WARBIRDS P-51 & P-47D THUNDERBOLT "NELLIE" BUZZING THE TOWER 492d FIGHTER SQUADRON • RAF LAKENHEATH

It is not often you get a P-51 and a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt visit RAF Lakenheath, especially when the P-47 is in the markings of the 492d Fighter Squadron. These two 'warbirds' played a major part in WW2, as both bomber escorting aircraft but in particular the attacking ground attack nature of the P-47.

The P-47 Thunderbolt was the 48th Fighter Bomb Group's aircraft during WW2. Originally having four squadrons which were activated as the 55th, 56th, 57th Fighter Bombardment Squadrons & 9th Reconnaissance Squadron, in 1943, they were redesignated as the squadron numbers we are familiar with today; 492d, 493d, 494th & 495th. For whatever reason, the 495th disbanded on the 1st April 1944.

When the men of the 48th set sail on the 21st March 1944 on board the Queen Mary, the men were destined into the unknown. After a week of travel, they arrived in Scotland and then travelled for 2 more days by train to RAF Isley, south of England near Bournemouth.

The 48th trained rigorously, from dive-bombing, glide bombing, low level flying, night flying, smoke laying, reconnaissance, patrol sorties and innovative close air support training. All this training was to prepare them for D-Day and the Normandy Campaign. Unknown at the time to the pilots of the 48th, all of their training was specifically designed for a campaign against the German positions in Normandy. On 6 June 1944, the 48th participated in a massive invasion of France, which included more than 14,000 sorties flown by the allied air forces, 2,000 by the 48th. The three squadrons assisted the Normandy invasion by dropping bombs on bridges and gun positions, attacking rail lines and trains, and providing visual reconnaissance reports. Over the course of the Normandy campaign, the 48th flew nearly 2,000 sorties, dropping nearly 500 tons of bombs and fired more than 160,000 rounds of ammunition.

The P-47 in this video is called "Nellie" and is in the markings (F4) including the red chequered cowling and rudder, of the 492d Fighter Squadron. The letter "J" is the identifier for the aircraft (for example each aircraft was marked A to Z).

Specs:
Crew: 1
Length: 36 ft 1+3⁄4 in (11.02 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 9+5⁄16 in (12.43 m)
Height: 14 ft 8+1⁄16 in (4.472 m)
Wing area: 300 sq ft (28 m2)
Empty weight: 10,000 lb (4,536 kg)
Gross weight: 13,230 lb (6,001 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW)
Maximum speed: 426 mph (686 km/h, 370 kn) at 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
Range: 1,030 mi (1,660 km, 900 nmi)
Service ceiling: 42,000 ft (13,000 m)
Guns: 8 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns with 425 rounds per gun (3400 rounds total)
Up to 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) of bombs
10 × 5 in (127 mm) HVAR unguided rockets

The P-51 was another successful warbird of WW2, escorting bombers and engaging in dogfights. With its Rolls-Royce engine, it had the ultimate power and a delight to fly. The P-51 Mustang's first flight was on the 26th October 1944 but it wasn't until the P-51D, set with the RR Merlin Engine, that gave it the performance that the Mustang was known for.

Crew: 1
Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m)
Height: 13 ft 4.5 in (4.077 m) tail wheel on ground, vertical propeller blade
Wing area: 235 sq ft (21.8 m2)
Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,463 kg)
Gross weight: 9,200 lb (4,173 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Packard (Rolls-Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1,490 hp (1,110 kW) at 3,000 rpm 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at WEP
Maximum speed: 440 mph (710 km/h, 383 kn)
Cruise speed: 362 mph (583 km/h, 315 kn)
Range: 1,650 mi (2,660 km, 1,434 nmi) with external tanks
Service ceiling: 41,900 ft (12,800 m)
Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16 m/s)
Guns: 6 × .50 caliber (12.7mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 1,840 total rounds (380 rounds for each on the inboard pair and 270 rounds for each of the outer two pair)
Rockets: 6 or 10 × 5.0 in (127 mm) T64 HVAR rockets
Bombs: 1 × 100 lb (45 kg) or 250 lb (110 kg) bomb or 500 lb (230 kg)

#warbirds #tedconingsby #flypast #p47 #rollsroyce #prattandwhitney #ww2 #fighterjet #acepilots #runway #militaryaircraft #heritage #usaf #mighty8th

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