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How a Propeller Trick Made the P-47 a 470 MPH Monster

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How One Engineer’s “Stupid” Propeller Trick Made the P-47 a 470 MPH Monster

Early in WWII, German pilots mocked the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt as a “flying milk bottle”—deadly in a dive but sluggish in climbs. When the U.S. Army Air Forces demanded better performance in 1943, the Hamilton Standard Propeller Company’s engineering teams developed revolutionary 13-foot “paddle-blade” propellers that could finally harness the full power of the P-47’s massive R-2800 engine.

The result was shocking: climb rates jumped 400 feet per minute and top speeds reached 470 mph, transforming the ridiculed heavyweight into one of the most feared fighters by the Axis powers over Europe by D-Day 1944. 

                                 Frank W. Caldwell

The Engineer who developed the new propeller design was Frank Caldwell (at left), a long-time employee of Hamilton Standard Propeller Co. in Connecticut.  The massive Pratt & Whitney engine powering the P-47 was the P&W Double Wasp R-2800. Caldwell’s life was exceptional, having won many awards, including the highly coveted Collier Trophy and also a Presidential citation during  WWII.  He is also widely known as the inventor of the CONSTANT SPEED PROPELLER.

Disclaimer: This video is a dramatized retelling of World War II stories, created for educational reflection and entertainment purposes. Elements of the narrative have been artistically interpreted, and creative tools, including AI, were used to enhance the storytelling experience.  The video below is 39 minutes and 59 seconds long.  The best viewing experience is when the video is opened to full width and seen right here in the FASF page.

RONALD REAGAN NARRATES: “THE FIGHT FOR THE SKY”

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 US Army Air Forces Logo

From Larry Dwyer’s  Aviation History Online Museum:  The Fight for the Sky, narrated by Ronald Reagan, is a film commissioned by the US government to highlight the victories of the Allied air forces over Europe prior to the Normandy invasion. The film depicts Allied airmen at their base in East Anglia, called to strike deep into Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley. Captured German footage is also shown to prove that the enemy was just as determined to stop the attacks as the Allies were to carry them out.

The On-Line Museum website creator, Larry Dwyer,  previously worked for Trans World Airlines at JFK airport for 27 years. He held positions as an Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic (A&P), Aircraft Inspector (AI) and Crew Chief and began working on Boeing 747s when he was nineteen years old. Later in life, Larry received his bachelor’s degree in history from Empire State College which is affiliated with the State University of New York (SUNY). He also works as a freelance writer and photographer for the Sandisfield Times in Massachusetts.  Larry’s website is listed under our LINKS page within the Museum category, specifically: “Aviation History Online Museum.”

Here is the 1945 black and white archived film, “The Fight for the Sky.” The film does a fairly legitimate job of depicting the lives and experiences of our Army Pilots as they fought and then tried to relax during WWII.  It is 19:38 in length.  Click anywhere on the cover photo to start the video, and then the lower right corner for full screen viewing.

For those of you who would like to see the film’s full version, narrated by another voice-over (not Ronald Reagan) which is some 41 minutes long, here it is: