P-47D bubble tops in the PTO

[Spitfires Forever]

Hello

I'm into a bit of a P-47 mania right now and so far, with the exception of the P-47N I can't seem to find anything on the bubble top D models in use. I have earmarked one of my Tamiya P-47 razorbacks for a PTO bird. From what I have been able to gather so far is that only the Razorback was used and only long enough until enough P-51D and K models became available. It was the same case for the P-38. I know the RAF had Mk II's in the CBI but my focus is on the USAAF. There is some info on Neel Kearby's 348th (and his unfortunate demise supposedly bring shot whilst in his parachute) but I digress. There is a bit of info on the 58th FG but no evidence of a bubble top in use. I could be wrong about the lack of bubble tops in the PTO so I turn this over to those who are more informed than myself on this topic  I would be interested to see if bubble top D models made it into the Pacific.

Cheers

[Gmat]

The  35th FG had some bubble tops.

https://www.misawa.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000988714/

The 58th FG also flew bubble tops. Near the end of the War they received some N models but by then no one wanted to risk flying.

 

The 318th went from razorbacks to N models.

The 15th FG had all razorbacks save one bubble top. That was flown by the 15th FG commander, Col. Beckwith in the 47th FS markings. p. 71, The Long Campaign, John Lambert. The group switched to P-51Ds before entering combat.

like this.

https://modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/previews/has/48/09318.htm

Grant

[Gmat]

The 81st FG in China also flew bubbletops.

https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/527827-30-07-2021-visual-discrepancies-found-in-the-rocaf-p-47d-30/

[Spitfires Forever]

It makes sense that at least some bubble tops made it to the PTO especially since Republic shut down razorback production to go with the late D models and N models. Thanks for the info and photos.

Cheers

[Tbolt]

The 1st ACG used some as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

The P-47D-25-RA came with the cut down rear fuselage and extra internal fuel.  42-26389 was the first production example, accepted on 12 February 1944, while another 4 were produced in mid/late March, the typical advanced production of a new block to enable testing.  Production switched to the -25 in the first week of April.

 

At Evansville the equivalent of the D-25-RA, the P-47D-26-RE, came into production in the final third of May 1944.

 

So you would expect by August 1945 every P-47 unit to have at least some of them, unless they had transitioned to the M or N, you would need to check the histories for specific examples.  Farmingdale produced 2,546 D-25 or later, Evansville 3,743 D-26 or later, almost exactly half of the total 12,602 production P-47D.

 

What the USAAF calls the Pacific Ocean Areas reports its first P-51 on strength in November 1944, the Far Eastern Air Forces in October, the 20th Air Force did not have any officially on strength until July 1945.