IN JULY, 1944, during the Italian campaign, the 324th Fighter Group switched from the P-40 Warhawks to Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. The Group would fly these aircraft until the end of the war in Germany in 1945. Known as the "Jug" because of its rotund shape, the P-47 was just as rugged as the P-40 but with its supercharged 2430-horsepower radial engine could cruise and climb at higher speeds. The P-47 proved particularly effective in attacks against enemy ground installations and rolling stock. More than 15,600 P-47s were built during World War II, more than any other American fighter aircraft.

P-47 THUNDERBOLT PILOTS ASSOCIATION, LTD-- c/o Wings Club, 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, New York, 10017. The association publishes a magazine called the "Jug Letter," edited by Stu Moak, 44 Vine Road, Larchmont, NY, 10538. Sandy Ross is the president of the Association.