Known as the Jug; Republic's P-47 was the largest and heaviest single-seat fighter flown by any of the 1939-45 combatants. First used in Europe as an escort fighter, the P-47 only really came into its own as a ground attack aircraft with the Ninth Air Force. As an escort fighter, it was something of a failure, as even with a drop tank, its combat radius was little more than 400 miles (644 km) Republic P-47D-22-RE Thunderbolt TYPE: Single-seat fighter aircraft ENGINE: One 2,300 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 air-cooled radial engine [*]WEIGHT: Empty 9,900 lb (4,491 kg) Maximum 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) DIMENSIONS: Wingspan 40ft 9% in (12.45 m) length 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m) Height 14 ft 9'/8 in (4.50 m) ARMAMENT: Six or eight 0.50 in wing-mounted Browning machine guns PERFORMANCE: Maximum speed 435 mph (700 km/h) at 30,000 ft (9,144 m) Maximum range 835 miles (1,344 km) at 10,000 ft (3,048 m) Service ceiling 42,000 ft (12,802 m)