Yeah, She's A Jug, Alright!

I was flying that excellant bomber escort mission that comes with the P-47. B-17's, P-47's, 109's and 190's all over the place!

Here they come! I find that I can actually dogfight in this thing. I take pieces off of a 109. The text is sayinG "BF-109 Damaged" again and again, and suddenly, bam! Pow! I'm hit. I do a diving turn to the left. I lose him or somebody got 'im. I'm full of holes and I notice my left flap is gone. I'm also smoking. Oh damn...engine should be stopping any second.

But no....this is a P-47, baby! None of that, one hit and your wing is off, crap. I'm still flying and still in the fight. I go after some more targets, scoring hits on a 190 and another 109. But my shooting sucks. No one's going down. Finally, the fghts over and we're sheperding the Fort home.

I'm flying for a while before my Pratt and Whitney decides that she's had enough. But she gets me almost home, within site of a field, before packing it in. I head down to a really nice belly landing. No sweat. It's a Jug. After the fight I find out that I've been promoted to Lt. Colonel. Gotta love P-47's. I'm writing a thank you letter to Republic Aviation.

She certainly is.

I was flying a sweep over Normandy and got into a scrap with a flight of Antons.

Took a full broadside in the tail from one I didnt know was there.

I was at the top of a loop and slow. She shuddered and went into a spin.

I was sure wing had come off and was about to bail when she recovered from the spin and started flying again. But she was in miserable shape, the shudder continued (nice effect bty) and was almost uncontrollable.

He was still back there and shooting at me and scoring more hits all this time but I think he ran out of ammo while I was trying to get my jug reigned in.

I was thinking of the old Robert Johnson story about this time.

I ran for home and she shook and shuddered the whole time but engine never sputtered once. Even with the control issues (lost the ASI on base leg too) I managed a 3 pointer and pulled off the runway and shut her down in the grass.

It really is amazing just how much damage that thing can take and still get home.

Yes sir, she is a Jug alright