Norma / Republic P-47D "Thunderbolt"

Nicknamed the "Jug" because of its fuselage shape, the P-47 was the heaviest single-engine, single-place fighter built in its time. It became a legend in World War II, used by the US and its allies on many fronts. Following D-Day in France, it performed magnificently in ground support through the end of the war. This "D" variant, made in the greatest numbers, featured a clear bubble canopy that allowed 360 degree visibility. Pilots often said that P-47s "had the gliding angle of a brick."

This artifact wears the colors of the 65th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, a Bradley Field unit which went to combat in North Africa, Italy and Germany.

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