The WW2 Fighter that Could Rip Apart Any Target

It was October 11, 1943, and Colonel Neel E. Kearby and three of his men were attacking the Japanese base at Wewak in the Pacific.
But the situation went quickly wrong when about 40 Japanese Army fighters showed up to defend the base. The four men were heavily outnumbered, but Kearby considered the odds were even.
Each of the four Republic P47 Thunderbolts they were piloting was armed with a powerful machine-gun battery of eight .50-caliber Browning MGs with a combined fire rate of 100 rounds per second.
Without hesitating, the four US aircraft joined the fray and began firing at the enemy’s formation with devastating consequences.
The P47s were well on their way to becoming the unstoppable Juggernauts…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

[@Norbrookc]

Republic Aircraft 1940's: "We've got a honking big plane. Let's see how many guns we can put on it." Republic Aircraft 1970's: "We've got a honking big gun. Let's see what kind of plane we can put around it."

[@jamesmmusic5806]

Underrated comment

[@engmed4400]

Neither of which is a bad way to go, really.

[@rusellgonzalez3564]

RATATATATATATATANK destroyer 😂 You see that ratank? I wannna see it like it was cheese. Yas sir. Three minutes latter: how many holes does have? Does it matter now tha it has become grinded cheese? Nah, nevermind, and remember pilot, always keep going trigger happy.

[@robertkeaney7047]

As a young kid, maybe 12 years old, I met a gentleman who's name was Val Boudreau. I think he lived in Connecticut. He told me a story which I have cherished for some 50 years. He told me that while flying his P-47, he and his wingman were at low level somewhere in Europe looking for "targets of opportunity" when two ME 262's screamed past them. Both 262's then put on a display of their ability to climb like nothing else seen before. Val them went on to say, "So I pushed the throttle full fwd and began that long, slow climb after him." He likened it to being on the chain that pulls a rollercoaster to the top of the ride. All the while, the 262's were toying with them, just waiting for them to come "up to play", as he put it. Eventually, as he finally arrived at altitude, one 262 made the mistake of pushing his nose over and headed into a dive. I can still hear Val's words today. "That was his biggest mistake! I weight 8 tons, have 2000 horsepower, and a 12' prop. NOBODY GOES DOWNHILL FASTER THAN ME". As he put it, I was gaining on him, fixated on getty him in my gun range and sights, when I suddenly realized, (and I quote), "HOLY SHIT", that ground is coming up REALLY FAST! He never got a shot off on that 262, but he said I barely leveled off at the trees, and the last time I saw him, he was looking up at my huge prop as the 262 was literally pressed into the earth.

[@shawndavis2616]

That man was a legendary troll, if I was still a drinker sitting at the same bar as him, his first round would be on me, no questions asked, no challenge coin needed.

[@ideaseeds01]

Thankfully Santa also could pull up the sleigh so they both made it that say and later shared a coke at the beach.

[@robertkeaney7047]

@@airgin3000 as I understood it, the 262 flew into the ground. Out of altitude and no room to maneuver.

[@marklittle8805]

Ya, never out dive a Jug

[@jacktattis]

Garbage Garbage Garbage This is from a Test at Duxford 1943 AFDU 3/21/1 3RDM 43 1.P47C dive very fast but reaches its limits @ 520 IAS @10000ft and 450 IAS @ 20000ft 2. This is from another test at Wright Airfield Jul 1944 P47 Indicated Limit Diving Speed 500 mph 3. This is from Eric Browns Wings of the Luftwaffe at 0.86 Mach [ 650 MPH IAS] the stick was extremely heavy and the plane was shaking badly I had to allow the plane to auto correct itself as the Altitude got lower . He ascertained that 0.83 was the Usable Mach No so around 636 mph The point is the P47 would never have caught a Me262 in the dive In other words Bulldust

[@organicdudranch]

I had a friend who flew them in ww2 ,his name was Wally Groce,he is in the records a bit . he died a few years ago,i will try to tell a few things he said.first he said when it came out everyone was afraid it would be a death trap, someone took it up and was to light on the power and hated it, he got in it and learned if you hold it wide open it was awesome, anything less and you were asking for trouble. after him everyone started flying it and it became loved. He shot down a ME 262 ..that was a very special thing as the germans had a jet fighter that was about 100 mph faster than the p-47 ...it had a camera on board ,so wally had a photo of the actual shot that took the wingtip off the ME 262. he said he flew with another guy ,and saw him fly down to strafe a train, the 8 guns blew the train over and off its tracks ,wow thats the power of 8 -50 cals. he said the guns would slow the plane down, and they had to be careful to not hit debris from shooting in front,and flying thru it. he had heard someone had a cylinder shot off the radial engine and it kept running to get him back home. amazing, very tough plane.

[@neilwhitmore]

That's amazing, thanks for sharing!

[@mightymystery9204]

Shawn, thanks for passing that on. That way such stories last forever, at large, so we do not forget The Greatest Generation.

[@kenfxj]

Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@jamesjonstone6369]

It’s great to read these things, thank you for your contribution, and especially for contributing such valuable and personal recollections. This is Gold!

[@johndaroza2987]

It was the fastest piston engine plane at over 500 mph. Also it was very strong.

[@hman0007]

The P-47 was also able to absorb a large amount of battle damage and keep flying due to it's radial engine and substantial construction.

[@dishusse]

There is a reason the official name of the A-10 is Thunderbolt II …

[@kittymervine6115]

thank you!

[@mdechjr]

@@PhysicsDude55 parsecs?

[@guyh.4553]

Thanks for mentioning this. One legend has it that a Jug actually flew through a brick wall in France and was able to get his bird back to England! What a plane!

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

The engine and main fuel tank was part of the frontal protection and protection from the rear was partly taken from the gigantic turbo and then the cockpit had rear armor plating but I don't know if it had floor armor plating.

[@thatmemestar378]

It's actually interesting that the designer of the p47 was Alexander Kartveli , the same designer who made the A 10 warthog . Now , I know why they said the thunderbolt was the grand dad of the hog .

[@robertdragoff6909]

I had no idea that Kartveli designed the A10. No wonder it was named the Thunderbolt II

[@lordmuhehe4605]

The difference being that P47 was actually good. A10 would be more effective without the cannon and with more missiles.

[@johnr7279]

If the P-47 was 'Gramps' and the grandchild was the A-10, would that maybe make the kid in between the A-1 Skyraider?

[@flyingfalcon8999]

@@johnr7279 I could see that.

[@jamesandrew6211]

@@lordmuhehe4605 hahahahahahahahahHHhahahhahahahHha

[@adr7ex]

Thank you for mentioning Mexico‘s and Brazil’s involvement with the P 47. I’ve known of there expeditions for a long time and it’s great to hear others include their experience in WWII.

[@C-Henry]

The sister channel to this one Dark Docs did an episode dedicated to them about a year ago, title is WWII - The Aztec Eagles. If you haven't seen it its worth a watch.

[@nateofnazareth7785]

They're stories that don't get enough air time. They deserve to be spoken about

[@Idahoguy10157]

The Aztec Eagles were trained in Pocatello Idaho. Supposedly because the locals discriminated against them when they trained in Texas

[@richardmeo2503]

In all of my research for my Fatal Flaws history series, I never learned of those air combat units. I knew of the Puerto Rican Regiment that held the line in Korea, but not of the others.

[@leftistsarenotpeople]

I'm an American expat now living in the Philippines. That isn't unusual. What IS unusual is that I'm just a hard sneeze away from a small settlement called Porac, in southern Pampanga/Northern Bataan area of Luzon. It used to be, and still is to a degree, a smaller auxiliary airfield close to the old Clark AFB. It was there at Porac where the Aztec Eagles were based and was doing God's work in their close air support missions. Almost everyone here is oblivious to that airfield's heritage but I cannot help but imagine what it was like each and every time I pass by which is a rather regular occurrence.

[@xray86delta]

A relative of mine, who has since passed away, flew the P-47, and the P-51 in World War II. He actually preferred his P-47 for its toughness over the P-51's agility.

[@waxhead6332]

Rest in peace that guy. Thank you for your service.

[@soundknight]

Very American philosophy...

[@dukecraig2402]

@@soundknight Yep, the P47 was a hockey player in a figure skating contest, and everytime one of those figure skaters got slammed against the boards the body parts would go flying. Body parts blood and tutu's scattered all across the ice, oh the humanity.

[@tomgunn8004]

@@soundknight America hater? Queer?

[@EBDavis111]

The P-51 wasn't particularly more agile. It just had better gas mileage.

[@kirbysinclair9936]

For those interested, Martin Caidin wrote the book Thunderbolt, which chronicled the career of Robert S. Johnson up to the end of his service in Europe. Hub Zemke and Gabby Gabreski also feature prominently. A great read.

[@Hoplophile1]

I read this book when I was a teenager, and it began my lifelong fascination with the P-47. It's an excellent book and a must read for any WWII aviation enthusiast.

[@johngetty3839]

One on favorite books ever. First read in about 1962.

[@nolanbowen8800]

I've read it twice. It's about the best fighter aircraft book out there.

[@user-ms4ef8xz9t]

One of the best books I ever read. Johnson was a great pilot and Caidin had some of the best books of that time period. I still have a copy.

[@andreperrault5393]

I read this in the 70’s. I still have this in my collection along with any other similar biographical/historical/documentary books of this type. A great read.

[@NjalLaing]

I always liked the thunderbolt since a kid, just such a tank in the sky.

[@riverbluevert7814]

As a kid I loved the Mustang, Corsair, and Lightning fighters. But over time, I've come to admire the brute strength of the Thunderbolt. The technology of the Turbo-Supercharger is fantastic.

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

Impressive Jugs!!! Brought a smile to my face. I read that when they opened up with their MG's, it took 30 mph of their air speed such was the recoil. A very tough and capable fighter bomber.

[@tomd6704]

That would feel like just slamming the brakes in your car wouldn't it? Going from 30 to zero in a car is just like 530 to 500.

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

@@tomd6704 Yes, that is just how the pilots described it. Cheers

[@gunshipgray4295]

My grandfather flew The Dora FW-190D….he fought every allied fighter you can name…he said the P-47D was one of the most difficult aircraft to shoot down because of its toughness….

[@eoliverosh]

I had the opportunity to meet someone who flew with the green heats. He then came to Colombia and went to fly with the Colombian Air Force, there he had to fly and train Colombian pilots who were having trouble flying the P-47. Great person.

[@eoliverosh]

Sorry, Green Hearts.

[@dennisleslie8962]

I guess he never fought the P47s with the 18 inch wings and 50mph top speed....

[@eoliverosh]

@@dennisleslie8962 I believe that most of his combat experience and kills were in the Eastern front against the soviets.

[@saintadolf5639]

Opa was badass!

[@waydel4]

My sister-in-law's father flew a Jug in Italy 44 to 45. He told me several stories about his service in the Army. RIP Don.

[@centaur1a]

Don’t forget that the P-47 could handle heavy punishment from AA flak to enemy aircraft fights, and still return the pilot home. Also. What about the Skyraider. It came late in Korean War but was used in Vietnam. That plane also built tough and carry massive weapon load.

[@jacktattis]

2600 P47 were lost in the G/A role in 14 months Typhoon lost 670 all through its service life and was down low longer than the P47

[@williamleidy6713]

The Sky raider is my favorite propeller airplane of all time.

[@desubtilizer]

5:48 This model gave the aircraft a top speed of just 50 miles per hour 😆 7:39 The P-47N became the last thunderbolt model its wings were lengthened to 18 inches 🤣

[@mikebergman1817]

Yea, it's kind of annoying. No warbird will create lift at 50 miles per hour.. lol

[@johncarter1150]

@@mikebergman1817 and a wingspan of 36 inches...LOL

[@zounds13]

LOL I missed that second one.

[@chrisp4170]

For some reason, nobody checks the text, leading to this nonsense

[@jwrockets]

A 5 oz bird cannot possibly carry a 1-pound coconut.

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

When I was young an older member of my kayak-club told me that he shot down a P-47 with his ME-262 with a single burst. He was aiming at the wings but one bullet hit the fuselage and so the P-47 exploded. He was very sorry about that the pilot lost his live. He shoot down 2 more enemy planes. One was a B-17. The British kept him in captivity and almost let him starve to death. Thank god the International Red Cross could send him back home. His own mother almost didn’t recognize him. He was one of the youngest pilots who survived the war. After the war he built the best and lightest Kayaks ever. I still use one of his masterpieces. He was also a private pilot after the war and repaired airplanes too. Greetings from Linz Austria 🇦🇹 Europe!

[@edwardloomis887]

One of the big improvements not covered was bubble canopies later models got that greatly improved pilots' visibility. Examples are visible in many of the clips in the video's second half.

[@j.w.perkins6004]

I have a friend who flew P-47's in Vietnam. He was a SAR pilot who flew close air support for Jolly Greens, covering downed pilots while the Jolly's picked up the pilots. In 1968, he was shot down by ground fire, injured, and retired from the USAF. A true hero, he just turned 94 this year. Col. Bill Buice of Pensacola, Fl.

[@jacktattis]

What country flew the P47 in Vietnam I was unaware that any were there.

[@extremelydeplorablebodean839]

The A10 THUNDERBOLT 2 was my baby, I was a engine hydraulic mechanic served with the 23rd TFW FLYING TIGERS 76 AGS VANGUARDS 87-91 AND FOUGHT IN DESERT STORM. BEST AIRCRAFT THE U.S.A.F. EVER FIELDED IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, LOTS OF GROUND POUNDERS FELT THE SAME WAY.

[@MarkJacksonGaming]

-- I wanted to join to fly A-10s. Small card of course and it was always (and remains) in question. Went to the Rangers instead. Passed my tests, but I was too tall. That reg has since changed. But, I grew up with them at the grandparents. Out hunting turkeys, Battle Creek, Michigan, before they moved the wing, basically out of Ft. Custer. Those A-10s got used to seeing me out there, and strafe me. No fire of course, and after they'd come around and offer a salute or a wing-rock. Always made my day being target practice :)

[@UkrainianPaulie]

I served 24 years, 3 wars. INF then ARSOF. I can attest to the fact that whenever available we always requested Hogs for our CAS needs. Nothing silences the guys in man-dresses more than the Avenger! True fact, Me and my former team are alive today thanks to a Hog driver in A-stan 2009. Love the Hog!

[@cmcer1995]

That was great review of the Thunderbolts. I was thinking they were similar to the A-10 while I was watching this and then at the end there, she was the A10 Warthog my favorite ground support aircraft. Now I can look at the P47 in much the same way. What an impressive fighter that really stood the test of time just like the A-10 does today.

[@stevewhite3424]

It's no accident that the official Air Force name for the A-10 is the Thunderbolt II

[@cmcer1995]

@@stevewhite3424 I didn't even notice. That makes it even cooler.

[@TheJonkerr7]

if you like ground support aircraft, take a look at the Douglas A1 Skyraider. Formidable aircraft still used into the the Vietnam war after first seeing service just after WW II in 1946 I think.

[@keithpennock]

@cmcer1995 No accident, Alexander Kartevelli designed the A-10 at the end of his life, he lived long enough to see it fly but not to get its acclaim after the Gulf War. He was a true genius & patriot.

[@mikemarthaller8789]

Some years ago I talked to a retired USAF pilot who had flown both the P 47 and the P/F 51 in WW 2 combat His comment was he preferred the P 47. Its draw back was fuel range

[@jacktattis]

No Extended dive and expense

[@C-Henry]

My favorite US fighter of the war, there's just something appealing about that much firepower, ruggedness, and overall brutality of it.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Very comforting survivability for the pilot in the ultimate boom and zoom machine. It would be my #1 choice for back then.

[@whereswaldo5740]

They need to make them again and send about a thousand to Ukraine.

[@stilgar2007]

Mine too. It's the most "American" fighter: big radial engine, lot's of guns, very durable. Not made to dance, like those turn-fighting Brits and Japanese. It was made to destroy everything it dove on.

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

The A-26 has it beat in firepower...though it was considered more of a medium bomber than a fighter. At one point they were being unofficially armed in the field with an 8 gun nose, 6 in the wings, four in gun pods on pylons, and then the top turret gunner could independently strafe targets of opportunity around the primary target or it could be fixed forward with the rest of the guns...that's a total of 20 AN/M2's with a firing rate of 850rpm each, equating to 17,000 rounds/min or 280 rounds/sec. The A-10's GAU-8 avenger fires approximately 3,900 rounds/min for comparison. Could you imagine unleashing that kind of barrage on a target?

[@freeagent8225]

Similar to the older US cars .

[@vo1non]

My dad helped build the p47 in Evansville, IN. He said it was a big chunky beast that looked like it could barely get off the ground!

[@PhysicsDude55]

The KZbin channel "Greg's Planes and Automobiles" has some really good deep dive into the P-47's design and capabilities. Its definitely an underappreciated fighter than really carried a big load in WWII and then was unfairly overshadowed by the P51.

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

I still call the whole selection of the mustang for ground support in Korea as a s*** show the t-bolt would have been perfect big radial engine carry a big load just like the Corsair with the Marines didn't have mustangs they said now we're going to bring the Corsair and then this spad came along.

[@fredemny3304]

Yep, Greg gets his facts right, unlike whoever churns out the amateurish Dark Skies content. 😐

[@jfess1911]

@@thedeathwobblechannel6539 I think that lower operating cost of the P51 had a big influence on the decision to get rid of the P47's post WWII. They also wanted the optimal nimble dogfighter. The important role of ground support seemingly did not occur to those in charge.

[@Busrayne]

That _is_ a great channel. The P-47 also took on the hardest targets in the european theater; after the P-51 was introduced, the best pilots the germans had were the ones that just weren't going to be killed like Hartmann or Barkhorn; all the other real good pilots were lost to attrition.

[@jacktattis]

And Greg took no notice of the tests at Duxford/ Wright Field where it was proved that the Jug was lousy in the extended dive [450 mph @ 20000ft ]

[@islamispagan2137]

You have the best videos!! No nonsense just history!!! Thank you!

[@ezpz4659]

My great uncle James Earl Hack flew the p47 against Germans. Rest in peace

[@historybuff1848]

How many kill?

[@historybuff1848]

God bless him.

[@atreyuprincipalh4043]

God bless this hero,men like Mr Hack are the ones needed today so badly. Rest In Peace Sir

[@richardrogerson2383]

How did he die? He was one of the greatest generation of the 20th century. We need to foster the same dedication in this generation.

[@ezpz4659]

@@richardrogerson2383 After the war was declared over, he was flying a troop transport plane and he was almost to France when some ex-nazi farmers shot the plane. He crash landed and every survived but injured. They were surrounded and brought into a barn and stabbed to death with pitchforks. His spouse was a 100% Japanese girl living in America, and she was put into Japanese camps. They never saw each other again. She didn't get married until 35+ years after he died. We grew up in Gnadenhutten Ohio. First town ever established in Ohio, even before the USA was established.

[@pickleballer1729]

I knew a guy who flew a P47 in WW2, mostly for ground attack (interdiction) over Italy. He was shot down several times, and crash landed a couple of times. Some of his buddies procured and gave him the German flying cross, awarded for pilots who destroyed 5 or more Allied aircraft. He lived to be almost 100 years old, and was a vibrant and even athletic guy well into his 90's. Awesome dude. At 5:50 when you say that the addition of a 20 mm cannon would have given it a top speed of only 50 mph, what did you mean to say? 350 maybe? No way it could fly at 50 mph. Then at 7:47 you say "its wings were lengthened to 18 inches". Your videos are great, but you could use a proofer.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Robot voice.....text to Engrish...

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

Cool video, thanks! Dogfights has some good P-47 stories! It is a beast of a fighter! Also, @10:30, if a military unit is termed "Free French" that automatically implies it's not a Vichy unit.

[@archiesilkworth6607]

You missed another P-47 ace, Walker Melville "Bud" Mahurin he was credited with 19.95 victories in the P-47 in the European Theater of Operations. He was also credited with 1 victory (Mitsubishi Ki 46 Dinah) in the Pacific Theater while flying the P-51 and 3 victories in Korea (Mig-15s) flying the F-86.

[@chanceglantz2740]

The P-47 was the first aircraft model I built when I was a little kid. Additionally, just outside Republic Airport here on Long Island, there used to be a restaurant called The 56th Fighter Group. It was built to look like the airbase Zemke's Wolfpack operated out of. As kids, my brother and I loved going there.

[@Fix_n_Fly]

I was there the week they brought in the P-47 displayed out back of the restaurant. One impressive aircraft.

[@michaelburgoyne4224]

One of the innovations of the P-47's is its turbo supercharger. The air intake is below the engine. The the air goes to behind the pilot. The turbo supercharger then sends the air forward to the engine. Quite a piece of engineering.

[@laprepper]

Is a turbo supercharger a turbo,supercharger or?

[@michaelburgoyne4224]

"An advanced turbosupercharger system ensured the aircraft's eventual dominance at high altitudes, while also influencing its size and design." (Wikipedia, "Republic P-47 Thunderbolt")

[@jacktattis]

Yes it was too involved and probably caused so many to be lost down Low

[@lynnwood7205]

Having served with a Quad Fifty unit in Vietnam, I can truly appreciate the devastation a plane carrying the equivalent of two Quad .50's could wield. Then add the speed of the airplane to the speed of the bullet.

[@TheJustinJ]

Hulk Smash.

[@glennschemitsch8341]

Unfortunately. the speed of the aircraft does not increase the speed of the bullets.

[@Marc-dm1fh]

@@glennschemitsch8341 The speed of the bullet while waiting to be fired is the same as the speed of the aircraft. Add that to the bullet's own velocity on firing

[@Icepacalapse]

It's why a bomber tail gunner can hit you before you can hit him if it's a dead six attack. It's modeled in many sims.

[@danraymond1253]

@@glennschemitsch8341 yes it does. It has to.

[@keithw4920]

I remember very well the old LucasArts SWOTL manual where they quoted a WW2 vet who flew several aircraft in combat and said he would pick the P-47 anytime due to its ruggedness.

[@danmittendorff3155]

Would really love to see a video on the F6F Hellcat I think it is an often overlooked fighter even thousands of them were produced

[@billthurlow690]

My father in law was a P47 pilot WW2, 9th AF, 405 ft. sqd. flew mostly in support of Paten's 3rd. army, 50+ combat missions and a Purple Heart or two.

[@johnrudy9404]

There was a saying among ww2 pilots(I've read), that,...if wanted the girls, you flew a p51. But you flew a p47 if you wanted to get home. I'm finding it more and more difficult to claim one ww2 fighter as my favorite. Spit, p52, p40, p47,and of course a little plane designated the F4U. Fell in love with the Corsair as a child. Had a cool die cast model with working canopy, prop and L gear. Wings folded also(of course). Thank you Dark Skies for the impressive Jugs.

[@jacktattis]

Little plane the F4U ? 11740 lb TOW P51 10100 lb Spitfire MKXIV 8490lb Tempest 11400lb Hell all Navy planes were heavy

[@pjposton5001]

We had a Doctor in town who, while not my regular physician, I saw on occasion. While waiting in an examination room, I noticed a collection of P47 photos hanging on one wall. Doc came in while I was admiring them. "You know what that is boy?" he asked. "Yes Sir, that's a Thunderbolt" I replied. He smiled and said "That was my Jug, the love of my life. She saved my life more than I could count." After that, I tried to make excuses to visit for "Check Ups" more often than really needed and he loved sharing he's stories. I think him often and miss my "Check Ups". RIP Doc.

[@DavidCurryFilms]

5:50 top speed of 50mph?! Are you sure? 🤔

[@benclarke2754]

It also states later on that the wings were 18 inches..... perhaps lengthened by 18"?!?!

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

The obvious mistakes may be intentional as a way to generate YT comments because its in other videos as well.

[@colderwar]

He wouldn't know what an aeroplane was if it kicked him up the arse

[@kenneth9874]

All of his videos have glaring errors, I seldom watch one but I like the p47

[@Rose-xu6lq]

@@colderwar He might experience some proctalgia from that prop.

[@anthonyz7000]

There are four P-47s that fly in formation over our neighborhood every Independence Day and Memorial Day. Great to see them still flying

[@lancerevell5979]

P-35, not "P-335". A fighter and a racer. And.... "a top speed of FIFTY MPH"! Come on..... RESEARCH! 🤨

[@TinyBearTim]

Bro it’s a typo in the script

[@lordmuhehe4605]

It's obviously a typo, try using your brain sometimes.

[@jjhpor]

I like the part where the wings were lengthend to 18 inches. This must be the aeronautical equivalent of the pocket battleship.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

Robot voice.....text to Engrish...

[@Violincase]

5:45 - "This model gave the aircraft a top speed of just 50mph.." Really? Perhaps it was a scale model.

[@lancerevell5979]

Gabby Gabreski flew his last mission of WWII when he was supposed to be heading home to get married. He was strafing too low, his P-47D damaged and he crash landed, spending the rest of the war as a POW.

[@colderwar]

Typical Yank, showing off

[@Rose-xu6lq]

Did he marry her after the war?

[@derekambler]

He flew with the original Polish pilots with the RAF in the Battle of Britain flying Hurricanes.

[@joeheitz1833]

Top speed was 50mph. There wasn't an ultralight anywhere that was safe with this speed demon.

[@jrrarglblarg9241]

It must be a typo in his script. Most planes can’t even fly that slow without VSTOL mods on the wings.

[@Rose-xu6lq]

And they couldn't see a plane with 18 inch wings coming at them.

[@angusmatheson8906]

Dark skies makes some of the of the stupidest goddamn mistakes in his videos I swear to God.

[@borderreaver4615]

Top speed was over 400

[@SUPRAMIKE18]

I believe he meant top speed was 500mph (thought there are some old pilot stories of P-47s nearing closer to 600mph in a dive)

[@stevenspilly]

"Top speed of only 50 miles per hour" - surely this would be below stall speed

[@Ijetskilc2]

Misspoken I'm sure

[@lcubed11]

the P-47N had the wings with a length of 18 inches? amazing

[@shelbyroderfeld5943]

"Top speed of 50mph..."

[@gregorteply9034]

This video sounds like it has been narrated by artificial intelligence.

[@mattwright2964]

My late father flew the P47 in Indonesia at the end of WW2 in the RAF "Ace of Spades" squadron. He said the plane was super tough. When they were training no-one wanted to tow the practice drone as the guns would pretty much vapourise it. He said it also landed v fast which scared some pilots. He had lots of stories.

[@TimMonbrod]

Now, this is a Real factual information video ‼️‼️No lies, no misinformation, no propaganda, no half-truths, no opinionated hidden agendas, and no B.S.👍👍 Reminds me of Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow---just the FACTS mam, just the FACTS ‼️🗽🦅⚖️🇺🇲

[@imperialmodelworks8473]

Besides alot of information that was either incorrect, or straight up fabricated.

[@TimMonbrod]

@@imperialmodelworks8473 Join the Communist Party Comrade‼️😯😊😲😅😆😘🤫

[@Fandom_Junkie]

My brother in Christ you are watching a Dark Skies video. Not the most thorough researcher in the world. Sometimes I'm convinced these videos are AI generated

[@earlmauger3961]

All of his videos are just as you said. He has several channels, and I enjoy them all. He's not long winded with 45 min vids, but still very informative and easy to watch. One of my favs on KZbin for documentary videos.

[@TimMonbrod]

@@earlmauger3961 Amen‼️🇺🇲😎

[@coenjansen674]

I hope you do know The Netherlands and Belgium aren't cities.

[@ianhood8081]

The shear amount of casings dumping onto the ground @ 3:43 is absolutely mind-boggling...

[@larryg1947]

*sheer

[@jacktattis]

You could make a fortune in selling the brass

[@roadscholar05]

The out--board guns carried 350 round per gun while the in-board two guns carried 450 round with a total of 3,200. I has a work associate flew the P-47Ns in the last few months of WWII out of Okinawa. The P-47N, in addition to the longer wings with square tips, and had five extra fuel tanks in each wing with an increase of 200 gallons of fuel to give it the same range as the P-51Ds

[@keithpennock]

Alexander Kartevelli also designed the A-10 Thunderbolt 2 as well. Pierre Sprey kept trying to claim credit for the A-10 after the Persian Gulf War. Kartevelli got to see the early A-10 fly but sadly didn’t live long enough to see it come into it’s acclaim.

[@kdrapertrucker]

Pierre sprey has always been full of crap.

[@billyrogers5296]

My dad said , if you wanted a picture to send home to your gal you stood by a P51 but if you wanted an airplane that was going to bring you home , you flew a P47.

[@Idahoguy10157]

The American aerial 20mm guns available had reliability issues. Browning fifty caliber machine guns and ammo were reliable and mass produced. The USAF switched too 20mm cannon armament in the 1950’s

[@jacktattis]

Yes and too late

[@acx1337]

last time I used the phrase "impressive jugs" i got into trouble

[@jswap1]

I just learned that there was a P-47 variant with a top speed of 50mph @5:48

[@andystuckey2561]

I saw one in the early 90s at an airshow in Winston-Salem, NC. It was big, bad and beautiful. I think it was the only airworthy P47 at that time.

[@mrtub7619]

“Impressive jugs” 😂

[@captlazer5509]

Freudian slip 😂

[@alexrodriguez-pg4ro]

I thought the same thing🤣🤣🤣

[@flyswryan]

One of the early prototypes experienced engine failure and crash landed on Long Island in a rural area, disintegrating as it worked its way through hardwood trees to the ground. The pilot, unhurt, started walking down a nearby road to find a phone. Emergency vehicles raced past him, so he returned to the mangled wreck. No one believed anybody could have survived the wreck, so they grabbed the pilot, strapped him to a gurney and rushed to a hospital. He was kept for two days, for “observation.” Meanwhile, what was left of the plane was moved to a secured hangar for inspection. Upon discharge from the hospital, the pilot tried to get into the hangar to retrieve his kneeboard from the cockpit. The guard also didn’t believe anybody could have survived the wreck and had the pilot arrested as a spy. After a day in jail, someone from Republic finally sorted it all out and had the pilot released so he could fly again.

[@2Quietus]

Everyone loves a mustang....but it was the P47 that won the skies over Europe....

[@madmanmechanic8847]

I bet those guys missed that rush after the war with all that horse power and fire power.

[@frankroy9423]

That's why they built all those great Hotrods, after the war. They needed a different affordable speed fix. Then some added Nitro methane for a real good jolt.

[@Rose-xu6lq]

They had PTSD

[@madmanmechanic8847]

@@frankroy9423 The Hells Angels came out after the war too fast bikes and raising hell try and get that rush back

[@madmanmechanic8847]

@@Rose-xu6lq You are correct but they missed that rush

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Except for the misspoken top speed metric of 50 mph (am assuming was meant to be 350), a really nice P-47 doc. Thanks! 🤙

[@MadOgre]

I see a Dark Skies video I click it and I click Like.

[@paulgeorge7557]

Me too buddy

[@brucermarino]

Hi Paul, you may want to read my comment... Thank you for your video. A few points if I may... The title picture is not a P-47. You talk about it having six machine guns but you show an image of a wing with only three for a total of six. The images shown in some parts are accurate but, in general, the P-47 did not have clipped wings. Thanks!

[@cjvoges6563]

Thank you for this video. My dad flew P-47's in the Pacific during WW 2.

[@markwheeler202]

My introduction to the P-47 was through the film "A Fighter Pilot's Story", about the experiences on Quentin Aanenson in WW II.

[@kenbrown9164]

I saw that series and it was fascinating. After the war was over, he was devastated about how the eight .50 caliber guns would literally shred German transport vehicles. P-47's also strafed farm wagons later in the war as the Germans often used them to transport ammunition. My uncle Lt. August Garcea flew 24 missions in the P-47. He was 5'4" and weighed 130 lbs. He was killed in the run-up to the Battle of the Bulge near the town of Haguenau (noted in the 'Band of Brothers series as their last patrol.) He flew with the 358th Fighter Group/365th Fighter Squadron, and his last mission was on November 26, 1944.

[@markwheeler202]

@@kenbrown9164 Very sorry to hear about your uncle. Many never came back, and many who did, like Quentin Aanenson, came back changed forever.

[@stuartcarefoot4804]

“It appeared that the P45 had no distinguishing features, which made it stand out”, this has got to be a p155 take

[@jerrybailey5797]

Fantastic history of the P47 Thunderbolt 👍

[@jacktattis]

Why?

[@strikezero01]

A - 10 : "I am a Thunderbolt, like my American before me" Shilka: "so beat it Thunderbold"

[@nickpaine]

These were badass fighters. It's the one I'd have chosen to fly. Impressive Jugs, alright.

[@rolandoscar1696]

Fun fact; "the whole nine yards" is derived from the length of all USAF ammo belts.

[@ricardobimblesticks1489]

That is considered unlikely to be the case as the phrase was in use well before even WWI. The origins of the phrase are presently unknown. Early references in print (1855) refer to common lengths that cloth was sold in, the entire 9 yards being used for one garment instead of many. Others claim it dates back to the age of sail, the yard not being a length but the spar from which the sail hung. 3 spars per mast, 3 masted ships at full sail being the whole 9 yards, although I suspect this is the work of C.A.N.O.E (Campaign to Assign a Naval Origin to Everything). I don't doubt the phrase was used about ammo belts, The Brits apparently using it in WWI for the belt fed vickers mg on their aircraft. It's origin however are pretty conclusively a mystery.

[@NoOnionsUK]

@@ricardobimblesticks1489 10/10 for C.A.N.O.E 😆

[@drgondog]

Zemke later commanded the 479th FG, flew P-38s and then P-51s. He stated that the P-51 was the best fighter that he flew.

[@andrewtongue7084]

Professionally & comprehensively presented - thank you for your efforts in producing this...

[@iangreenhalgh9280]

Considering the M2 Browning didn't have explosive ammunition, then I wouldn't consider the P-47 to be as well armed as the cannon equipped fighters such as the Hawker Tempest with it's four 20mm Hispanos. The German 20mm and 30mm cannon also gave thgeir fighters a hell of a punch late war. The US failure to adopt cannon and ionstead sticking with the M2 has always baffled me, they did eventually, but decades too late.

[@kayakutah]

I think the slow rate of fire and the lower muzzle velocity of the 20mm were significant disadvantages. It required more time "pipper on" to get significant hits on airborne targets.

[@63DW89A]

The .50 BMG had higher muzzle velocity, flatter trajectory and longer effective range than the 20mm cannon. Also, the .50 BMG API ammo could punch thru much thicker armor at longer range than the 20 mm HE (High Explosive) round. The .50 also had the advantage in more rounds carried. Many German fighter pilots thought the .50 BMG's very long range, high ammo count, and 6 or 8 gun mounting of American fighters gave American fighter pilots a huge advantage. While the 20 mm explosive ability had an advantage when fuel tanks were hit, the sheer destructive ability of the large heavy .50 cal bullet could cause major structural damage that could quickly take off a wing! P47 pilots reported that a 1/4 second touch of the trigger, could stop a locomotive in its tracks and cut the large cast iron wheels in half! A full one second burst of the eight .50's could knock a locomotive off the tracks and on its side! In his excellent book "ME 262 Vs P51 Mustang" (2019), author Robert Forsyth, documents that the P51 shot down 143 ME 262's (well over half the ME 262 operational fleet). About 70% of the P51 kills of Me 262's were in high altitude high speed combat during ME 262 attacks on bomber formations, dispelling the myth that P51's could only get ME 262's during take off or landing. Using high dive speed from higher altitudes, the P51 could actually engage the ME 262's at speed, although the P51 was at the absolute limits of its design in doing so. Gun camera film reveals the main reason for the P51 success against Me 262's: the .50 BMG ability to reach out and effectively hit at extremely long ranges!

[@thisismagacountry1318]

1st Generation Warthog goes BRRRRRRTTTT.

[@Gronk79]

It was a shame, although understandable, that by the time of the Korean War that all P-47s were out of the inventory. The P-47's firepower and ruggedness were sorely missed as a ground attack plane.

[@Echo_Recon_01]

A plane that looks like a Jug but fight like a Juggernaut.

[@JohnBeebe]

At the USAF museum in Dayton Ohio, they have a P47 next to the Messerschmidt BF109, the size difference is a bit mid boggling

[@thedeathwobblechannel6539]

The fuselage was extended in the front by the engine area to correct a center of gravity issue I believe it was. They also had some early models that were encountering compressibility and also some early models had the tails break off and kill pilots but that was all worked out by the time the b models hit I believe or the late b models anyway.

[@jfess1911]

The big, draggy nose of the P47's helped to slow its speed in a dive (once power was reduced) and saved numerous pilots who had entered compressibility and lost control. It must have been terrifying when heading straight down and out of control to wait for it to happen, though. Sleeker designs like the P38 would not slow down enough.

[@danraymond1253]

@@jfess1911 that's not entirely true. The P-47's nose was big and of course created drag, but it's more aerodynamic than you might suspect. And contrary to common thought, when you were in compressibility in a P-47, you want to put power on, at least at lower altitude. This is counter-intuitive, but there's a reason for it. Putting power on in the P-47 has a nose-up attitude, and in the case of diving at compressibility, bringing the nose up even with power on will slow the plane down more than continuing the dive with power off. And the P-38 was not sleeker, actually. I know for a fact it had more parasitic drag, and I believe it actually had more induced drag as well, though I might be wrong about that. The P-38's main problem is the box that was created between its wings from its design. This lead to more buffeting which rendered the elevator near useless.

[@danraymond1253]

You are correct about the cg issue. The tail did not break off on the early models. What happened is the early models, (the B model, as there were no P-47s before the P-47B, only the XP-47 (AP-10), a mockup made for wind tunnel testing with an inline engine which was scrapped in favor of what became the XP-47B), had fabric-covered tail controls. The elevators and rudder were made out of fabric instead of metal. At high enough diving speeds, these control surfaces would balloon and pop/rip apart, leading to a loss of control and an inability to pull out of the dive. This was fixed with the P-47C, as was the cg issue when they moved the engine forward 8 inches.

[@jfess1911]

@@danraymond1253Thanks. I did not know about adding power helping the P-47 get out of compressibility. I mainly recalled that it would usually become controllable again as it got to lower altitude. The issue with the P-38 was a combination of the shape of the center fuselage/canopy and the relatively fat 23016 airfoils in front of the tail. The relatively bulbous nature of these accelerated the air moving past them causing it to hit critical mach at lower airspeeds than some other contemporary fighters. This is something obvious now, but apparently not at the time the plane was designed. If you look at the cross sections, you can see that the front of NACA 5-digit airfoils was blunter than the "laminar flow" designs used for the P51, for example. Indeed, the more gentle acceleration of the air turned out to be the main advantage of the "laminar flow" wings since the construction techniques of the time prevent them from getting much actual laminar flow. In 1942 NACA performed two studies and suggested: 1) to change the fuselage shape to make it longer and more symmetrical (less abrupt curvature) 2) add fillets at the booms 3) add a less-blunt 0.2C long leading edge cuff to the center wing sections.

[@danraymond1253]

@@jfess1911 yes that's true as well. I know that the overall design where a box was created between the wings, the tail, and the two booms was certainly a contributor to the compressibility problem as well. I think it kept undisturbed air away from the tail more or something like that which caused worse buffeting and less response from the elevator. Interesting stuff.

[@SJstackinbodys]

How much fire power does your fighter need America: yes

[@Ughmahedhurtz]

2:28 - Well played, sir. 🤣

[@MartinCHorowitz]

I went to college next to Republic airport in Farmingdale NY. When the Museum would fly one of the plane with the big Radial engines it was always a joy to watch.

[@imperialmodelworks8473]

These videos are pretty good, but also full of alot of errors and straight up incorrect facts, which is a shame. The "extra M2 ammunition boxes, chasing vengeance weapons, etc are incorrect. No combat version of the P-47 ever came close to 470mph.

[@sotros1]

P-47 -M and -N models made 475 and 465 respectively, both at 32,000 feet on 130/150 fuel. These were ordinary squadron service aircraft, not prototypes or experimental models. Although only about 140 of the -M models were built, there were over 2500 of the -Ns at the end of the war. Pretty sure the -N was the single most produced version of the Thunderbolt.

[@chuck.reichert83]

The smooth bottom of the P-47 made the plane safer to belly in than most other aircraft.

[@jtjames79]

The Jug was really the best Fighter of world war II. It was the right plane, in the right place, at the right time.

[@briancooper2112]

The F4U was better and flew longer.

[@sotros1]

@@briancooper2112 Probably better at low altitudes, but the P-47 was designed to fight above 25,000 feet, and made best speeds at 27k (early war) or 32k (late). And the -N model was the longest-ranged single-engine fighter of the war, exceeded only by the final iterations of the P-38.

[@24tanksalot]

Great video. Thanks for your all you work putting it together

[@quintenphillips1996]

These were made in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana. Our town hockey team is named after the Thunderbolt

[@edroush2009]

In middle school 1961 my Aeronautics instructor flew in WWII P47s, told of dashes being kicked out as the aircraft approached the speed of sound in dives, locking the control surfaces. Some came back with pieces of trees in the wings. Started my career in aerospace engineer fighters and missiles.

[@jacktattis]

No the P47s critical Mach was 0.73 which is below 559 mph Critical Mach was where the plane was uncontrollable and in a death dive . There is a addendum to WW2 Aircraft Performance "Tests of the P38. P47.P51 & P80" It uses ILDS in mph and not in Mach Numbers as RAE Farnborough used

[@kob8634]

I'm going to assume you meant something like five hundred fifty mph when you said "top speed of just fifty miles per hour" (which would be thirty below the stall speed likely) And, btw, 550mph was mid-pack for WWII fighters.

[@Philip-1]

Seriously, is the narrator even thinking about what he has been told to read?

[@richardnorman1520]

Think it should have read dropped by 50hph not dropped to 50mph

[@davewalkden9978]

Ditto "wings lengthened to 18 inches" and "lamina-flow wings."

[@james.carty.9043]

Couldn't wait to see the comments about those bloopers.

[@nobodyhome8148]

i also enjoyed seeing them shoot down spitfires 🤣

[@josephlannert969]

Thank you. I've been anticipating your coverage of the P-47 for some time now

[@beeryye]

i know ya'll make money by putting out a lot of content but damn. i feel like your research consistency and even basic word pronunciations have been on the decline. i typically enjoy these productions but when errors are made so frequently it really starts to give off 'i got this script two seconds ago' vibes.

[@John-qx1zi]

🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@beeryye]

@@John-qx1zi you want diseased clowns to run a train on you?

[@drivernjax]

A little-known fact is that all of Robert S. Johnson's 27 victories came against fighters. He wouldn't go after bombers, reconnaissance, or cargo aircraft.

[@aeronaut1906]

the p63 can do all of this and better unfortunately

[@JSFGuy]

Well considering it never saw action in the hands of the US, that's not exactly a fair equivalency. Considering these aircraft were rapidly evolving.

[@lancerevell5979]

And we just lost one some days ago, in an aerial collision with a B-17, in Texas

[@halo64654]

With ramming specifically.

[@JSFGuy]

@@lancerevell5979 That's why he mentioned it I think.

[@bryanelwell3470]

“Impressive jugs” got a good chuckle out of me

[@nickmitsialis]

Whenever I hear 'Wewak', I am reminded of Marty Feldman's 'Wewak bird' sketch.

[@scriptsmith4081]

The Brits could not believe how huge it was- they joked that defensive tactics was for the pilot to run around in the cockpit. But ironically, it played a greater role, in huge numbers of precision ground attack bombing missions, than the B-17's, which it formerly escorted, in the Italian Campaign.

[@darkiee69]

A spitfire pilots first comment on the P47. "Nice bungalow, but where's the bathroom?"

[@bsteleven]

William D. Dunham. Nezperce Idaho, shot down 16 Japanese planes while in 342 fighter squadron. he attained the rank of General in his career which ended in 1970.

[@gorraksmashskull]

It was very interesting to hear where the "Brrrrruuup you're dead" idea started, good vid

[@scottjackson5173]

Makes a lot of sense to learn. That the A-10, is basically an enlarged P-47, with the massive 30 mm gun in the engine box. Powered instead, by two bypass turbofans. Go team! We need to build more A-10, ground support fighters. Stealth has it's benefits and drawbacks. The A-10 flies too low, and too slow for stealth. But is much faster than any attack helicopter. So it will never really be obsolete. Especially when upgraded with better engines, weapons, electronics, and more effective armor protection. Slugging it out over the troops, never gets old. Also stand off weapons, as well as higher weapon delivery speeds. Makes targeting the A-10, more difficult than a combat helicopter. When using stinger type, shoulder fired missiles. . Perhaps a future version of the A-10, could feature high bypass pusher propfans. No loss in speed, with greater fuel efficiency and a much reduced IR signature. The wings could also be forward swept, 3 to 5%, for improved transonic performance. The twin tail could also be redesigned for transonic control in a steep dive. After all, more powerful engines, means getting closer to the transonic flight regime.

[@michaelmartinez1345]

Seriously cool video with great footage from the time it was in it's Hey-Day... Thank You for posting this!!