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R.Johnson--Sure. My second Jug, a D-5 was the best P-47 that I ever flew, and I flew them all, including the P-47M which the 56th got near the end of the war.
CCJ: What made this one Thunderbolt so fast?
RSJ: Several things. My crew sanded every joint smooth, and waxed it to a high gloss. Factory technical reps showed my crew chief, Pappy Gould, how to adjust the wastegates to keep the boost pressure higher than normal. My D-5, which I named Lucky, had water injection. I never used the water injection in combat. I didn't need it. From time to time I'd switch it on, push the throttle up to 72" of manifold pressure and the head rest would smack me from behind. I would let her run for a few minutes just for the fun of it.
... at 32000 ft making 400-410 mph.At 70.0" Hg., water injection, a maximum speed of 444 MPH was obtained at 23,200 feet.
CCJ: What ever happened to Lucky?
RSJ: She was lost in a mid-air collision over the North Sea. I don't recall the pilot's name who was flying her on that ramrod. I was very upset. Lucky got at least 24 enemy aircraft and was the best Jug I ever flew. She was trouble free and I never had a single abort while flying her.
The P-47 was limited to 52 inches of MAP in WWII except for WEP, and 2800 rpm max. There was no 70" of MAP back then. Whoever claims that is just plain old wrong.
That is directly from John Maloney, who flies the R-2800 on a VERY regular basis, and also races at Reno. Bearcats frequently, and all R-2800-powered aircraft we fly.
The extra inches of MAP they run today for racing are NOT what was run in WWII.
RSJ: Sure. My second Jug, a D-5 was the best P-47 that I ever flew, and I flew them all, including the P-47M which the 56th got near the end of the war.
CCJ: What made this one Thunderbolt so fast?
RSJ: Several things. My crew sanded every joint smooth, and waxed it to a high gloss. Factory technical reps showed my crew chief, Pappy Gould, how to adjust the wastegates to keep the boost pressure higher than normal. My D-5, which I named Lucky, had water injection. I never used the water injection in combat. I didn't need it. From time to time I'd switch it on, push the throttle up to 72" of manifold pressure and the head rest would smack me from behind. I would let her run for a few minutes just for the fun of it.
CCJ: 72 inches!? Did you ever take note of your airspeed during one of those runs?
RSJ: Of course.
CCJ: And....... how fast did it go?
RSJ: I've seen just over 300 at altitude.
CCJ: 300 indicated?
RSJ: Yes.
CCJ: What was your altitude?
RSJ: I guess it was right around 32,000 feet.
CCJ: Geez, thats well over 450 mph!
RSJ: Oh, I figure closer to 470.
CCJ: Maybe you did have the fastest fighter in the ETO after all.
RSJ: Like I said, Lucky was the fastest.