Wartime Two Seat P-47 Thunderbolt (Razorback) photo

[RMAllnutt]

Anyone got any ideas about this very odd looking two-seat P-47 Thunderbolt (see lower right in photo)? It looks like a vintage photo. I found it on e-bay (where it's currentyl still for sale as of 3 May, 2011).


Here's the e-bay link if anyone's interested... looks like a great collection of mostly Grumman Hellcat/Avenger images (and no, I have no idea who the seller is). Way too expensive in my opinion though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-Grumman-Avenger-Hellcat-Aircraft-53-Photographs-/300538029868?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item45f976672c
Details anyone?

Cheers,
Richard

[rwdfresno]

That is a picture of a TP-47. They were nicknamed the "Doublebolt." There were 2 of these built from Curtis P-47Gs. The interesting part is that instead of adding the additional seat to the rear of the pilot seat like in most TF types, the additional seat was added in front of the pilot.

Ryan

[Warbird Kid]

I believe there were some in field modifications so there was a second seat installed behind the original seat.

[sdennison]

Dual controls?

[Jollygreenslugg]

Here's a poor scan from the Squadron/Signal Publication book, "Planes, Names & Dames Vol 1". It shows one of the two-seaters, converted in-field. It seems to allude to it being a dual-control machine. That's a nifty canopy mod to allow access to the rear seat.



Cheers,
Matt

[Dan K]

http://www.p-47.info/TP47%20small.jpg

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/350/3/17/204

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/G ... ton/04.jpg

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/G ... ton/02.jpg

[rwdfresno]

Dual controls?

The "official" TP-47 did have dual controls. I have personally never seen or heard of a field modified version with dual controls, but that is not to say they didn't exist. A good friend of mine who was a P-47 pilot in Europe mentioned to me that his fighter group (or maybe another group using their field had a 2 seat P-47 that they used while based in France to shuttle people back and forth to England. This aircraft was not dual control that he could recall. He was in the 506th FS, 404th FG.

Ryan