I just finshed reading Robert Johnson's book Thunderbolt! and I must say, it's the best book I've ever read. It is the definitive book on the P-47 and its pilot. Even if you don't like the Thunderbolt, read this book. Johnson's description of air combat are so detailed, every controll movement and every action are described in great detail. One moment in the book stands out in my mind: During a bomber escort mission to Berlin, Johnson and eight other pilots raced after forty plus Fokker-Wulf 190s attacking the first box of sixty bombers. The Fokker-Wulfs went right through the giant formation of bombers followed closly by Johnson and his comrades at more than 400 mph! At such a speed they would have passed through the bombers in a matter of seconds, but he describes every cannon hit, the explotions of rockets, bombers falling form the sky, and damaged bombers falling out of formation smoking engines and leaking fuel tanks. If you havn't read this book, and you have even the slightest interest in air combat read this book, Thunderbolt! by Robert S. Johnson.
Sock