COBI Building Set HC WW2 P-47 Thunderbolt (COBI-5737)

Construction set of the American fighter aircraft Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in the camouflage of the 61st Fighter Squadron Little Chief. The set includes a rotating propeller, adjustable control surfaces, retractable landing gear, and a removable cockpit cover for easy placement of the pilot figure Frank W. Klibbe. The aircraft can stand on its own landing gear or on a stand that is included in the package. The set is made under the official license of the Northrop Grumman brand holder.

Number of figures: 1 pc
Scale: 1:32
Box dimensions (packaging): 40 x 28 x 6 cm
Dimensions after assembly: 40 x 35 x 12 cm
Number of bricks: 477 pcs
Recommended age: 8+
Package weight: 810 g
Bricks can be combined with another well-known brand: Yes
Contains glowing bricks: No
Material: Plastic
Collection: World War II

Interesting facts:
» P-47 was developed in 1941 as a successor to the chubby but powerful P-43 fighter aircraft.
» Designers at Republic Aviation always built quality and robust aircraft, and so it was with the P-47. The result was the largest and heaviest single-seat piston-engine fighter, which still holds the record today.
» Given the aircraft's parameters, designers needed a new powerful engine, which was developed for the P-47 by Pratt & Whitney. The project almost ended in disaster, as prototype engines constantly failed. Every time a current engine problem was resolved, another and another appeared. After equipping the engine with a new turbocharger, all problems were overcome, and flight tests began.
» The first flight took place on May 6, 1941, from the company's airfield in Farmingdale.
» Flight tests showed that the result was a reliable and durable aircraft that could withstand rough handling by the crew, which was exactly what the US Air Force needed to support the Normandy landings. 
» Eight machine guns and suspended unguided rockets made the P-47 the heaviest armed fighter deployed in Europe.
» Pilots nicknamed the aircraft Jug due to the shape of the fuselage, which resembled a milk jug.
» Later versions were even equipped with an additional methanol tank, which, when injected into the engine, could temporarily increase engine power by 300 horsepower. 
» In the final phase of the war, the US Army deployed Thunderbolts as so-called diggers for attacks on fortified points deep in enemy territory, as well as for transporting military material. According to available records, Thunderbolts destroyed more than 10,000 enemy steam locomotives in Europe.
» 15,686 units were produced in various versions.
» Mexico operated Thunderbolts the longest, until 1958.
» The aircraft even inspired the world-famous composer Bohuslav Martinů, who wrote the composition Thunderbolt P-47 in 1945.

Technical parameters of the P-47 aircraft
Dimensions: wingspan 12.44 m, length 11.02 m, height 4.44 m
Weight: 4,536 kg
Power unit: 8-cylinder radial engine Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 with power of 1,500 kW
Maximum speed: 700 km/h
Climb rate: 15 m/s
Maximum flight altitude: 13,000 m
Range: 1,300 km
Fuel tank volume: 1,155 l
Armament: 8x 12.7 mm Browning M12 machine gun, or up to 10 unguided HVAR rockets
Crew: 1