The P47 D25/28 "Thunderbolt/Jug" is a single engine long range escort fighter/bomber developed in 1941 by Republic. It uses the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine. It is aircooled and is essentially impossible to overheat above 2500M in tropical maps and 2000M in winter maps. It is an EXTREMELY tanky aircraft, should you be put in a bad position. Not to mention the 8 .50 cals in the front. It is a Boom and Zoom fighter.

Your performance will degrade as you get lower to the ground. You best retain energy in a straight line and turn very poorly at low speeds and average to good at high speeds. It also has an excellent roll rate. SPEED IS YOUR FRIEND. Enemy aircraft such as Spitfires, Zeroes, BF109s, and Yaks will all use energy traps. An Energy Trap is essentially engaging in a energy burning turn in order to get the diving enemy to lose their energy making you a weak target. Which is demonstrated here in FaHrenheit UK's Video.



Tunnel Vision is also especially deady in the p47, tunnel vision is essentially focusing so much on a target that you do not see an enemy come so always be aware! If you need to reverse directions with an enemy behind you. Go into a Split S which is similar to an Immelmann except you go down, this is in order to gain more speed. FW-190s and ME-410s are the only planes you can turnfight IN A LAST RESORT. Your aircraft will lose wings in excess of approx 560 MPH or 901.233 KPH.

No matter WHAT fighter you are facing you will want altitude advantage. This is also a fighter that you definatly do NOT want to be the first to the engagement. After you take off you should climb off to the side at 8 degrees (Stock) to 20 degrees (Spaded) using WEP. You will do this until 5000M or 16404 FT (This is for Realistic Battles, since in Arcade physics hardly apply and I have no experiance in SB due to old joystick/mediocre graphics card), then you will turn toward the engagement and climb at 5-10 degreees.

Let's just say you are pursuing an enemy BF109 who is being chased by a spitfire. The 109 will no doubt outrun the spit, but it will out turn you. In order to take down keep diving in on the 109 which will use an energy trap no doubt, which you should not follow. After a few attacks the spit will no doubt catch up and kill it! (You may not get the kill but it will be one enemy down)

Once you are sure there are no fighters at your altitude, you should Dive at 20 degrees at the enemy most, otherwise your controls could lock up ending in you crashing into the cold, hard ground. Get a burst into the enemy, then go into a 15-20 degree climb at around 165 MPH or 265 KPH (Thanks /u/YourSATScore for the optimal climb speed) to regain your Potential Energy, get about 2.5 K seperation, rinse and repeat. If there are no BF109s around and you have a FW190 gaining on your six fast, you will probably be at an altitude where the FW can outrun you (big shock I know), go into a split-S to gain energy and get into a turnfight ONLY DO THIS AS A LAST RESORT AND AGAINST AIRCRAFT THAT CAN OUTRUN YOU THAT YOU CAN OUTTURN.

Now for the dreaded Ki-84,due to the fact that you can only out gun/out dive it, you will climb to the side against Japan to 6000M or 19685 FT before you turn towards the enemy. The Ki-84 has an engine made of glass so aim for that if a headon is necessary. Use the BnZ tactics mention above if at a higher altitude. Also try to only go against Ki84s when they are engaging an enemy. Should one get behind you dive, then when they level out you may A) Level Out or B) Risk your skin by using your energy to pull back up to gun into their belly.

Against russia use the tactic above for Ki84s against LA series aircraft. Against the Yaks use regular BnZ tactics, and against the I 185 keep your energy as much as possible and try to out fight him.

Now for getting swarmed by enemys above you GET TO YOUR TEAM OR AIRFIELD AAA AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

Also use Tracers for fire setting, or Ground Target Belts for module damage. Default and Universal are good for good for attacking ground targets, and obviously GT belts are best for the role. Stealth Ammunition is good for module damage as well but I would not reccomend it unless you are an excellent shot in RB. Gun Convergence should also be 500-700 Meters, and you should only fire at .7km and below, and your ammo capacity allows you to spray and pray a little more if needed.

Though not as effective as defending yourself in at low alt as the B25. The P47 is a great ground attacker. Able to carry 2x1000 pound bombs and 1 500 pound bomb as well as 8 rockets the P47 has enough ammo to kill several ground units. It's M2 brownings with Ground Attack ammo can be used to kill medium tanks in the rear a <400 Meters distance away. In order to hit with the bombs you must use dive bombing as it does not have a bomb sight. To dive bomb you get altitude over your target then go into a steep dive, wait until around 5-600 meters since the p47 has a hard time pulling up to release THEN pull up, if you pull up while releasing you will surely crash. To use the rocket line up your approach then wait until <500 meters to fire for greatest accuracy. You can also kill light pillboxes at <400 meters with ground attack ammo if you shoot in the windows/top of the light pillbox within 400 meters.