WIX Archives

Will the real 45-49192 please step forward?

Posted by Mike Henniger on Sat Oct 27, 2001 11:59:27 PM

I hope I don?t spiral this forum down into a discussion of ?true warbird identities?. I know this topic has been discussed in depth on the former Warbirds Worldwide forum. My purpose here is not to make a statement about what is restoration and what is a replica. What I am looking for is some help in clarifying the history of two P-47 airframes in the U.K.. I have found that there is no better place to ask questions about such details than this forum. Hopefully someone here can help.

The first airframe in question is?
Model: Republic P-47D-40-RA Thunderbolt
S/N: 45-49192 (USAAF)
C/N: 399-55731
Owner: Imperial War Museum
History:
 built as a P-47D-40-RA with s/n 45-49192 (USAAF)
 transferred to Peru 119 (Peru AF)
 registered N47DD (by 1972)
 crashed (1980/2/8)
 parts from the wreckage used in completion of a P-47N fuselage
 the remaining components were restored at some point (date anyone?)
 now in the Imperial War Museum (arrived when?)

Does anyone know what the extent of the damage was in the 1980 crash? What components were damaged? What parts were used in the restoration of the second airframe?

The second airframe I am referring to is?

Model: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
S/N: none
C/N: none
C/R: G-THUN
Current Name: "No Guts No Glory"
History:
 fuselage of uncompleted P-47N (maybe once thought to be uncompleted 44-95471)
 airframe completed/restored with parts from 45-49192 and a wing from South America (1984-???)
 assumed identification USAAF s/n 45-49192 a P-47D-40-RA
 registered N47DD (by 1985),
 first post restoration flight 1985/8
 to The Fighter Collection (1986/1/22)
 currently registered G-THUN

Am I correct that the current registration is G-THUN? Is the airframe currently named ?No Guts No Glory??

I am hoping that someone can confirm that I have the facts correct. It has been very confusing getting these details in order. Many web sites and other sources intertwine the histories of the two airframes so that you can?t tell if they are one or two aircraft. I expect there might be some differing opinions regarding which airframe is the true 45-49192. I would consider the airframe with the Imperial War Museum would be 45-49192, since the basis of the Fighter Collection?s airframe was an uncompleted P-47N fuselage. Ok, ok, so maybe that is a debatable point. Do I at least have the details above correct? Which airframe has the manufacturer?s data plate? Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Mike Henniger

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