The P-47 Thunderbolt was the largest single engined, single seat fighter of WW2. Designed around the massive R2800 18 cylinder radial engine, complete with turbo-supercharger, it needed to be large. It was so large it was nicknamed the Juggernaut or Jug for short. Early versions lacked the agility of smaller fighters and suffered from a poor climb rate but made up for these by having a good performance at high altitude, an unrivalled diving ability, heavy firepower and an exceptionally tough airframe. Thunderbolts were known to survive collisions with telegraph poles and having several engine cylinders shot out.

Early Thunderbolts were known as 'Razorbacks' due to the high rear fuselage. Part way through the production run of the D model, this was cut down and a bubble canopy fitted, giving the pilots much better visibility. Another modification was the 'paddle blade' propellers, which helped to solve the aircraft's dismal climb rate and German fighters could no longer out climb the P-47. Later models included the 470mph P-47M which had a 2800hp R2800 engine and the long range N model with new laminar flow wings.

In Europe, the P-47 flew with the US 8th Air Force providing escorts for the heavy bombers. The most famous fighter group was the 56th, which were known as Zemke's Wolfpack after their commader, Col Zemke. The 56th was the only fighter group that didn't swap its Thunderbolts for Mustangs and it became the highest scoring wing in the 8th with top aces such as Lt Col Gabreski, Col Schilling and Col Zemke. The tough Thunderbolt was able to carry a large bombload for a fighter and that combined with its toughness and heavy firepower made it an ideal ground attack plane. It was in this role that the US 9th Air Force used them in Northern Europe and the US 12th Air Force in Italy

Eduard are a Czech based manufacturer famed for their model accessories. They have in the last few years released a successful range of kits. Their Profipacks contain a kit with several marking options, along with a Colour Zoom etch set, Canopy Mask and a full colour instruction booklet.  This kit consists of the the nice Academy 1/48 P-47D Thunderbolt plastic kit, with a generous helping of aftermarket parts from Eduard. Included in the set is the canopy and wheel mask, colour zoom etch for the cockpit, a sheet of etch exterior parts (not coloured), a set of excellent resin wheels, propeller and a resin cockpit set which features a new seat, control column, side walls, instrument panels and more. 
There is a large new decal sheet, which gives markings for 6 different 12th AF Thunderbolts, used in the Italian campaign in 1944/45.