P47 in Sovet Union

[rreis]

I've noticed, with surprise, the mention that the VVS (Soviet Union Air Force) used the P47 in several websites. I have never seen that written before, can someone shed some light on this subject? I find it very weird...

best,

[Dave Smith]

Yes, under Lend-Lease they got about 200. The book US Aircraft in the Soviet Union and Russia (available on Amazon but it's expensive!) has some details and photos. They seemed to have served with land-based naval units and saw little operational use. They were evidently not really considered suitable for the kind of air war the Russians were fighting. Some lasted until the 1950s as ground instructional airframes but the author says "Sadly, not a single one of the Soviet Thunderbolts has survived."

[rreis]

It's weird you say that, I thought P47 excelled at ground attack... maybe I'm missing something?

[warbird1]

It's weird you say that, I thought P47 excelled at ground attack... maybe I'm missing something?

It was excellent at ground attack, but not for the purpose the Soviets wanted to use it for. Two airplanes, the P-39 and P-63, were both liked very much by the Soviet Air Force due to their cannon firepower. The Soviets needed this as their greatest threat at that time was German tanks. They needed the heavy cannon fire in order to stop the German invasion. The P-47 with it's 8 .50 caliber guns just didn't have the firepower to do the tank busting role as well as the two Bell airplanes.

[Dave Smith]

I'd agree with that. One unit replaced its P-47s with P-39s!

[jdvoss]

RE: Red Stars Lend-Lease Aircraft in Russia Vol 4, by Geust

As stated above the Soviets received about 200 Thunderbolts (both razorback and bubble canopy models) and according to the above book the Russians didn't seem to be overly impressed with the aircraft excepting the range. Seventy-one P-47's were assigned to the Naval Air Forces and the navy didn't seem to be over impressed with them either. Makes one wonder what they were trying to do the aircraft. The subject book does show three photos taken in Russia (pg.81)and also on pg. 213 there are two colour profiles. The markings on the Naval P-47 is rather attractive ..two shades of blue in a classic camoflauge pattern.

The author of the book also comments that the P-39 / P-63 aircraft were not used in a ground support role (as commonly believed) but were assigned to air superiority fighter units. Ground attack (e.g. anti-tank) was performed by the IL-2 Stormovik of which 35,000 were constructed.

[Mgawa]

There is an article in the June issue of MAM magazine.

Cheers

[rreis]

Thx for the insights.

There was a series of articles this here about the role of the P39 in the VVS in the french mag Fana... got to dig them out again.

[Jarink1]

Part of the problem for the Jug was that as a fighter it really shined at altitudes higher than what were typical for Eastern Front combat. As a fighter-bomber, it was pretty good. However, the USSR already had a dedicated machine, the aforementioned IL-2. The IL-2 couldn't carry the same bomb tonnage as the P-47, but it's combination of cannon armament (2x23mm or 2x37mm cannon, plus MGs) and extremely heavy armor made it more useful for the kind of direct battlefield support role the Soviets flew most often.

[LysanderUK]

The VVS did use a number of P47's for high-altitude air defence of major cities against strategic bombers, I remember reading an account a couple of years back about Soviet P47's engaging Ju88's at night (!) over Leningrad in 1944. Damned if I can find it now though!