Kenney was offered a choice of several other fighters in its stead. However, the 5th was already well populated with the P-40 Warhawk. The performance of the P-40 was only adequate at best. Its range was limited, which largely meant that it was not suitable for many of the 5th's mission requirements. There was but one other option, the new P-47 Thunderbolt. The word had filtered down to the 5th that these were hot fighters. However, that would be of little value because the Jug had shorter legs than the Curtiss P-40. Without external drop tanks and a remarkable thirst for avgas, the P-47 could not even match the Warhawk's combat radius. Kenney was handed the hot potato when Gen. Hap Arnold offered him a newly trained P-47 Group. Kenney, who was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, promptly accepted.
The 348th Fighter Group arrived in Australia on June 30th 1943 with their P-47D-2-RE Jugs. Just as in Britain, the Thunderbolt made an immediate impression upon the RAAF personnel. Reportedly, as a P-47 pilot climbed down from the cockpit, one Aussie ground crewman inquired; "Where is the rest of the crew?"
Thunderbolts from the 348th FG head out from Eagle Farm. Note that they are carrying two 165 gallon drop tanks designed for the P-38.***SEE PIC AT BOTTOM****
As the 348th settled into temporary quarters, Kenney went to work on increasing the range of the potent new fighter. He set his engineering staff to work designing a suitable external drop tank. Once the design was finalized, Kenney contracted with Ford of Australia to manufacture the tanks. By middle August, the first tanks arrived and were fitted to the Thunderbolts. The tanks were big and ugly, but they held 200 gallons of fuel, which nearly doubled the P-47's combat radius. Now able to range out further than the P-40E, the Jug could now reach out to the Japanese where previously no single engine fighter could go.
After some time for orientation, the 348th went operational. Lt.Col. Neel Kearby commanded the Group and led them into combat. Kearby understood the tactical advantages of the P-47. He knew that the Japanese had no aircraft that could counter the Thunderbolt's combination of speed, high altitude performance, firepower and ruggedness. Using these attributes to their best advantage, the 348th tore a swath through the Japanese while suffering minimal losses to the enemy fighters. Kearby was able to gain his first victory against the Japanese on September 4th and added a second on the 15th. On October 11th, 1943, Kearby would fly a mission that would eventually earn him the Medal of Honor.
http://cradleofaviation.org/history/air ... -47/6.html
