P-47D Bubbletops on D-Day itself

The book "Druids Circle" describes the first combat use by the USAAF of the 5 inch HVAR rocket developed for the USN was by P-47's of the 513th Fighter Squadron not long after the 26 July heavy bomber attack that opened Operation Cobra. They quickly modified the P-47's with zero length launchers and initially equipped them with four HVARs each. The first effort was to support an American tank column in the Montreuil area.

Sidebar: one of my AVG friends was the late Ken Jernstedt, prewar USMC aviator who returned from the CBI and became a Republic test pilot. IIRC he said he was delegated to look at various bubble designs and chose the type that was selected. Don't think that's recorded anywhere though when the vile Fairchild took over Republic, all the T-boat material was dumped except for some X-job documents.

Incidentally: I received a review copy of Kleiner's "untold story" of the Flying Tigers. Have not placed a review yet, and frankly it's not very remarkable. Dan Ford's 1990s volume remains the ultimate treatment.

You guys are EVIL! This is just the type of topic which will take my full attention and keep it. The information in this thread is like a highly addictive drug to me.

Oh, and my wife is going to hate you...every last one of you.


Thanks for a GREAT thread and great info. Keep it coming!



-Irish

FWIW, from page 291 of America's Hundred Thousand (Dean):

May 22,1944 - A few P-47D-25 Thunderbolt models are getting into UK fighter groups. Sometimes labeled the "Superbolt", there are only three in the 56th Ftr. Gp. at this time. The major changes involve an extra 65 gallons of internal fuel in the fuselage and a "bubble" canopy.

Not sure about Dean's source for this but it does falls in line with everything that's been discussed so far.