Well my picture is the real thing.
So far only one black-and-white picture has been widely seen of a Razor-back P-47D in Soviet marking. The photograph depicts the first P-47 Thunderbolt to be delivered to USSR (a P-47D-10-RE, 42-75202) and was taken during the evaluation at NII VVS (Research Institute) during the Summer of 1944. The inscription on the port/left side of the airplane, "SOVEREIGN SENATORS", and right under it "K. of P.", refers to the sponsoring organization Sovereign Senators, Lodge No. 463 Knights of Pythias (K.of P.). This is an extremely patriotic American organization that probably did not think its donation would end up in "Russia" (Soviet Union)!
Here is some info on the use of the P-47 by the Russians:
OPERATIONAL USE:
The Thunderbolts were used at the end of the war in the Northern and Baltic fleets.
There were some 203 P-47D Thunderbolts allocated to the Soviet Union, both the "Razor-Back" as well as the "Bubble-Top" models. It is said that 8 never reached the final destination, or were rejected due to various manufacturing defects, losses of whole planes or parts during shipping, etc. Regardless, the VVS received some 195 Jugs (about 50% were Razor-backs, and 50% Bubble-tops).
Details of the Thunderbolt's operations are unknown, except for the already mentioned operations in the Northern/Baltic sector. The Aircraft went to the naval air forces, known units included:
* 2 GIAP of the Northern Fleet
* 255 IAP of the Northern Fleet. They tested the Juggs 1n autumn using Soviet 250 and 500 kg bombs, but results were not encouraging. 255 IAP had 63 Thunderbolts in its records on July 1st, 1945
* 15 ORAP of the Baltic Fleet had 5 P-47's on January 1st, 1945
* Additionally, the Black Sea Fleet, the Naval Aviation School "Stalin", Zhukovskiy AF Engineering Academy in Moscow and Mozhaiskiy AF Engineering Academy in Leningrad are also known to have used Thunderbolts.
The following were the original 203 aircraft allocated for the Soviet Union:
* 3x P-47D-10-RE serials 42-75201 to 42-75203 (Razor-back)
* 100x P-47D-22-RE serials 42-2553975201 to 42-25638 (Razor-back)
* 50x P-47D-27-RE serials 42-27015 to 42-27064 (Bubble-top)
* 50x P-47D-27-RE serials 42-27115 to 42-27164 (Bubble-top)
The first three P-47's arrived in the USSR through Alaska/Siberia route, four through Atlantic convoys and the remainder through the Persian corridor.
