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The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt entered service in 1942. It was one of the largest and most powerful fighters of WW2. The design evolved as the war progressed, and the D-25 was the first to feature the bubble type canopy which had proven itself in other aircraft of the time. The canopy was later retrofitted to some of the earlier aircraft. The Thunderbolt or 'Jug' as it was called, proved itself useful both as a long-range fighter, but also in the ground-attack role, where it's rugged construction was able to absorb a lot of damage from ground fire.
The P-47/F-47 served with a number of air forces both during and after WW2, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Great Britain, Italy, Turkey, and Yugoslavia.
The P-47 was armed with 8x 12.7mm machine guns, and could carry bombs, rockets, or fuel tanks under the fuselage or wings.
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