Warbird Information Exchange

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt

The war in the Pacific demanded greater fighter ranges than in Europe. Therefore, the third YP-47M was fitted with a new longer-span wet wing featuring squared-off wingtips as the XP-47N. The USAAF placed an order for 1,900 P-47Ns on June 20, 1944, two days before the prototype was first flown, and many more orders followed, deliveries began in September 1944. 1,816 P-47Ns were built in six production blocks, with orders for an additional 5,934 aircraft being canceled after VJ Day. The final P-47 rolled off the production line in December 1945.

Sub-variants
XP-47N, prototype converted from the third YP-47M.
P-47N-1-RE, initial production block. Fitted with a new dorsal fin along with other minor changes.[4] 550 built.
P-47N-5-RE, with the tail warning radar of the P-47D-40-RE, rocket launcher stubs, and minor changes to the radio. Later aircraft were fitted with 2,800 hp R-2800-73 engines.[4] 550 built.
P-47N-15-RE, with an R-2800-73 engine, a S-1 bomb release, a K-14 gun sight, and a redesigned pilot seat. 200 built.
P-47N-20-RE, with changes to the radio and fuel system. 200 built.
P-47N-20-RA, Evansville equivalent of the N-20-RE. 149 built. The final Thunderbolt built, s/n 45-50123, was from this production block.
P-47N-25-RE, fitted with either the R-2800-73, R-2800-77, or R-2800-81. The cockpit floor and tailwheel linkage were redesigned, along with other minor changes. 167 built.
F-47N, designation applied to all P-47Ns in service in 1947 when the USAAF broke off from the Army and became the United States Air Force.

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Zero Surprise!!...

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Zero Surprise!!...

Many more here ...
https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/dig ... term/P-47N

Years ago, I heard that the P-47N was fitted with an autopilot as it was built for long range, is that true?

Lynn

Yes, the "N" had an autopilot. Also for more comfort...folding rudder pedals for more leg room, and a more comfortable seat with armrests.

Of course, the big news was the wing.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

I've looked at the P-47N cockpit photos in the link I posted. I'm not seeing the autopilot controls, but that doesn't mean there not there. I just can't find them.

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Zero Surprise!!...

John and Mark, thank you for the replies. A friend of mine father flew the N model in the war state side and spoke about the auto pilot and the folding arm rest on the left side for comfort.

Lynn

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When I was young "sex was safe & flying was dangerous".

I was checking out the P-47N-25-RE at Cradle of Aviation on Long Island (long term loan from NMUSAF) a couple of weeks ago. The signage appeared to say that this was the last P-47 produced, although if the serial 44-89444 is correct and they were built in serial order, it really would be the 7th from last produced, the last being 44-89450. It might have merely meant that this was the last P-47 version and been inelegantly worded. Production date would have been October 1945 or perhaps a month or two later.

August

Record cards would appear to back up your doubts: I couldn't locate cards for -441 or -443 but the final aircraft in this batch were available in December 1945 and delivered in January 1946 while -444 seems to have been two two months earlier:

s/n available/accepted/delivered
44-89440 19Oct45/19Oct45/24Oct45
44-89441
44-89442 22Oct45/19Oct45/26Oct45
44-89443
44-89444 24Oct45/29Oct45/30Oct45
44-89445 unk/28Dec45/31Dec45
44-89446 29Dec45/21Dec45/07Jan46
44-89447 29Dec45/21Dec45/07Jan46
44-89448 18Dec45/17Dec45/02Jan46
44-89449 19Dec45/26Dec45/07Jan46
44-89450 19Sep45/19Sep45/21Sep45

A few pages from the P-47N Pilot Training Manual and a couple from a maintenance manual for all models of the P-47. The P-47N carried an extra 180 gallons of internal fuel in wing tanks over the 370 gallons of internal fuselage fuel for the P-47D and P-47N. As anyone with lots of time flying with large radial engine knows, more fuel endurance means additional oil is required. The P-47D oil capacity was 28.6 gallons compared to the 40 gallons for the P-47N.

I once had to land at Delta, Utah (an hour short of my destination) to add oil to an engine in a Twin Beech that had a couple of high time engines. And those were small radials (R985s) with 8 gallons oil tanks.

The pages from the PilotTraining Manual refer to the fuel system and the autopilot. The pages from the maintenance manual mention the folding arm rests and rudder pedals as well as showing a folding sunscreen for the canopy. All useful items on a very long flight.

IMG_2922 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2920 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2921 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2918 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2917 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2919 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2916 by tanker622001, on Flickr

IMG_2915 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Larry, thank you for your time to post the intel on the P-47N.

Lynn

My pleasure, Lynn

Were all the P-47N models destroys before the Korean War?

Not even close. Between the active USAAF/USAF and the ANG the "N" models were flown well into the 1950s. In fact, 3 ANG squadrons were activated after the beginning of the Korean War and placed under SAC, 2 of which flew "N" models.