P-47's Duxford 1986

[sp221156]

Looking through some old notebooks which included a visit to Duxford in April 1986.
I noted two P-47 Thunderbolts - one in pieces undergoing restoration and a 'whole' aircraft in one of the hangars.

Can anyone advise me as to the identity of these two aircraft please?

Many thanks

[D.C.W.]

The two P-47's were oddly enough the same aircraft. The full history of N47DD is at:
warbirdregistry.org - A Warbirds Resource Group Site - Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p47registry/p47-4549192.html)

It arrived Duxford Jan 86 and became the well known 'No Guts No Glory' with The Fighter Collection. The spare parts from its rebuild were substantial enough to be assembled into the second airframe which is now on static display at the American Air Museum at Duxford.

[Jhieminga]

The 'whole' aircraft must have been 45-49192/N47DD/MX-X/'No Guts No Glory' (http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p47registry/p47-4549192.html) that was operated by TFC, It arrived in the UK in January 1986 and moved back to the US in 2007.

I'm sure someone else will be able to fill in the details on the other airframe. Otherwise, ask around on the Keypublishing forums (http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=4).

[treadigraph]

TFC housed the ex Doug Arnold P-47 G-BLZW for a few months which was exported to the US in early 1986 - it's now N47RP with the Palm Springs Air Museum. It was complete and airworthy so far as I know.

TFC's own "No Guts No Glory" was rebuilt by Fighter Rebuilders at Chino in the US and arrived at Duxford in Jan 1986.

The rebuild might also have been the IWM's non-flying P-47, currently displayed in the American Air Museum at Duxford, which I think was built up by TFC engineers from unairworthy parts at the same time as NX47DD - there was a spare fuselage involved in the rebuild of the flier and I believe this aircraft is also nominally "N47DD".

Whilst on the subject of TFC Jugs, their "Razorback" P-47G is now largely assembled and ready for spraying in Hangar 2 at Duxford - perhaps we may see it airworthy at Flying Legends! :ok:

[sp221156]

Hmmm. So effectively they are both N47DD? :)

No wonder I was confused. The a/c on display carried the serial '223719' which I suspect were false marks.

[treadigraph]

Back home and I have consulted the rather battered and elderly "bible"...

The static P-47 at Duxford is the original 45-49192/N47DD, badly damaged in a crash at Tulsa in 1980. It was rebuilt at Duxford between 1986 and 1988. Some parts went into a spare P-47N fuselage which became N47DD (2) and was TFC's airworthy aircraft which arriverd in early '86. I think it first flew here in a different scheme (as 223719?), but I recall seeing it at Mildenhall in May '86 by which time I'm sure it was "No Guts, No Glory".

'ere just noticed DCW's post - how come I couldn't see that at work yesterday? :confused: There was only the original post, and Jhieminga's response!

[sp221156]

Thanks for that information. I think that just about sorts it out in my head. Appreciate eveyone's response to this.

Steve