Another early 80's junkyard find,

this 64" stainless steel, dzus-screwed panel for years remained just one more unidentified Kingman artifact:

Eventually it became this trampled skin's turn under the glow of the sleuthing spotlight

and after searching high & low, it was finally

revealed to be

no ordinary Panel!

Not having a photo of the mighty Jug showing where it went on the magnificent beast, I'm relying on this close-up a Thunderbolt model's belly, built 25 years ago by yours truly:

...surprising just how accurate they make

plastic models, isn't it?

---

In the late 80's, during an interview with him

at his Texas home, Julian Myers remarked

about the Kingman Thunderbolts, "We had

them parked close-in by the parade grounds".

His statement made perfect sense, because in

the early 80's several P-47 artifacts were discovered in that vicinity (now commercial sprawl), including these 3 Engine Cowling

Dzus Straps with Republic part numbers:

Their varying colors are an indication of several differently-painted P-47 engine cowls...

clockwise from left: olive, bare aluminum

and white with a bit of olive around

the dzus screw.

 

 

 

photo credits this page:

3rd generation copy from

the missing Grounds' Home Movies,

Depot 41 Photo Archive