Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed the Jug, was the heaviest and largest single-engine fighter aircraft of WWII. Designed by Georgian-American Alexander Kartveli, it was built around the massive 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine with a turbo-supercharger. The P-47 was extraordinarily rugged, capable of absorbing tremendous battle damage and still flying home. It excelled as both an air superiority fighter at high altitude and a devastating ground-attack aircraft. Over 15,600 were built and it served with numerous Allied air forces. Pilots trusted the Jug with their lives and it had one of the highest kill ratios of any WWII fighter.