P-47D Thunderbolt "Big Ass Bird II" Flown by Maj. Howard Park, 513th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group 1945
For the fourth day in a row, Captain Parker was on the radio in his tank, ceaselessly calling for strikes against targets all around Bastogne's perimeter. "The missions were on a rotating basis, like a conveyor belt," recalled Howard Park, the pilot of "Big Ass Bird II." So long and exhausting were the days in the skies over Bastogne, said Lt. Park, that they turned into a "blur in my memory." Claims for the P-47 pilots of the 406th FG in one day amounted to 32 armored vehicles and 75 motor transport vehicles. Captain Warren Lenhart led a flight of the 406th against a brigade at Bertogne, northwest of Bastogne. They took it out, Captain Parker said admiringly, "against all the flak the Germans could throw up at them" and then called for another target. (Excerpt from book - Those Who Hold Bastogne: The True Story of the Soldiers and Civilians Who Fought in the Biggest Battle of the Bulge by Peter Schrijvers)
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt that a real workhorse of the Allied victory during WWII. Nicknamed the “Jug” (short for “Juggernaut”) by adoring pilots, the P-47 was a heavyweight warbird — and one that packed a devastating punch. More than 15,600 Thunderbolts were manufactured between 1941 and 1945 and they served in every theatre of the war performing a variety of missions from bomber escort to close air support.
The P-47 was a big plane. It was three feet wider than the P-51 Mustang and four feet longer. And at more than 10,000 pounds empty, it was about 50 percent heavier than the Mustang and nearly twice the weight of of the British Spitfire. In fact, along with the three-seat Grumman Avenger, the P-47 was among the heaviest single-engine aircraft of World War Two. Despite its considerable mass, the P-47’s 18-cylinder, 2,600-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine (the same power plant used by the Vought Corsair and Grumman Hellcat) enabled the unwieldy Jug to keep pace with the Mustang. Both had a top speed of around 440 mph (700 km/h). And while the P-47 could reach altitudes in excess of 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), its range of just over 800 miles (1,300 km) gave it half the legs of the P-51.
Spruce up your room, man-cave, garage or toolbox with this vinyl decal paying tribute to the famed P-47 Thunderbolt! Comes with smaller vinyl decals that can be applied anywhere.
What makes our vinyl prints special?
Available in two material options!
Movable - Ready to make a move? Our vinyl wall prints are movable and reusable for interior application.
Permanent - Need it to stick? Our 3M decal material will adhere permanently. Great for trailers!
Variety of sizes - small, medium or large.
Authentic - Genuine high resolution images of your favorite aircraft bring life to any room!
Produced in the U.S.A. - Thoughtfully crafted by skilled AirCorps team members in Bemidji, MN.
