The P-47 Thunderbolt, with its turbo-supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine and eight .50-cal MGs, was the heaviest fighter in the world at the time of its introduction. One pilot who put the P-47D to good use was Ft Lt Howard M. Park, who flew more than 140 missions with the 513th Fighter Squadron of the 406th Fighter Group in Europe. He was involved in D-Day action, including sinking a naval vessel in Brest Harbor and downing five Luftwaffe Me109 fighters with his rocket-firing ground attack Thunderbolt Later, as pilot of “Big Ass Bird IIâ€, he flew in the Battle of the Bulge in defense of the besieged city of Bastogne. This plane was put to good use in the ground attack role as it fired its rockets and machine guns at German troop concentrations. Ft Lt Park was to continue flying with the 513th FS until the final days of WWII. Dragon Warbirds has produced a fine replica of “Big Ass Bird IIâ€, his P-47D Thunderbolt. It is resplendent in a colorful paint scheme that has been reproduced accurately by Dragon’s advanced painting techniques. The plane’s name is emblazoned on the left side of the fuselage. This scale model is ideal as a centerpiece of any model aircraft collection, while the original subject itself has an absorbing and colorful combat history.