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We covered the first flight a few months ago : Dakota Air Territory Museum’s P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 flies again. The YouTube channel AirshowStuff has shared this video of the display of the Dakota Territory Air Museum’s P-47 Thunderbolt flown by Bernie Vasquez during the latest gathering at Oshkosh.

This P-47D Thunderbolt won the Grand Champion trophy  in the WW2 warbirds category.

Push the sound up on your device and enjoy !

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P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 during its first flight with Bernie Vasquez at the controls. (Photo courtesy Ben Redman via AirCorps Aviation)

RAZORBACK P-47D THUNDERBOLT FIRST FLIGHT

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Following a lengthy restoration period by AirCorps Aviation, Republic P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt serial number 42-27609 took to the skies again on 16 May 2023 in Bemidji, Minnesota. The first flight was a success and was flown by Bernie Vasquez, with Warren Pietsch and Ben Redman flying chase in P-51D Mustang “Miss Kitty III”.

The aircraft belongs to the Dakota Territory Air Museum and will carry the markings of the P-47D Thunderbolt “Bonnie”  flown by Major Bill Dunham, commanding officer of the 460th Fighter Squadron in the Philippines in 1944.

Major Bill Dunham’s P-47D “Bonnie”  of the 460th Fighter Squadron in 1944. (Photo USAF)

The exact history of 42-27609 is unknown, but it is believed it served either with the 35th or the 348th Fighter Group in the South-West Pacific. It was delivered to Australia on 8 May 1944 and was abandonedon Dobodura airfield in Papua New Guinea later that year, on 18 September.

More photos and information available here:

• Projet P-47 42-27609 on AirCorps Aviation’s website
• Photos and video of the first flight on AirCorps Aviation’s blog

We would like to thank Ben Redman and the team at AirCorps Aviation for the photo and footage used to illustrate this article.

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The P-47D Thunderbolt “Jacky’s Revenge” (Photo Eric (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

The pilot of the P-47 “Jacky’s Revenge” was killed during a crash in the Hudson river. An initial New Jersey PD statement indicated that the pilot had been rescued with minor injuries, but this statement was later retracted. The pilot was identified as Bill Gordon of Connecticut.

Gordon flew P-47D Thunderbolt “Jacky’s Revenge” for the American Airpower Museum in East Farmingdale, New York.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and relatives of Bill Gordon.

Source: Newsday

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Photo USAF

Col. Robert J. “Shorty” Rankin, a World War II fighter ace of the 56th Fighter Group, passed away on March 14, 2013 in his winter home in Florida, aged 94. He was credited with 10 confirmed, 1 probable victories and 2 damaged e/a, and was the first P-47 Thunderbolt to achieve “ace-in-a-day” status by destroying 5 e/a in one day.

The following bio is from the Luke AFB website:

Robert James Rankin was born on 23 October 1918 in Washington, D. C. Joining the Army Air Corps on 6 March 1941, he served in the enlisted ranks until he became an aviation cadet on 15 July 1942. Graduation from pilot training at Luke Field, Arizona on 11 April 1943, he checked out in the P-47 Thunderbolt at Tallahassee, Fla. In August he was sent to England and assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, based at Halesworth. 

Lt. Rankin scored his first victory on 6 Feb 1944, when he shot down a Me-109 over Paris, France. On 15 March he destroyed two Me-109s, was credited with a ‘probable” and damaged a FW-190 on a mission deep into Germany, and on 29 March downed an Me-109 northeast of Neinburg. 

Rankin’s record day came on 12 May 1944, flying in bomber formation to deceive the enemy into mistaking them for the bomber force, at a predetermined point the 56th fanned out into flights of four to encounter enemy fighters forming up to intercept the “bombers.” Rankin led his flight to an attack on 25 plus Me-109s, claiming two kills. A short time later, he and his wingman joined with the Group Commander who was circling with 50 plus enemy fighters. Providing cover for the Group Commander, Rankin destroyed three Me-109s. He became the European Theater of Operations first P-47 pilot to score five victories on one mission. 

Rankin returned to combat during the Korean War, serving as director of operations for the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. During the next 11 years, he commanded six fighter-Interceptor squadrons. Promoted to Colonel on 9 November 1963, he retired as Vice-Commander of the 20th Air Division on 1 April 1973.