American P-47D "Razorback" - This is a model of an Army fighter that flew against the Germans from Britain in 1943. The first P-47Ds, called Razorbacks, lacked the bubble canopies that would later provide their pilots with good rear vision. The P-47 was designed as a high-altitude fighter, but lacked the range to escort heavy bombers on long missions, although its range was extended by the addition of cumbersome drop tanks in late 1943. A long-range version, the P-47N, entered service in 1944, but in the meantime the plane was found to be an excellent ground support plane because of its sturdy construction and ability to carry a heavy load of armament. It's large, round shape, designed to accommodate a turbocharger for its radial engine, made it the heaviest and largest single-engine fighter of WWII, and it was affectionately nicknamed "The Jug." It first saw combat in 1943 and served in every theatre of the war, including about 200 Lend-Lease P-47s sent to the Soviets. The P-47 was the primary U.S. fighter in Western Europe until the P-51 Mustang took over that role in early 1944.
