P-47 to the Rescue?

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Bruno Anthony

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I've subscribed to this YouTube channel for a while and he gets into the weeds by sticking to the Flight Manuals as his primary references.
In this video “Greg” shows that the P-47 had sufficient range to escort 8th AF bombers as far as necessary but as we know the P-51 is known as the plane that saved the day. He’s pretty compelling.
Comments?

 
-Escort range of the P-47C ($ 104,258) in December 1942: Paris, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel.

- Escort range of the P-47C in September 1943: Frankfurt, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel and one ventral tank with 409 litres.

- Escort range of the P-47C in November 1943: Suttgart, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel and one ventral tank with 625 litres.

- Escort range of the P-51B ($ 58,698) in November 1943: Prague.
 
Justo Miranda said:
-Escort range of the P-47C ($ 104,258) in December 1942: Paris, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel.

- Escort range of the P-47C in September 1943: Frankfurt, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel and one ventral tank with 409 litres.

- Escort range of the P-47C in November 1943: Suttgart, with 1,154 litres of internal fuel and one ventral tank with 625 litres.

- Escort range of the P-51B ($ 58,698) in November 1943: Prague.
Click to expand...

Don’t know if you watched his video, it’s a little over an hour. He doesn’t say the P-47 had superior range to the P-51 but that the -47 had ENOUGH range to escort 8th AF missions up to Berlin. His argument is:
that the newer P-51 was used as a “savior” to cover up the already in service P-47 not being used as an escort fighter. Otherwise the 8th AF would have to explain why so many bomber missions lacked escort over the target if there already existed such a capable plane.
 
People look too hard for conspiracy theories.
 
Moose said:
People look too hard for conspiracy theories.
Click to expand...
I’m not a conspiracy theory guy but he has some pretty good research on P-47 range. His theory has holes in it but if you are a P-47 fan, he has several videos on it.
 
Can you propound theories on aircraft range without considering the octanes required, fuel consumed and the
state of 100/115/130 (+ more exotic) octane fuel supplies in the UK during the period?
 
CJGibson said:
Could make the same argument here:

www.aerosociety.com

Escort Spitfire - a missed opportunity for longer reach? - Royal Aeronautical Society

Could Supermarine's iconic fighter have been modified to escort US bombers all the way to Berlin and back? Paul Stoddart examines some development options for the Spitfire and suggests what might have been achieved.
www.aerosociety.com www.aerosociety.com

Chris
Click to expand...

This one has some legs too. The argument the Video creator is making is that the P-51 was not the only aircraft capable to do the mission, it’s that other aircraft (P-47 in the case of this video) could have done it sooner.

Provocative stuff. Makes you think.
 
The P-47 was not designed as a long-range fighter so its no surprise that, like many of its contemporaries, that it was reliant on external fuel. The improved P-47N with revised wings with two 50gal/190lit tanks could reach 2,000 miles, the 318th FG made a ferry flight from Saipan to Le Shima (1,425 miles) no problem.
In regards to the European theatre the P-47 was more than adequate until late 1944 as combat and bomber targets moved further away to central and southern Germany and areas like Czechoslovakia, for example units like the 78th FG at Duxford were re-equipped with P-51s for this reason. But P-47 pilots loved their 'Jugs' due to its ability to absorb a lot of punishment, which the P-51 was less good at.
 
Remember that WALLIED heavy bombers remained based in Britain until the end of WW2. The primary limitation was delivering fuel and bombs to France and Belgium. Despite landing in Normandy in June 1944 and chasing Germans out of France by the end of August, they lacked intact port facilities until November. Yes, they captured the Port of Antwerp almost intact in early September, but struggled to clear that seaward approaches until November. The first cargo ship only sailed into Antwerp in November 1944, a mere 6 months before Germany surrendered.
Ergo, WALLIED bombers struggled to attack targets deeper and deeper into South-Estern Germany and into Czechoslovakia. Czech quality severely declined during the later months of the war.
 
Fuel - David Edgerton's Britain's War Machine states that 100-octane fuel was one thing that was available in the UK. Most of it was imported from the USA, but also produced at UK refineries using various feedstocks.

Chris
 

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