Lt. Colonel
Francis Gabreski ( Co of the 61st fighter squadron from the famous 56th
fighter group) flew this P-47D-25 Thunderbolt on July 1944. It was one of
the first "bubble top" delivered to the 56th Fighter Group,
nicknamed the "Wolf Pack". On 20 July 1944, because of the
excessive sink rate due to to the extra fuel carried, Gabreski
hit the ground and crashed his aircraft, he escaped capture during 5 days,
but was later captured. By war's end Gabreski's score stood at 28 victories.
Later in Korea he shot down 6 MIGs. Francis Gabreski was perhaps the best
pilot of P-47.