Warbird Information Exchange

The P-47 is my favorite fighter of WW2, and I have a question about current P-47s. The Razorback has to be my favorite model, but why are there so few (think Spirit of Atlantic City is only flying razorback) compared to all the bubble canopy ones? Is it because more bubble tops have been recovered and restored, or some were converted to bubble top, or what? I'd like to see some more razorbacks flying.

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

I think it is simply a matter of survival rates. The bubble tops were the last model built and used in service. Bubble tops were the majority of the types sold overseas especially post war. The razorbacks would have been among the first to be scrapped simply by being older models even if they were low time. On the restoration front there are at least two razorbacks being restored in Australia or New Zealand and one available for restoration in Colorado. Even better all three were recovered form Papua New Guinea or nearby island chains and are genuine combat veterans.

I don't know why but the B/C razorbacks are my favorite model of Mustang but the bubble tops are my favorite model of Thunderbolt.

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

TFC in the UK have a razorback under restoration to fly.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

I have recently got my new website up devoted to the "razorback" P-47. Check out http://www.P-47.info for a list (not complete yet) and pictures of many of the surviving razorbacks. I will be adding more content in the months ahead. Here is a pic of the P-47G at the POF Chino.

I join you guys on this topic for sure! The Razorback is my favorite as well and I have always questioned the same situation. To me, the Razorback has so much more romance and appeal but any flying P-47 is a good thing.

Here are a couple shots of one of the last times I was with my Pop when he was living out in Phoenix. This was Big Stud while it was at Champlin. At the time, it was in airworthy condition and was being run up out on the ramp. After it's move to Evergreen, I do not know if they maintain it in the same fashion.





I also wonder what the operational costs are as compared to other warbirds. The P-47D "Hairless Joe" that is for sale on Courtesy's site has been there for sometime. Are they more expensive than a Mustang to own and fly? Are they just more unique and due to fewer in the air, spares issues, etc.? What's the fuel burn compared to a Mustang? Hook me up with the lottery and that baby is gone.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Nice Photos Scott!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Thanks for sharing the P-47 site with us. I also find the Razorback model very pleasing to look at. I remember quite a few years ago the P.o.F.'s Razorback made the trip to Oshkosh. Very kool to see it flying!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I was one of the group of volunteers that put Hairless Joe back together. It is my favorite P-47, and hope to see it go to a good home.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Chris, How long ago was that? I was under the impression it had been together and flying for many years.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

When I first joined Air heritage I was about 10. That woudl have been around 1989 or 1990. At that point is was in pieces and was painted all white with the lettering Zemkes Wolfpack on it in white. It was brought into the hangar (once we had the big hangar built) and started to restore it. It took several years, and eventual came together around 1995-1996. The paint scheme chosen is extremely accurate. At one time we had invasion stripes on only one wing. This was because due to combat damage the plane had one of the wings replaced, and the new wing never carried the D-Day stripes. Also when the original was painted, they closed the canopy and maeksed the canopy. So when the canopy was opened, there would be this big area near the canopy rails not painted. The featherd camo was done by cuting the paterns and then placing them on small wooden blocks to hold the pattern off of the metal and feather the colors together. I have a bunch of pics I will post when I get home later. We had the engine work almost done, and just were wainting on a prop, when Tallichet sold it from under us without telling us along with a P-51 we had that he didn't own(go figure). It was a real shot in the arm for those who had worked really hard to bring it from a pile of parts to a warbird again.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

The reason so many bubbletops are flying is because that is the majority of what was imported when they went out of service in South America.

I'd love to see more Razorback Thunderbolts in the air. Any Thunderbolt in the air is a good thing.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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Big Stud is with the MoF in Seattle, don't think Evergreen has a Jug.

Correctomundo! Seattle, Portland, eh close enough.

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Perhaps one of our Kiwi friends can answer this but I thought I remember an article where there were three or four Razorbacks under rebuild in NZ.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.