The specification to which the P-47 was designed was drawn up at Wright Field in June 1940. The original XP-47 design was for a lightweight interceptor fighter fitted with an Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled engine and an armament of one .50 cal and one .30 cal gun and provision for two additional .30 cal wing guns.

The first experimental prototype of the Thunderbolt as it is known today was the XP-47B which was flown from Farmingdale to Mitchel Field on 6 May 1941. Production got under way in the following November. The first production P-47B was delivered on 18 March 1942.

P-47s began to arrive in Britain in November 1942, and the first operational mission with the 8th Air Force was made on 8 April 1943. The first mission with auxiliary fuel tanks took place in July, and during the last few weeks of 1943 the first fighter-bomber missions with two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs were made. The first pairs of 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs were carried by P-47s in Italy early in 1944.

Length (m): 11.02
Height (m): 4.44
Wing Span (m): 12.44
Top Speed: 428 mph
Ceiling (feet): 42,000
Weight (lbs): 19,400
Range: 475 miles
Crew: 1

Single-seat fighter or fighter-bomber.