Republic P-47D-16-RE Thunderbolt 42-75971 "Ruthless Ruthie"
Unit: 317th FFightr Squadron 325th Fighter Group, Italy 1944
Pilot: Lt George P Novotny (Ace w/ 8 victories), then Lt John Simmons
The U.S. Army Air Force’s P-47 Thunderbolt was a very effective fighter and fighter bomber. It was ruggedly built and heavily armed, famed for its ability to absorb damage, bringing its pilot home after inflicting punishment on the enemy.
The P-47D-16 Was an ongoing refinement of the P-47 line, having adding more armor protection for the pilot, fuel and oxygen systems, improvements to the turbocharger ducting, two additional cowl flaps on either side of the cowling to improve engine cooling, and added water/alcohol mix injection to provide an emergency power boost of 15% for a short period. The p-47D-15 production block added stronger wings and for the first time, the wings were fitted with under-wing pylons that could carry two drop tanks, or up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs. 653 built. The lower 2 cowl flaps were trimmed back in the shape that was retained for all the future P-47 production. The D-16 block was virtually identical to the D-15 differing only in some minor fuel system changes,
Ruthless Ruthie led a strange life. First it was the mount of an 8 kill ace, Lt George P Novotny, then later to Lt. John Simmons who scored no victories in it. Then it was lost on ferry mission, landing in error at Rome-Littorio on 29th May 1944, apparently flying the correct distance on a ferry flight but with 180 deg wrong direction. The pilot was 2nd Lt Lloyd Hathcock who became a POW. From there it was test flown by the Luftwaffe at Rechlin coded "8+6" and later transferred to "Zirkus Rosarius" on Oct 12, 1944, and flown as T9+LK. It was found by US troops at Gottingen at the end of the war.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, drop tanks, VC, paint textures, panel, and .dp
Pilot figure: Shessi and Captain Kurt
flight files: Jay McDaniel (modified to match P-47D performance)
Prop blurred texture: Kelticheart
Gauges: Alicat, Morton, Microsoft and others unknown
Unit: 317th FFightr Squadron 325th Fighter Group, Italy 1944
Pilot: Lt George P Novotny (Ace w/ 8 victories), then Lt John Simmons
The U.S. Army Air Force’s P-47 Thunderbolt was a very effective fighter and fighter bomber. It was ruggedly built and heavily armed, famed for its ability to absorb damage, bringing its pilot home after inflicting punishment on the enemy.
The P-47D-16 Was an ongoing refinement of the P-47 line, having adding more armor protection for the pilot, fuel and oxygen systems, improvements to the turbocharger ducting, two additional cowl flaps on either side of the cowling to improve engine cooling, and added water/alcohol mix injection to provide an emergency power boost of 15% for a short period. The p-47D-15 production block added stronger wings and for the first time, the wings were fitted with under-wing pylons that could carry two drop tanks, or up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs. 653 built. The lower 2 cowl flaps were trimmed back in the shape that was retained for all the future P-47 production. The D-16 block was virtually identical to the D-15 differing only in some minor fuel system changes,
Ruthless Ruthie led a strange life. First it was the mount of an 8 kill ace, Lt George P Novotny, then later to Lt. John Simmons who scored no victories in it. Then it was lost on ferry mission, landing in error at Rome-Littorio on 29th May 1944, apparently flying the correct distance on a ferry flight but with 180 deg wrong direction. The pilot was 2nd Lt Lloyd Hathcock who became a POW. From there it was test flown by the Luftwaffe at Rechlin coded "8+6" and later transferred to "Zirkus Rosarius" on Oct 12, 1944, and flown as T9+LK. It was found by US troops at Gottingen at the end of the war.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, drop tanks, VC, paint textures, panel, and .dp
Pilot figure: Shessi and Captain Kurt
flight files: Jay McDaniel (modified to match P-47D performance)
Prop blurred texture: Kelticheart
Gauges: Alicat, Morton, Microsoft and others unknown
