Republic Aviation Timeline By Makaylahawes11 Period: Jan 1, 1941 to Dec 31, 1946 World War II Dec 7, 1941 Japanese attack Pearl Harbor Mar 22, 1942 Republic Aviation airplane plant adjoining Evansville Airport Apr 6, 1942 Ground is broken for Republic Aviation plant and office Apr 15, 1942 Evansville Airport leased to Republic Aviation plant and office May 10, 1942 Elder Brooks hit by falling steel at Republic Jun 10, 1942 Republic Aviation office opened Sep 19, 1942 First Evansville P-47 is flown Oct 25, 1942 P-47-D aircraft assembly line begins operation Apr 15, 1943 P-47s entering combat in England Europe Apr 27, 1943 President Roosevelt visits city Jul 16, 1943 5 Thunderblots have a "private" air show for Republic Aviation employees Sep 1, 1943 Lt. Herbert Fields is first to fly his P-47 carrying a bomb Oct 1, 1943 Republic increases production 300% from previous July Dec 31, 1943 Repiblic Aviation Corp has highest fighter production totals of all US aircraft plants Feb 1, 1944 Republic Aviation has a backlog of 275 P-47s stored on airport grass field areas Feb 18, 1944 Backlog of P-47s back to normal as vast ferry movement has taken place, 60 pilots on this day Mar 23, 1944 P-47's now flying with 21,000-pound bombs attached Aug 11, 1944 3,000th Evansville P-47 completed Jan 11, 1945 Republic announces cost reduction of one P-47 from $68,750 to $45,600 from 1942 to 1945 Sep 7, 1945 Republic Aviation plant is offered for sale or lease Jan 4, 1946 International Harvester buys Republic Aviation Plant for $5,648,000 Mar 19, 2015 Walter Cockrogy killed at Republic Aviation Apr 15, 2015 Republic Aviation has open house for 25,000 employees and family members May 3, 2015 Two P-47s bump wings and crash near lnglefirld north of airport
