Double Thunder at Air Venture

Two recently restored warbirds were high on the wishlist of the public that visited the EAA Air Venture 2023 in Oshkosh: Republic P-47D-23RA 42-27609, NX4747D (c/n 1771) and North American P-51C N5528N (c/n 2925). And the warbirdfans were not disappointed.  Both fighters arrived at the largest of USA’s airshows.

Scramble reported earlier that both planes have been restored by the same company, AirCorps Aviation of Bemidji (MN). The successful first flight of the Republic P-47D-23RA Thunderbolt was made on 13 May 2023 and is described here.

Since then AirCorps Aviation has finished the P-47 in a striking colourscheme of Thunderbolt 41-27884 / 120, named ‘Bonnie’ as was flown in the Pacific by Maj. ‘Bill’ Durham. During the EAA Air Venture the Thunderbolt was awarded ‘WWII grand champion warbirds’.

As reported here, North American P-51C N5528N was a famous Bendix Trophy air racer. It made its first post restoration flight on 6 June 2023. As a rarity the Mustang was returned to its original Fifties racing colours as ‘Thunderbird’. But this P-51 is what you call an American celebrity. On 3 September 1949 owners Joe De Bona & Jimmy Stewart won the final Bendix Trophy Race.

Both the Thunderbolt and the Mustang ‘Thunderbird’ are destined for the Dakota Territory Air Museum in North Hill (MN).

Photos by Ryan Rybarczyk