Hobby Master 1:48 Air Power Series Diecast Model

Republic Aviation P-47D Thunderbolt – 42-27884, "Bonnie," William D. “Bill” Dunham, 460th FS, 348th FG, USAAF, Philippines 1945

1:48 Scale.  Length: 9".  Wingspan: 10.2”


Limited production of approximately 350 models worldwide

William “Bill” Dunham was the second leading ace of the 348th FG and the second leading P-47 Thunderbolt ace against Japan. Dunham’s first aircraft was P-47D 42-8067 nicknamed “Bonnie” when he was assigned to the 342 FS. In early December 1944 Dunham received a new P-47D 42-27884 “Bonnie” and added 5 more victories that month. Also in December Dunham’s aircraft received new theater markings of black bands. Dunham finished the war with 16 aerial victories of which 15 came flying a P-47 and 1 flying a P-51D.

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was a fighter aircraft operated by the United States and allied air forces during World War II. It was one of the largest, heaviest, most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single piston engine. The P-47B was first flown on May 6, 1941, with the first production aircraft being delivered in May 1942. The Thunderbolt was very effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter and as a fighter-bomber proved especially adept at ground attack. The aircrafts eight .50 inch (12.7mm) machine guns could inflict severe damage on lightly armored targets. In the fighter-bomber ground-attack role it could carry ten five-inch rockets or a bomb load of up to 2,500 pounds.

The first P-47 combat mission took place on March 10, 1943 when the 4th FG took their aircraft on a fighter sweep over France. By 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was in service with the USAAF in all of its operational theaters, except Alaska. Although the P-51 Mustang eventually replaced the P-47 in the long-range escort role in Europe, the P-47 still ended the war with 3752 air-to-air victories claimed in over 746,000 sorties. A total of 15,678 P-47s of all types were built, the last being a P-47N, which rolled off the Republic Aviation production line in October 1945. The P-47 Thunderbolt served with the U.S. Army Air Force (U.S. Air Force after 1947) until 1949 and the Air National Guard until 1953.


Hobby Master is a manufacturer of high quality, pre-built, diecast models. Each model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft or vehicle. They are made with precision-tooled die-cast metal and some plastic components.

This model of a P-47D Thunderbolt features: