[hinckley buzzard]

Fenstermacher was piloting a P-47D Thunderbolt – which was perhaps the apogee of the development of propeller-driven fighter planes - that was on an armed-reconnaissance mission against targets in Germany.

No disrespect to LT Fenstermacher, who died a hero. The P-47 was a short range fighter, relegated to recon missions by December 1944. The P-51 Mustang had superseded the Thunderbolt in every respect by then.

[jmacusa]

The P-47 Thunderbolt was not a reconnaissance aircraft. It was designed primarily as a fighter/bomber. It did escort missions early on for the heavy bombers, the B-17, and B-24s of The Eighth Air Force but it lacked the range of the Mustang. In its role as a fighter/bomber the Thunderbolt was an awesome and powerful plane. Fully loaded with bombs and/or rockets, eight .50 caliber machine guns, two more than the Mustang it was some nine tons of death from above.

[DesertRhino]

Not so. The P-47 was probably the most vital fighter of the war. More than any other weapon the Germans utterly dreaded the “jabos”. German fighters were generally unable to deal with their speed, heavy armor, and armament.

The range was on longer an issue after D-day gave them French bases.
Despite its extremely dangerous assignments, it had the lowest loss rate of any USAF fighter in the ETO. It’s ability to survive battle damage was legendary, as was its ability to dish it out. The paddle bladed D model dominated any German it encountered.
And with its 8 guns, nothing matched its firepower.

The P-51 is and was beautiful, but its main trick was its range. It was delicate and not a good choice for ground attack. A solid case can be made that aside from the Corsair, the P-47 was indeed the apogee of prop fighters.