P-47D-28

This page is about the American fighter P-47D-28. For other versions, see P-47 (Family).

P-47D-28

P-47D-25

P-47N-15

360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/f/f5/Cockpit_p-47d-28.jpg

P-47D-28

P-47D-25

P-47N-15

USA

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	5.0	4.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:33 000

Purchase:105 000

Show in game

Description

The P-47D-28 Thunderbolt is a rank III American fighter with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB), 5.0 (RB), and 4.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.33.

The Thunderbolt was originally designed for high altitude bomber escort role, but due to limited range, it was not very successful in the European theatre of operations where it couldn't escort the bombers all the way to their target. The newer P-51B/C and later P-51D fitted with a Merlin engine turned out to be a much better long range, high altitude escort fighter, and the P-47 was relegated to other duties. Due to the Thunderbolt's large size and strong construction, the aircraft was well suited for carrying large amounts of air-to-ground ordnance and was often used in ground attack role against small targets that level bombers could not reliably hit, such as bridges.

In War Thunder, much like in real life, all Thunderbolt variants have tremendous potential as a high altitude fighter, but can also be used very effectively as ground attack aircraft, thanks to their impressive payload capacity. When fighting against enemy aircraft, boom and zoom tactics are a must, never try to dogfight with the Jug. When diving on a target, if you don't secure the kill, don't try to turn and finish him, use the speed you built in the dive and climb up, circle around and do it all again. Don't be afraid to go head-on; you have a radial engine and 8 x .50 calibre machine guns.

Except for having a different propeller, and (as of patch 1.77) 70" HG of boost, there are very few differences between the P-47D-25 and D-28. The D-25 uses a Hamilton Standard Hydromatic 13 ft. 7/8 in. diameter propeller, while the D-28 uses a Curtiss Electric "sleeved" propeller with 13 ft diameter. Despite a popular misconception that the D-28 uses a "paddle-blade" propeller whereas the D-25 doesn't, both were in fact called "paddle-blade" propellers and offered virtually identical performance. The origin of this misconception is that the early Thunderbolt variants used a smaller Curtiss Electric propeller with only 12 ft. 2 in. diameter, which proved insufficient for the R-2800 engine's power output. Larger propellers were needed to transform more engine power into thrust, giving the Thunderbolt a boost in climb rate and acceleration. These propellers were used starting from the Thunderbolt D-series manufacturing block 22 (P-47D-22) and the main distinction between these propellers was simply that aircraft manufactured on Republic's Evansville plant received the new Curtiss Electric propellers, while the Long Island manufacturing facility used Hamilton Standard propellers.

Compared to the D-25, the D-28 variant offers the M10 Bazookas as an additional armament option, although it's better to use the HVAR rockets as it is far more destructive than the bazookas.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 7 071 m714 km/h

Turn time23 s

Max altitude12 500 m

EnginePratt & Whitney R-2800-63

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight10 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 7,071 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	689	677	12500	24.1	24.8	10.1	10.1	700
Upgraded	741	714		21.9	23.0	19.2	14.1

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
885	450	498	469	320	~13	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 402	< 420	< 470	> 335

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural885 km/h

Gear450 km/h

• 9.5 mm Steel - Fore cockpit plate
• 9.5 mm Steel - Armour plate behind pilot's seat
• 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windshield

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB1 107 → 1 461

RB2 686 → 3 545

SB3 698 → 4 881

Total cost of modifications30 000

58 400

Talisman cost1 200

Crew training30 000

Experts105 000

Aces590

Research Aces360 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

70 / 160 / 340 %

148 / 148 / 148 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 150 Radiator Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 150 Airframe Research: 1 700 Cost: 3 300 170 Compressor Research: 1 700 Cost: 3 300 170 Wings repair Research: 1 900 Cost: 3 700 190 Engine Research: 1 900 Cost: 3 700 190 Cover Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 700 240 Engine injection Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 700 240 G-suit Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 700 240		bmg50_belt_pack Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 150 FSBC mk.5 Research: 1 500 Cost: 2 900 150 FMBC mk.1 Research: 1 700 Cost: 3 300 170 Rocket Launcher M10 Research: 1 700 Cost: 3 300 170 bmg50_new_gun Research: 1 900 Cost: 3 700 190 FRC mk.2 Research: 1 900 Cost: 3 700 190 FLBC mk.1 Research: 2 400 Cost: 4 700 240

Climb rate and acceleration is a big issue for the stock P-47D. Focus on Compressor, Engine, Wings repair and Engine injection first. During this performance focused grind, you can additionally research Offensive 12 mm and the various payload modules to unlock the higher tiers for the better performance upgrades.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The P-47D-28 is armed with:

• 8 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (425 rpg = 3,400 total)

The 8 Browning M2 Machine Guns pack a great punch when used correctly. Long bursts are the forte of the guns, not conservative bursts that one would normally use on a cannon-armed fighter (Fw 190). One should also make the most of the low calibre by using Stealth (Universal and Ground targets belts have a high amount of incendiary ammunition, Tracers belt is entirely incendiary) as the machine guns do not require as much firing accuracy as a cannon, or belts such as Ground Targets. Fire from about .8-1.2 km at max. The M2s are very accurate and have a minimal drop, so long range harassing fire can be quite effective. However, depending on one's pilot aiming skills and his/her own, it may be better to fire from around .3-.5 km. Firing closer to the target is also very advantageous in Boom & Zoom because the high dive speed and inability low turn rate (if the opponent manoeuvres)- one does not want to lose a kill by firing from too far behind and then diving past his/her prey because one's opponent simply turned. The high burst mass output (4.44 kg, compared to the 5.17 kg of the Beaufighter) combined with the high ammunition capacity and accurate and straight-firing M2s make the P-47 one of the most dangerous opponents in that BR bracket.

When used skillfully, the tracer rounds can be used to engage at very long distance (past 1.5 km). Because of the high volume and rate of fire coupled to the visibility of the rounds, tracers can be absolutely terrifying to anyone attacked by them. The Tracer belt has a good but lower damage output than other belts and won't guarantee an instant knock-out. However, it can be used to cripple a bomber flying much higher or an opponent flying away at a higher speed.

Like mentioned above, the P-47 Thunderbolt's 8 x M2 Brownings make pretty effective strafing weapons if used properly. When equipped with Ground-Attack ammunition, they can effectively take out most soft targets, (light pillboxes, etc.).

The ammunition capacity is pretty good, but do not expect it to last for too long (they are MGs, after all). Therefore, do not just aim for the body of any plane. Try to aim for the wings and possibly tail. These are weak points that can result in relatively quick kills. The MGs can rip control surfaces off of any foe quickly, and are extremely effective against the wings of opponents.

Suspended armament

The P-47D-28 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (500 lb total)
• 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (2,500 lb total)
• 10 x HVAR rockets
• 10 x HVAR rockets + 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (500 lb total)
• 10 x HVAR rockets + 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,500 lb total)
• 10 x HVAR rockets + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 10 x HVAR rockets + 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs + 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (2,500 lb total)
• 6 x M8 rockets
• 6 x M8 rockets + 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)

The P-47 can carry a frightfully large payload: 3 large bombs (2 x 1,000 lb, 1 x 500 lb) and a max of 10 HVAR rockets. Thus, a P-47 can be vital to a ground strike mission. Its speed, combined with climb rate and durability make it a great attacker on its own.

The D-28 has two different rocket types to choose from: Bazookas and High-Velocity-Attack-Rockets, the latter being simply far superior to the former.

In full maximum payload, the Jug is difficult to take off in or to handle. With three bombs + ten rockets dive bombing attacks are nigh impossible to manage from low altitudes, especially if one intends to keep the second bomb drop (2 x 1,000 lb). For combined forces, it is therefore suggested to only equip 2 x 1,000 + 10 x HVAR and ignore the 500 lb for superior speed and handling.

Usage in battles

Always maintain speed. The P-47 handles like a dream at about 550-650 km/h (350-400 mph), but once it gets below 350 km/h (220 mph) it handles like a pig dipped in mud. One great thing about the handling at high speed, though, is that the P-47 responds quickly at high speeds, and this allows some impressive defensive scissoring without losing wings at terminal velocity. The high-wing loading is an issue, though, as the Jug will lose most of its energy in a blackout turn. This does endow the Jug with one key feature- it is a rock-solid gun platform.

Unfortunately, zoom-climbing and dive acceleration are not the Jug's forte. The Bf 109 has a superior dive acceleration, and the Fw 190 can zoom-climb far faster. Still, the energy retention of the P-47 is great, along with the fact that it flies far faster than both the Würger and Messerschmitt. The P-47 is absolutely not a turnfighter. Although it is possible to out-turn a heavy fighter like the BF-110 C or Do 217, it is not recommended - the acceleration is mediocre, and once a P-47 is a sitting duck, it will be swarmed by enemy fighters. Acrobatic pilots will not be impressed by the P-47 as well, because it performs Immelmanns very sluggishly and the roll rate is not magnificent as well.

Durability, as mentioned above, is pretty good. As in WW2 itself, the P-47 was renowned for its rugged construction. In War Thunder, the biggest weak point of the P-47 is its engine and wings. The wings can break fairly easily in manoeuvres at speeds around 670 km/h or so. They also tend to break after a well-placed cannon burst (from planes like the FW-190, A6M2/3). The engine though is also fairly susceptible to catching fire while chasing a bomber, but this is not due to its durability but to its size. Speaking of fire, the P-47D will be heavily damaged by the time it pulls itself out of a fire. One should immediately try to limp home if set aflame.

Performance of the P-47 at altitude is very good, but once you go above about 9,000 m (~30,000 ft, its critical altitude), any energy lost will have to be regained by diving and losing altitude. Even though the D-28 now gets 70" boost (which is significantly more than the D-25), it still will have some troubles accelerating and climbing. Keep in mind that this boost is only achieved on WEP, although on military power it still has 65" of boost.

Modes

Arcade - In Arcade, the P-47 can make the most of its capability. In Arcade, engine overheating is not a problem and the Jug can get an air start. Keep WEP on automatic, and climb as high as possible. Watch out for Spitfires, Focke-Wulfs, and Bf 109s, which have the capability to climb as high and as quickly as the P-47. Once a height of around 4,000-5,000 m is reached (bomber level), go for the bombers. If rockets are equipped, expend them against the bombers. Then initiate the tactics seen in "shredding planes". You can stay at altitude and prey on any high-flying aircraft. Beware, the Fw 190 will be your competitor as well.

Realistic - In realistic, one has to be much more careful with how he/she uses the P-47. On takeoff, climb to as high as possible before an engine overheat. If Radiator is installed overheating will still be a problem, but not nearly as bad a one as a stock P-47 will be. If overheating does occur, pull the throttle to around 90% and do a slow climb away from the enemy. If using MEC, set propeller pitch to 85%, mixture to 90%, and radiators to 0% (increase if the engine starts to overheat) for a slight boost in performance. Once high enough, attack high-altitude marauders or use BnZ. In high-speed dives (BnZ), make sure not to make "blackout" turns, because the Jug will rip its wings, even though it has fantastic durability. Keep in mind the fact that the plane will respond more sluggishly in Realistic- one should not try to be an acrobat.

Simulator - The Jug is one of the best planes available for SB. Not only is the only fighter with a full-blown "bubble canopy" to provide a great view, but it also has full high-calibre machine gun armament, which is invaluable for beginners. The machine guns are very forgiving due to easy adjustment, high rate of fire, and large ammunition capacity. Its control handling is also smooth, making it forgiving for beginners. Take advantage of the high durability, as well. Other than that the physics of the Jug are identical to RB.

For base bombing, choose the maximum setup of 1 x 500 lbs, 2 x 1,000 lbs and 10 x rockets to maximise the damage. The fastest way to get to a base is to remain at tree-top level upon taking off. This way there is no need to climb so the P-47 can pick up quite some speed like that, even with the full bombload. When approaching the base, check its position with the minimap to ensure it's the right target. When the base fills up the gunsight, pull up to around 500 m and then dive at the base at a rather shallow angle. Now you can fire all the rockets as the distance is pretty close. When the gunsight slices past the furthest edge of the base, release all the bombs, bank to the direction of the nearest friendly airfield, descend back to tree-top level and fly back. If you are lucky, you might even catch some enemy bombers that just took-off from a nearby airfield. They will be some nice RP for you. Overall, base bombing is the safest way to get rewards but might not be the most efficient.

Specific enemies worth noting

• Planes that the P-47 will face will be between in its BR range. Depending on what planes one equips, one can expect planes from the Fw 190 A-1 to the A-4, and from the Bf 109 F-1 to the F-4.

• Me 264: This giant is one of the few bombers who get air spawns in Sim, so it usually flies higher than you think. On top of this, the Me 264 is armed with large calibre MG and cannons all over it, therefore tailing a 264 is basically suicide unless all of their gunners are knocked out. You can treat the Me 264 almost like a B-17 as they are very similar in both design and defensive capabilities. It is best to enage frontally the 264 if you can as you can easily knock out the pilots due to its glazed nose while also taking minimal damage. However the bomber lacks a ventral turret on its belly, making it easy to deal damage from below, but be wary of the downwards facing rear 20 mm cannon near the tail. The safest way to attack is from a higher altitude, dive at an oblique angle and focus fire on the wings and nose. Never engage if you have no altitude advantage.
• Bf 110, Ki-45, A-26: As mentioned before, those twin engine aircraft are a big threat since their lack of manoeuvrability comparing to single engine fighters are minimised in Sim. They are usually armed with heavy guns & cannons in the nose, so an accurate burst will tear any plane apart, including the P-47. The P-47 manoeuvres rather sluggishly and you might get out-turned from even those heavy fighters, so engage them with either altitude or speed advantage to avoid being targeted. If they are not manoeuvring aggressively, aim for their wings or engines. If the fight is intense and you cannot smooth the aim, just burst anywhere as long as you hit them, the 12.7 mm bullets will damage their flight models quite a bit.
• ZSD63: A dangerous SPAA to go up against in Tank Realistic Battles. Though it is hard to identify specific SPAA vehicles on the ground (especially when they are shooting tracers at the plane), if a ZSD63 is identified, avoid it at all costs and do not attempt head-ons with it, ever. It can easily snap a wing off by casually putting a short burst in the P-47D-28's flight path. Don't even get close to it unless it is busy shooting someone else or if the P-47D-28 has a bomb ready for use. Some identifying features of the ZSD63 is its rather boxy and tall hull with a geometric turret sitting at the back, slightly similar to a Wirbelwind's. The firing manner is also distinctive: the sound and green tracers are very rapid, much like a buzz saw, but then it will remain silent for half a minute reloading. Note that an experienced ZSD player will hold its fire or shoot in single salvos with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading. Armour piercing belt is recommended since their high penetration can tear through the ZSD's armour with ease and knock out its crews.
• Yak-2 KABB: Do not think that the P-47D-28 can confidently out manoeuvre this plane just because it is twin-engined. The Yak-2 has an amazing turn rate for a heavy fighter, thus the P-47D-28 must avoid turning with it, if not dogfighting with it in general. It bears a pair of ShVAK cannons that can easily damage vital parts like engine or cooling systems. It has green camouflage, greatly resembling an Me 410 but with an H-tail like a Bf 110's.

Counter-tactics

Try to climb above the Jug. It does not climb well enough to remain on par with most planes, as it is very heavy. The Jug is bad at vertical manoeuvres so you can try using those (be careful, as he can still prop-hang you). The Jug is also not very good at low-to-medium speed manoeuvres, although, be careful not to get into its crosshair. The Jug is surprisingly manoeuvrable for such a large plane, especially when its flaps are extended.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Controllable 1 gear	Auto controlled

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Great engine performance above 6,000 m
• High top speed in level flight and in a dive
• Great high-speed handling
• Good climb rate when upgraded
• Can use WEP for a long period of time without overheating
• Durable airframe with high structural speed limit
• Effective combat flaps with high rip speed (~500 km/h)
• Impressive firepower: the 8 x M2s have great range, accuracy and damage output
• Impressive payloads and therefore fantastic ground attack capability
• Great cockpit visibility

Cons:

• Poor low-speed handling
• Large target
• Poor energy retention (especially when turnfighting and in low-speed manoeuvres)

History

Developed by Republic Aviation, the main role of the P-47 Thunderbolt was as a bomber escort, at high altitude the "Jug" could contend with the latest from the Luftwaffe. The design was to also include much better protection for the pilot by having increased armour around the cockpit; however, this increased its weight substantially. It was the first American fighter to receive more than the standard 6 x .50 calibre M2 Browning machine guns, with a total of 8 all together, making it the most powerful Allied aircraft in terms of firepower at the time. Thanks to its rugged design, the Thunderbolt was able to take a considerable beating, more so than other allied aircraft and with its sturdy airframe and large engine. The Jug quickly took on the role of ground attack, able to arm itself with 2,500 lbs of bombs and rockets. All in all, the Thunderbolt was one of the most successful allied aircraft during the war, even with the introduction of the faster and more nimble P-51 Mustang, later modifications of the Thunderbolt would go on to see action in the later part of the Pacific Campaign against the Imperial Japanese Navy.

A total of 750 D-28 model P-47s were built. The aircraft is very similar to the P-47D-25 except for one primary difference. This model introduced the Curtiss Electric 13ft paddle-blade propeller. The addition of this larger propeller helped cure the P-47's issues of low altitude climbing by converting more power from the enormous R-2800 engine into thrust.

In-game description

Republic P-47D-28 Thunderbolt single-engine army heavy escort fighter/fighter-bomber

A single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear. It was designed in the design bureau of the Republic Aviation Corporation under the direction of Alexander Kartveli, a Russian immigrant of Georgian origin. The first flight of the XP-47B prototype took place in May 1941. Full-scale production began in March 1942.

Beginning in September 1942, fighters of the P-47D variant began to leave the factory floor. They featured 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-21 eighteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines, with a water mixture injected into the cylinders under augmented rating conditions and with an improved turbosupercharger.

The armament of all batches of P-47Ds included eight 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M2.5 machine guns (425 rounds each) located in the wing panels. Bombs of up to 500 lb could be suspended from the ventral pylon of the earlier P-47Ds. Extra wing pylons designed for two 1,000 lb bombs were fitted on subsequent batches of P-47Ds. The plane's maximum bomb capacity could reach 2,500 lb (1,130 kg). The wing-mounted bomb racks were "wet", meaning that they were connected to the fuel lines and that external fuel tanks could be suspended from them.

Beginning with the P-47D-20 batch, the Thunderbolts had a higher tail skid to reduce aerodynamic resistance during takeoff, plus a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 Double Wasp engine whose rated power was 2,000 hp but which could reach 2,300 hp in short-term emergency conditions. The aerodynamic configuration of the underwing pylons was improved. This P-47D batch was the first to lack any paint. Due to absolute supremacy of the Allies' aircraft in the air, camouflage patterns were considered unnecessary, as they impaired aircraft performance characteristics. Beginning with the P-47D-25 batch, the Thunderbolts obtained a new drop-shaped cockpit canopy with no framing, which significantly improved visibility to the upper side of the plane's rear. However, the reduced height of the fuselage spine fairing behind the pilot's cockpit slightly impaired the aircraft's longitudinal stability, so Thunderbolts were equipped with a small dorsal fin fairing beginning with the P-47D-27 batch.

The D-27 batch was soon followed by the D-28 batch, which became one of the most widely produced. 750 aircraft were manufactured at the factory in Farmingdale, and 1,028 in Evansville. D-28-RA aircraft built in Evansville and adapted to fly under the conditions of the Pacific theatre of war had their Hamilton Standard Hydromatic 24E50 propellers replaced with a different type of propeller, the Curtiss-Electric C54E50-A114, which had a smaller diameter. The shape of the propeller's spinner was also changed. Due to the new propeller, the aircraft was lengthened by 100 mm, and its maximum height with its tail up was increased by 20 mm. A number of changes were introduced into the hydraulic system, and the plane's radio equipment was improved, with an advanced radio compass installed. The two outermost machine guns were often removed in the field to improve the fighter's manoeuvrability characteristics. This happened quite often and was beneficial in most cases.

Aircraft of the D-28-RA batch built in Evansville were used in the Pacific quite sparingly, due to the lack of airfields with runways of appropriate length. The Thunderbolts became deeply involved in the Pacific only after the appearance of the N version, which was specially designed for the Pacific theatre of war.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the P-47D-28 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Best after-party picks discusses the P-47D-28 at 1:23 - War Thunder Official Channel

Best aircraft for Boom & Zoom discusses the P-47D-28 at 3:34 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.