the vast others that do not know the difference between the two strategies.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

Always interesting to see that the 9th was escorted by fighters in Africa and the MTO, yet that lesson was lost on the 8th AF in Europe.

[@mgweible8162]

Tj coming in to make Friday a great day! Appreciate all you do GOAT, Stay awesome!

[@TJ3]

Thanks :)

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

Patton's command was 3rd Army, not the 9th.

[@wittwittwer1043]

These animations always show firing from an aircraft's wing guns coming out in parallel streams. A P-47's guns were adjusted so that their bullets would converge 300 yards in front of the aircraft. That means that any target 300 yds in front would be subjected to the concentrated impact of eight .50 cal machine guns.

[@michaelmeier5893]

Best WW2 channel ever. You could make one hell of a Netflix documentary with your amazing skills and attention to detail.

[@jimwiskus8862]

Thank you TJ! It’s always a joy to see what you’ve compiled into a detailed documentary. ❤

[@TJ3]

Thanks for watching!

[@nuke19491]

My dad sailed to Europe on the Île de France! He was a B-24 bomber pilot in the 8th AAF

[@JUNKERS488]

A New TJ3 Video What a great way to start the day and weekend . Another awesome story told by a pilot that was there. It's great to hear these Heroes tell us What it was like to be there. Thank you for all your hard work and research you put into these stories and interviews they are simply the best. Please " Keep 'em flyin we've got your six".

[@SeadartVSG]

My father was in the 8th Airforce and his unit was assigned to bases in Belgium to provide ground support during the battle of the bulge. His base was attacked during operation Bodenplatte. We have a scrapbook with photos from the base with other 8th airforce fighters and 9th airforce fighters identifiable by the painting on the nose cowlings. I have not found much information about the 8th airforce fighters doing ground support at that time. I remember his stories about when the weather cleared and it became a "turkey shoot". I think with official WWII histories there is a lot of the USAAF recorded information that is partially incorrect or incomplete'. Unfortunately most of the guys who knew the full stories have passed on. When I was very young I remember one of my dad's friends, talking about trying to shoot tanks with rockets from his P-47 which he said he never actually able hit a tank with a rocket, but when they fired on the tanks in Belgium with 8 machine guns the Germans would get out of the tanks and run.

[@papalegba6796]

P47 had an extremely well designed wing. Allied aerodynamics & engineering doesn't get the credit it deserves compared to Germany, Allies were ahead in many ways. Hawker Tempest was similar, far better than anything the Germans had.

[@stg4478]

the FW 190 had close to the same wing designed much better plane then the FW 109

[@xuansu9036]

@@stg4478 ME or BF109. But Germany really should have stopped production of 109s and focused on 190.

[@stg4478]

@@xuansu9036 they did FW 190 D but to late mostly used to defend Brelin so few and new they painted red stipes on bottom of the wings so there own gunners didn't shoot at them down

[@bobsakamanos4469]

@@xuansu9036 It's strange that Willie Messerschmitt couldn't design a successful next gen prop fighter after the 109, despite trying.

[@Delusionaryvisionary_407]

@@xuansu9036 No. 109 was easier to produce and could compete with any allied aircraft in good hands. Late war 109s are disregarded far more than they should be.

[@user-bi3ww3im3s]

The RAF sometimes worked in tandam with the P47s the RAF Typhoon's 🌀 on low level ground attack and the Typhoon's 🌀 where first class

[@tmanwattsutube]

That was an excellent video. In addition to relevant and well directed use of animation, pulling and showing the old documentation of the missions and personnel gave t his video a level of authenticity I don't experience on most other aviation channels I watch. Great job and thank you!

[@murphymmc]

TJ, please include the particular models and improvements of the P-47 in these stories. The P-47 of 1944 was much improved over the 1941-42 versions.

[@TJ3]

When he transitions to the bubble canopy model in 1945, then I will change the model used in the visuals. This model is nearly exactly accurate. (You can actually see the models used in each mission in his flight log I show).

[@hariszark7396]

TJ's work is difficult enough as it is trying to bring to us all those stories with visuals. Don't bother him with unnecessary things like this. We can live without seeing the most accurate plane models in those videos.

[@jennyk7741]

This is made in the war thunder a lot of the plane models in real life are not in the game

[@jimc6687]

Another great researched and animated production, TJ! Cottrell is an absolute American hero!! Jim C.

[@TJ3]

Thanks Jim!

[@cbbees1468]

​@@TJ3My grandfather was a mechanic for the 419th NFS in the Pacific, do you have any videos on a WW2 night fighter unit?

[@TJ3]

@@cbbees1468 not yet!

[@cbbees1468]

@@TJ3Gotcha, yeah it may make for a good video idea. He worked on P-38 Lightnings on Guadalcanal and by the time he was stationed in the Philippines, also worked on the P-61 Black Widows.

[@billyray8062]

Another outstanding video, with incredible attention to detail.

[@kystars]

I have a soft spot for the P40. It was flown by the famous Flying Tigers. It was NOT a bad fighter plane. It was used all over the world because the US had it in large numbers. The Russians liked it very well fighting the Germans. As did the British in Africa fighting the Germans. It was the main fighter at Pearl Harbor and shot down a number of Japanese aircraft, about 15 or a little more that day. The Japanese lost 29 planes that day. A Older P36 that day actually shot down the Japanese Zero. But I admit my favorite is the P47 Thunderbolt.. or JUG.. Bob Johnson. read his book with the 56th fighter group. The Germans actually said the P47 had to be handled very carefully. It could take an astounding amount of lead, with seemingly no effect to its performance. This was said by German fighter pilots. I read all the books by all pilots in world war 2. :) My dad's friend flew a P47 Thunderbolt.. You can see his photo if you look him up.. Herb Boyle. He shot down a Spitfire with it. Yes a British Spitfire. My dad asked why.. Herb said he started shooting at me first, so I shot him down. Could have been a captured aircraft.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

the bombers in N.Africa flew at about 12,000' forcing the LW fighters to come down from their perch. That gave the P-40's a fighting chance. The RAF were happy to have their Hurricanes replaced by the Tomahawks / Kittyhawks, despite its shortcomings.

[@donl1846]

What a story and a history lesson all at the same time, thanks for sharing !

[@user-xh3lz9xt4l]

As an aside Cambrai was the scene of the introduction of tanks into WWI

[@sergioleone3583]

Great stuff. The visuals looked really great as usual, liked the part with the Piper Cub at the beginning. It's close air support day for me, I just watched a quick fun bit on the A-10, a descendent of the P-47 in some ways. Anyone that's ever seen that bird doing its thing in the air knows just how lovely it is.

[@jh2309]

Great story just one mistake General Patton was in command of the 3rd US Army not the 9th as you mention. That was commanded by General William Simpsons.

[@dougcastleman9518]

Did I hear you say "Patton's Ninth Army?" That was commanded by Lieutenant General Simpson...Patton famously commanded the Third Army. Great interview and video, anyway. edit: I see that you got the correct general later on in the video...perhaps I missunderstood you originally.

[@MorganOtt-ne1qj]

No, you heard correctly. Great ear for the facts! 👍

[@sailordude2094]

Great interview! Loved the video, thanks!

[@janlindtner305]

The dimension that the story accompanies the flight is like being with it yourself. Commendable work. Looking forward to the second one👍👍👍

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@Querencias7]

Truly excellent research, editing, production. Great job, TJ3! Terrific tributes. 👍

[@IPMSOC]

Excellent research on this topic - thanks for sharing

[@TJ3]

Thanks for watching!

[@georgemartin1436]

TREMEDOUS content! I love seeing these guys tell their stories, and added to your excellent research and animation, it's just awesome.

[@monferno204]

Spectacular work - better than the History channel. Keep it up, and thank you for documenting these stories from the Greatest Generation!

[@willielang8773]

Thanks for your videos! I enjoy them!

[@01ZO6TT]

Thanks TJ for another great video! I look forward to watching them every time I see a new one uploaded. Always well done on the info and content.

[@theocold9256]

Good stuff as always from TJ3. I’m looking forward to the follow up video. Thanks for doing what you do!

[@MGB-learning]

Outstanding video and presentation.

[@FozzyZ28]

😁😁👍😎 The work that goes into these stories must be emense for they are truly amazing stories! ❤

[@GiantPopIts89]

BADA** as usual dude. Amazing work! Thank you 🙏

[@garysmith3173]

What a fantastic channel,thank you sir.

[@madmanmechanic8847]

Wow very well done great video skills so cool loved it

[@hariszark7396]

0:43 I like this picture so much!!

[@kennethbarrett3902]

*I know this wasn’t the main topic of this video and was only briefly mentioned at the very end of the video* HOWEVER My old pastor when I was growing up in Georgia as a kid was a veteran of World War II and was at the battle of the bulge. During the battle there was troop photographer that had been with Preacher Kitchens unit for a few months and had befriended my old Pastor where they was “good pals” as my preacher said. And during the battle that day they heard incoming enemy planes and of course the snow was thick so moving quickly was almost impossible bunt the man looked up and snapped a picture of the plane which had dropped a bomb directly above the photographer and he snapped a picture really quick and yelled for Bro. Kitchens to catch and he threw his camera as hard as he could bc they was a good distance away and the man had managed to take a picture of the bomb that inevitably took his life as it was coming straight down at him….upon arrival back home in the USA he got all of the film developed and the Camera took the picture clear as day of the bomb and the group of planes that had dropped it. So he was able to snap a picture of the thing that killed him and preacher kitchens kept that photo and the camera on a shelf on display in his office at the church and later after retiring from the ministry due to health reasons in his living room. Everytime he would show them to anyone who asked what it was you could tell that in his mind seeing it and talking about it took him right back to that snowy cold battlefield. Those kinda men are hero’s not what the media claims are hero’s now days from the drag queens reading to pre k and primary school students to the professional athletes making millions of dollars a year playin a sport. But now this country and our education system is teaching in schools as I seen in a high schoolers history book not all that long ago how Hitler was a great leader who should be praised. When yes I understand that he did bring his country out of a dark time making the economy flourish with a war time economy but in the process having thousands of men, women and children put to death in awful ways simply because of their religion or ethnicity or if they had disabilities. WW2 has always fascinated me to learn about and I try to teach my kids already at ages 3&5 that if it wasn’t for the brave men and women of our military both in the past and present that many of them fought and died to allow us to have the freedoms and the lifestyle the we are fortunate to have today! Sorry for the long comment but that story deserves in my opinion the lengthy typing and reading. Thanks to all our Vets both in the past and those serving now!! We owe literally everything we have in life here in the USA to them!!! And it greatly saddens me that all of the rights and liberties that these men and women have fought and died for are slowly being taken away in the name political correctness and In blaming certain people or any group for any issues we have today, everyone is riding on this PC train and want our nation to become like other nations that have had to live and survive under tyrannical governments and government officials who stripped away the public’s rights and when you stop and look at what’s happening today in our nation we are skiing on a very slippery slope that once you go down there is no possibility of getting back up to the top where you started!

[@emmgeevideo]

For an expert such as yourself, I can't understand why you referred to the Army organization that flew the P-47 as the "US Air Force" (6:02). The USAF was formed in 1947. The US Army Air Forces were created in 1941. Its advocates wanted a separate organization such as the RAF in the UK and even the Luftwaffe in Germany. A concession was made to place the USAAF as an equal branch with the US Army ground forces, not as a subsidiary as the US Army Air Corps had been. The USAAF was fully part of the US Army throughout the US involvement in World War II.

[@TJ3]

@emmgeevideo because honestly, it just doesn't matter much in my opinion. Everyone knows who I'm referring to, and to change the name from army air corps, to army air force, to air force, based on the year is just chaos and an unnecessary headache. It's all the same for the purposes of a video like this.

[@emmgeevideo]

@@TJ3 Interesting reply from someone who ostensibly is an historian. "Facts are an unnecessary headache".

[@kaynebartholomew2994]

Patton was 3rd Army, 9th Army was General Simpson.

[@jlawsl]

What I love about these old guys is that they remember every name, date and place. I have been to combat and can tell what happened, but not remember everything as much. Without studying it and getting with my peers, I probably couldn't point out specific dates or remember places as well due to the abundance of technology that remembers for us. On the other hand, tech doesn't remember the intimate details and the journey. Also, it is interesting that he was the "older" pilot when he got his first mission and that the senior pilots were 18. Imagine that. Nobody touches a stick in combat these days until after college. I wonder why flight training and college go hand in hand today instead of an aptitude test/practical exam? By all measure, a person that COULD have gone to college, could go to flight school, graduate and have the necessary training to be a pilot, at the same intelligence level but with thousands of more hours under their belt then a person that went to a university/college during the same time period.

[@hariszark7396]

In my country you have to take the national exams after finishing 6 years of high school and score a high number of points, almost a perfect score. Then you will be accepted to the flight school of the Airforce where you MAY pass the initial exams and tests (physical and mental and writing) and then go to the 4 years of training. Note here that you can fail and move out at any moment all that time.

[@warbuzzard7167]

Think it's a question of maturity - the modern airframes are worlds more powerful and far more expensive and dangerous. They need a dedicated and professional airman, not a kid.

[@user-iz3jy5cj1b]

How aboutthe Navy piiot who flew his PBY under the Coos Bay, Oregon? this flight was the main theme on an old "Navy Log" program back in the 1950's or early early 1960's tv .

[@HornetCinematics]

Very nice video as always!

[@uncbadguy]

Hey TJ!! Is that the IL-2 Great Battles?? That I waited FOREVER for? Subscribed

[@carlgomm9699]

This is an awesome channel, very well presented, you have a loyal friend and fan here ❤

[@michaelmorrison687]

Salt Lake City had a bridge? Like one across San Francisco? I wasn't around in the 1940s, but I was never aware there was a bridge. If there was one, it must have been a small one, which would be too low to the water to allow a P-47 to fly under it. I'm sure Ed was mistaken. He must of meant another bridge. Richard Bong did a similar stunt flying under the Golden Gate Bridge while stationed at Hamilton Airbase near San Francisco.

[@thestrum71]

I'm from Belgium. And I have a pretty good idea what the next video will be about... 😊

[@dalekapsch8230]

Your wrong Patten's 3rd army not the 9th army

[@hanksattlethight7528]

great story and well researched. one issue - Patton was in charge of the 3rd army and not the 9th.

[@alanniederlitz8630]

really informative and for me, very interesting

[@TacticalMania-xe1xh]

awesome as always

[@clintppalmer]

Salt Lake City Bridge?

[@Tam0de]

These guys were flying fighter aircrafts, putting their lives on the line defending the free world, at 18 yrs old. I couldn't even change a flat tire when i was that age 😂

[@outinthesticks1035]

Men were a bit different back then . My grandfather quit school at 14 to take over the family farm , when his father passed . I knew one man who did the same at age 8

[@tristanaycock7447]

Great Video TJ, Thank You so much for showing us the stories of these Great Men of the Greatest Generation. Thank You for Giving and Showing the ones that are still with us the Great Respect that they Deserve. Thanks again for your Hard Work on these Documentaries and everything you do, It Brings such Joy to me and so many others to watch your Videos. You the Man. Thanks Again, Great Work.

[@strikezero01]

it was right to name the A-10 Warthog the next Thunderbold, because never knew that they been shot "a lot" until land and check their warplane's damage.

[@flingmonkey5494]

Curiosity about flying under bridges: I have heard several stories of it being done, I have heard that it was banned as being dangerous, but did anyone ever try it and not make it?

[@TheTypewriterGuy]

Thanks!

[@bocadelcieloplaya3852]

i still think focusing on 4 engine heavy bombers was a mistake, instead of producing and utilizing gground attack and support aircraft like the P-47. Maybe an A-1 Skyraider aircraft would have been made earlier in the war and used to great effect. More focus on ground support could have allowed an Allied blitzkrieg push deep into Germany much earlier after D-Day.

[@garyheiny2820]

How did those planes even take off with those huge balls they were dragging that can also be dangerous for those on the ground

[@JSFGuy]

No notice but let's check it out.

[@BrandonTilley-vo7mc]

WAR THUNDER!!!!

[@lilylin5226]

good video

[@nathanbasset]

I was one of those Panzer IVs in the intro! Fun time!

[@davidblick2192]

Utilize=Use. One Syllable versus three syllables and means the same thing

[@PaulJohnson-lu5os]

That ain't a Piper Cub.

[@garyjordan3914]

TJ as much as I like your videos and look forward to them . There a few things you get wrong and on this on its Patton's 3rd Army not the ninth there's no such animal . You really need to fix this as the son of a third army tanker I'm more then a little bit irked .

[@tramspected403]

when video about coral sea

[@williampage622]

That’s not a Piper Cub.

[@abitofapickle6255]

The jug

[@jasongibson8114]

Love having the air force above me dominating the sky's. The Army is rough but not as rough as a bomber crew.

[@mikecain3134]

JABOs as the Germans knew them.

[@wirelessone2986]

@ 2:15 what the heck is that trainer??

[@wirelessone2986]

Dewoitin D.371

[@Fernando-vb9ti]

18 year old boy flying this ✈️

[@jonvenema]

wait a minute i am in this

[@sambothefate3462]

So german small arms fire is no mach against a p47 thunderbolt

[@mayorgaming1561]

21 years old they ingage in war while me wondering what life a head

[@NoManClatuer-pd8ck]

Way too many ads😊

[@donharrison706]

across the Reich - bravo except for one thing. To say it right, say the English word keys, then say it slowly - it's not a k sound

[@flypawels]

👍

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

It wasn't the flak that the Thunderbolts battled against in the Ardennes Offensive. It was the fookin' weather. Once the clouds cleared, they helped a lot, but there was no Luftwaffe by that point. Who writes these scripts?

[@TJ3]

Perhaps you should pay better attention. This mission took place on December 6th, 11 days before the Ardennes offensive. In addition, your comment about the Luftwaffe is about to also be proven false in the next video, when Ed's flight will be pounced by a flight of 20 Me-109s.

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

@@TJ3 Quatsch. The Luftwaffe did not magically disappear after the Normandy invasion. It was toast long before. I don't need your uninformed timeline for reference, mate. How old are you? How long have you been reading history? Ambitious little git, aren't you?

[@TJ3]

Lol. Clearly a calm and substantive reply. Have a nice day!

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

@@TJ3 You too, brother. I could have been argumentative and laid more history on you, but what's the point, really? You're happy with what you think you know, your audience knows even less, so what's the point? You just keep making uninformed videos--who will ever know the difference in this age of dunces?

[@hariszark7396]

"Who writes these scripts" ? Really? Did you not heard the veteran pilot who actually LIVED those things saying it? Or maybe you know better because you read it somewhere? 😬

[@jimclanin8648]

Get your facts straight. Patton led the 3rd Army.

[@exharkhun5605]

He has his fact straight although the script is a bit muddy. He says the 9th airforce provides air support for Patton, which it does as it's the US tactical airforce in western Europe. Cobra was in the end of July so they most definitely provided air support for Patton's spearhead. The script and the edit muddy this up but when Mr. Cotrell talks about supporting the 9th army he is talking about something that happens later. The 9th army isn't even in France until a month after Cobra if I recall correctly. While TJ3 would have been better off not mentioning Patton at all you can't really blame him, he's a flyboy. Just like to some every tank is a Tiger, to him probably every general is either Rommel or Patton. At least he got the side straight.... This time. 😜

[@jamess3241]

Get your behavior straight. Start with respect. By the way, where's the KZbin video you made?

[@Paulftate]

Wasn't referred to as the Air Force but the Air corps

[@TJ3]

This is often overstated. It was officially called the Army Air Corps in 1941-92, but by the end of the war, many were simply already calling it the Air Force. The terms had become synonymous and the term USAF had already been established officially well before the end of the war. (Because people had begun to call it the "Army Air Force")

[@Paulftate]

@@TJ3 yeah,, I know .. just being a smartass🤙

[@TJ3]

@@Paulftate Nice. Lol

[@adbad3148]

Officially the Army Air Corps was replaced by the Army Air Force in 1941 which then became its own branch in 1947.

[@Paulftate]

@@adbad3148 sounds about right

[@zillsburyy1]

much better than the P-51

[@danielburgess7785]

U.S. Army Air Force. =1

[@kennethhlavik8155]

This story is pretty weak and boring, compared to other missions. that i've studied and read ""

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Another one . Its like the only 2 battles in ww2 were Omaha beach and Battle of the Bulge. Can Americans do something else instead of boring bat shit same crap all the time

[@TJ3]

Thanks so much!! Glad you loved it!

[@user-iz3jy5cj1b]