Check Six – 1941: First Flight: XP-47B Thunderbolt

Posted on May 6, 2020 in 1940's, Check Six

From the This Day in Aviation website

Republic XP-47B Thunderbolt prototype 40-3051 at Farmingdale, New York, 1941. (Republic Aviation Corporation)

6 May 1941: Just eight months after a prototype for a new single-engine fighter was ordered by the U.S. Army Air Corps, test pilot Lowery Lawson Brabham took off from the Republic Aviation Corporation factory airfield at Farmingdale, New York and flew the prototype XP-47B Thunderbolt, serial number 40-3051, to Mitchel Field, New York. When he arrived, he exclaimed, “I think we’ve hit the jackpot!”

Continue reading

The 199th Fighter Squadron flew P-47 Thunderbolts from 1947 through 1954

The appearance of external hyperlinks did not constitute endorsement by Retiree News, this included the linked websites, information, products, or services contained therein. Retiree News did not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Additionally, some of the sites linked to may limit the number of stories you can access without a paid subscription. All links were provided with the intent of meeting the mission of Retiree News.