Needle in Haystack - non-NMF P-47N?

[seiran01 3,969]

Is anyone aware of a P-47N (or F-47N) in any finish that was not natural metal? I've been looking around for a while and coming up with nothing for US schemes. 

I know multiple air forces operated T-bolts in the decades after the war, and RoC/Taiwan had the -N model, but in NMF. I have not been able to determine if anyone else had that variant but I'm guessing if anyone operated a painted -N, it was a foreign force.

Thanks for any info that you guys can provide!

Mike

[seiran01 3,969]

**  I see that Guatemala and Nicaragua also flew the -N, but it seems also in NMF...

[Jennings Heilig 12,332]

Highly doubtful, unless there was some weird civilian one.  The only one I'm aware of in the USAF was the All Weather Flying Center commander's runabout that had the big red and yellow trim all over it, but it was still NMF.

[Jennings Heilig 12,332]

1 hour ago, seiran01 said:

**  I see that Guatemala and Nicaragua also flew the -N, but it seems also in NMF...

 

You sure they had N's?  

[seiran01 3,969]

Yes, they had a few down in central America.  The CAF's -N undergoing restoration is ex-Nicaraguan (and also ex-Puerto Rico ANG) according to this article:

http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/thunderbolt-survivors-latin-american-story.html

 

 

[Gazzas 6,498]

I saw this one:

 

Though, I admit I've done nothing more thank click on a photo of it, without verifying it's bona fides.

 

[Joe Hegedus 31]

7 hours ago, Gazzas said:

I saw this one:

 

Though, I admit I've done nothing more thank click on a photo of it, without verifying it's bona fides.

 

That's probably the only way you're going to find a non-NMF "N" model; a warbird.  I believe that one was operated by the Confederate Air Force?  The image of the right side shows text under the stab; the last line looks like an "N" number but I can't make out what it reads.

[Out2gtcha 31,277]

8 hours ago, Gazzas said:

I saw this one:

 

Though, I admit I've done nothing more thank click on a photo of it, without verifying it's bona fides.

 

 

54 minutes ago, Joe Hegedus said:

That's probably the only way you're going to find a non-NMF "N" model; a warbird.  I believe that one was operated by the Confederate Air Force?  The image of the right side shows text under the stab; the last line looks like an "N" number but I can't make out what it reads.

 

 

ITs : N47TB, 1946 Republic P-47N-20-RE, C/N: 44-89136    

 

N47TB was restored to NFM:

 

 

 

According to the Warbird Registry, this P47N S/N 45-53436 has been part of the Commemorative Air Force since 1962, most recently registered as N47TB “Meat Chopper”. The original “Meat Chopper” served with the 464th FS/507th FG in 1945 based on Ie Shima in the Pacific theater.

 

Interesting history of this bird in Guatemala and Nicaragua:

 

http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/thunderbolt-survivors-latin-american-story.html

[LSP_Ray 6,771]

Am  correctly remembering the two blues scheme above was used on some P-47M's in Europe?

[seiran01 3,969]

Far as I know, that's correct Ray; the -N was painted in that scheme as an airshow warbird only

[Out2gtcha 31,277]

6 minutes ago, LSP_Ray said:

Am  correctly remembering the two blues scheme above was used on some P-47M's in Europe?

 

Just now, seiran01 said:

Far as I know, that's correct Ray; the -N was painted in that scheme as an airshow warbird only

 

 

Surly was, M only as Mike mentioned......................

 

[Padubon 463]

On 1/12/2020 at 3:32 PM, seiran01 said:

Is anyone aware of a P-47N (or F-47N) in any finish that was not natural metal? I've been looking around for a while and coming up with nothing for US schemes. 

I know multiple air forces operated T-bolts in the decades after the war, and RoC/Taiwan had the -N model, but in NMF. I have not been able to determine if anyone else had that variant but I'm guessing if anyone operated a painted -N, it was a foreign force.

Thanks for any info that you guys can provide!

Mike

I was born in Guatemala and I am quite familiar with its history.

When I was in college I did a paper about the involvement of the CIA in the 1954 coup to get rid off the Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, accused you be a communist.

The CIA backed a group of ultra right anti government group, led by an Army Officer, Col. Carlos Castillo Armas. 
Part of the assistance included Four P-47N, and Two P-51, all nicknamed “Sulfato” (Magnesium Sulfate was used as a laxative), because literally scared the crap out of the civilian population. 
The planes were based in Honduras and Nicaragua.

The aircraft were painted with a very light grey color, just before shipment to Honduras with absolutely no markings.

Later, after the coup and with Col. Castillo Armas as president, markings were added to the remaining P-47 and Two P51s.

The first two pictures are from the revolution, the third is after.

This one shows the “Volcán de Agua” (Water Volcano) in the background.

Enjoy.

 

 

[Joe Hegedus 31]

22 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

Thanks, Brian.  I'd almost be willing to build that one in the two-tone blue.  

 

 

ITs : N47TB, 1946 Republic P-47N-20-RE, C/N: 44-89136    

 

N47TB was restored to NFM:

 

 

 

According to the Warbird Registry, this P47N S/N 45-53436 has been part of the Commemorative Air Force since 1962, most recently registered as N47TB “Meat Chopper”. The original “Meat Chopper” served with the 464th FS/507th FG in 1945 based on Ie Shima in the Pacific theater.

 

Interesting history of this bird in Guatemala and Nicaragua:

 

http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/thunderbolt-survivors-latin-american-story.html

 

[Jennings Heilig 12,332]

That last photo looks like dull natural metal to me. I’d bet the other two are painted aluminum. It would have been very unusual for tye USAF or a contract maintenance facility to have painted them light grey at that time.

[Juggernut 1,953]

On 1/13/2020 at 3:10 PM, Out2gtcha said:

 

 

 

Surly was, M only as Mike mentioned......................

 

 

The colors in that photo are grey and green, not the two tone blue.  The 56th group squadron colors used on the P-47M are:  

61st - black upper surfaces (Sqd code HV)

62nd - grey and green upper surfaces (sqd code LM)

63rd - two tone blue, reportedly French blue and azure blue but either may have been lightened or darkened (sqd code UN)

 

all over natural metal under surfaces and wing/stabilizer leading edges.

 

As a point of note, the 56th fighter group was the only unit to operate the P-47M and was never issued the P-47N.  The N, was designed for operation in the Pacific.  
 

As for whether there are any painted N models, I think that Central/South American air forces are your best bet.

Edited January 23 by Juggernut