Warbird Information Exchange

Using Internet for information, I came across 3 sites that claim the thunderbolts had “air conditioned “ cockpits. Was claimed on Wikipedia, WW2 database site and Military Factory.com. Is this referring to the air conditioning we know and love in our cars and homes or to just meaning ambient air blowing on the pilot along with also heating the cockpit? Also if true were any other WW2 aircraft “air conditioned “ .

It did. All you had to do was slide the canopy back about an inch.

I have to agree with aerojock about sliding the canopy back an inch, however, here are a couple of pages from a P-47D Flight Manual that show the controls for outside air and heated air. Pretty much standard for the day.

2BD7B156-B9ED-4C03-82BC-C093543C558F by tanker622001, on Flickr

042020A7-19FF-47D4-B750-3A852E9A9EC5 by tanker622001, on Flickr

Larry beat me to it, I was going to check my P-47N manual.

If you look at old car sales brochures and ads, they throw around the "air conditioning" term pretty loosly.
Usually, it just meant warmed air from a heater or cool air coming from a source other than an open window.

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