Bubbletops of the 8th

[amariani 4,882]

Does anybody has info about which units of the 8th AF flew the bubbletop version of the P-47D Thunderbolt? (other than the 56th, 78th & 353rd FG's)

[yubba 70]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_P-47_Thunderbolt#Bubbletop_P-47s

[amariani 4,882]

Thanks! Good info, but not what I was looking for.

[Wrench 9,848]

have you tried LittleFriends .com (double check url)

[+yakarov79 11,089]

littlefriends.co.uk

[amariani 4,882]

I've tried littlefriends.co.uk with little luck.

[Wrench 9,848]

ohhh....groan!!!

bad pun!!!!

 

amariani, check your PMs

[KJakker 901]

I did a little looking and I think this is correct for P-47D units. I would need to do more research to determine which ones were Bubbletop and which were Razorback and I might be missing some units.

 

P-47D

 

4th, 56th, 78th, 352nd, 353rd, 355th, 356th, 358th, 359th, and 361st Fighter Groups, 8th Air Force.

 

36th, 48th, 50th, 354th, 362nd, 365th,366th, 367th, 368th, 371st, 373rd, 404th, 405th, and 406th Fighter Groups, 9th Air Force.

 

37th, 57th, 79th, 86th, 322nd, 324th, and 350th Fighter Groups, 12th Air Force.

 

1st Group Aviacao de Caca of the Brazilian Air Force.

 

Pacific

 

35th, 58th, 348th Fighter Groups and 35th FS of the 8th FG and 9th FS of the 49th Group of the 5th Air Force.

 

P-47N

 

318th, 508th Fighter Groups of the 7th Air Force.

 

413th, 414th, and 507th Fighter Groups 20th Air Force.

 

Edit: Wrench, please correct this if any of it is wrong.

Edited October 14, 2016 by KJakker

[warthog64 92]

I've read in multiple sources that the first "bubble top" P-47s were delivered to combat groups in May 1944.

 

I'm 100% certain that the 4th, 352nd, 355th, and 359th never flew the bubbletop P-47 since they all converted to the P-51 before the bubbletop P-47 was available. the 361st transitioned to the P-51 the same month the first bubbletop P-47 became available, so I'm 99% certain they never flew the bubbletop P-47. The 358th did fly the bubbletop P-47 but this was only after they were reassigned to the 9th AF.

 

Therefore the only other group that probably flew the bubbletop P-47 was the 356th which transitioned to the P-51 in November of 1944.

 

This website is a good source for the timelines of the 8th AF groups.

 

https://8thafhs.org/fightergrps.htm

Edited October 16, 2016 by warthog64

[amariani 4,882]

Thanks guys! I could only find a few pics of the 356th FG's so far.