Thunderbolt acquired in exchange deal for historic Stearman Kaydet trainer
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 45-49167 has been acquired by the Collings Foundation’s American Heritage Museum at Hudson, in an exchange with the National Museum of the US Air Force for a Boeing Stearman PT-17 Kaydet that was used to train Tuskegee Airmen during the war. It is one of only two surviving Tuskegee PT-17s.
The Tuskegee Airmen were, famously, the first black pilots to fly in the US military. In March 1941 the US Army Air Corps announced the formation of the first ever black combat unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron, with the pilots training at Moton Field and Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama. Before closing in 1946, nearly 1,000 Tuskegee Airmen received their primary flight training at Moton Field.
“This aircraft is a valuable piece of our American aviation and military history”, director of the NMUSAF, David Tillotson III, said of the exchange. “The addition of the PT-17 gives the museum the ability to tell the broader story of the impact and bravery that the Tuskegee Airmen had during World War Two, and the precedent they set for future generations.”
Among those who flew this aircraft were instructor James J. Hyett and then-cadet Kermit G. Bailer. Hyett was a notable flight instructor who trained both fighter and bomber pilots. Following his service, Bailer went on to become a civil rights activist, lawyer and public servant in state and national government. The PT-17 is expected to be placed in the museum’s WWII Gallery in the spring of 2024.
The Evansville, Indiana-built P-47 is a former Peruvian Air Force machine that arrived at Dayton in 1981. It is currently painted as the P-47D-40 Five by Five flown by Col Joseph Laughlin, commander of the 362nd Fighter Group, 9th Air Force in early 1945. Hunter Cheney from the Collings Foundation says, “The P-47 has been transferred to American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Under the guidance of expert Gary Norville the aircraft will go through a thorough inspection to determine if a restoration to flying condition is feasible. If the restoration turns from static to flying a major capital campaign is needed. Eventually, it will be on display at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts.”
