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Finally the Internet is worthwhile: "How to fly the P-47"
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Thanks to Carl Malamud's PublicResource.org project, which takes material prepared by public agencies and makes it available free online, you too can get basic info on flying the P-47 "Thunderbolt." It comes courtesy of these films, produced for pilot-aspirants in 1943 by the War Department. [Fixed link to Public.Resource -- had been wrong.]
(Yes, children, there was a "Department of War" all through American history, until the creation of the "Department of Defense" in 1947. More was involved in creation of the DOD than the change in name; but in retrospect "Department of War" seems a breathtakingly and admirably honest term. I think we should change the Pentagon's name back to "Department of War," and re-assign "Department of Defense" to the organization that now bears the loathsome name "Department of Homeland Security." But I digress.)
As you'll see if you watch, the films do get into some technical aspects. But they ease into it with some, umm, cultural material -- especially the first few minutes of the film below. It's #2 in the series, covering normal operations of the airplane.
Here's the first in the series, general pilot familiarization with the P-47:
And the third, on high-altitude flight and aerobatics:
(Yes, children, there was a "Department of War" all through American history, until the creation of the "Department of Defense" in 1947. More was involved in creation of the DOD than the change in name; but in retrospect "Department of War" seems a breathtakingly and admirably honest term. I think we should change the Pentagon's name back to "Department of War," and re-assign "Department of Defense" to the organization that now bears the loathsome name "Department of Homeland Security." But I digress.)
As you'll see if you watch, the films do get into some technical aspects. But they ease into it with some, umm, cultural material -- especially the first few minutes of the film below. It's #2 in the series, covering normal operations of the airplane.
Here's the first in the series, general pilot familiarization with the P-47:
And the third, on high-altitude flight and aerobatics:
