P-47 roll rate - a bit of new (to me) info

[ThomasP]

I ran across the P-47B/C/D Erection and Maintenance manual dated May/Oct'43. The manual lists the aileron movement for the different variants covered. I was surprised to see that the first 73x P-47B airframes had a significantly greater aileron travel than the later models:

The aileron travel for the first 73x B model airframes was +25.5°/-21.5°. The remainder of the B model and (as far as I can tell) all of the following on production had +16°/-12° travel. From other sources I have found that the lower aileron movement remained the same at least up through the D-25 model. I do not have any info on the later D models or the M/N models.

I suspect this difference in aileron travel between the very early production airframes and the later production gave rise to the idea that the P-47 had an unusually high roll rate. The reduced aileron travel in the later production probably accounts for the roll rate charts and pilots' accounts that seem to deny any particularly high roll rate.

The manual can be found at the Museum of Flight website: "The Museum of Flight - Digital Collections"

 

[Shortround6]

Early P-47Bs had fabric covered ailerons but they changed that very quickly and most (all but a handful) were modified on the production line to metal covered ailerons.
Not at all sure if this early travel limit has anything to do with that change?