Republic Aviation Timeline

By bluespirit926
  • Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

    Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

    The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military attack by the Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor.

  • Republic Aviation announces airplane assembly plant adjoining the Evansville Airport

  • Ground is broken for Republic Aviation plant and office

  • The Evansville Airport is leased to Republic Aviation for a $1 a year.

  • Republic Aviation office opened, completed in 62 days by AJ Hoffman Construction Co.

  • Elder Brooks, an African American, is 1st local civilian death when hit by falling steel at Republic

  • First Evansville P-47 is flown, the Hoosier Spirit

    First Evansville P-47 is flown, the Hoosier Spirit

    The P-47 is one of the first, largest, and heaviest fighter aircrafts in history.

  • P-47-D aircraft assembly line begins operation; P-47-D model production will run for 32 months

  • Modification Center begins operation

  • P-47s entering combat in England-Europe

  • President Roosevelt visits city, tours Republic Aviation, sees shipyard & ordinance by train

  • 5 Thunderbolts have a “private” air show for Republic Aviation employees

  • Lt. Herbert Fields, a brave man, is first to fly his P-47 carrying a bomb, it worked just fine

  • Republic increases production 300% from previous July, absenteeism was a factor

  • 1,000th Evansville P-47 is completed, named the “Tojo Special”

  • Republic Aviation Corp has highest fighter production totals of all US aircraft plants: Evansville has the highest efficiency

  • P-47s now flying with 2 1,000-pound bombs attached

  • Republic Aviation has a backlog of 275 P-47s stored on airport grass field areas

  • Backlog of P-47s back to normal as vast ferry movement has taken place, 60 pilots on this day

  • P-47 loses power over field and glides between tree and house, avoiding serious injury to anyone

  • Republic Aviation has open house for 25,000 employees and family members

  • Republic Aviation wins 1st E-Award

    Republic Aviation wins 1st E-Award

    An award "to persons, firms, and organizations engaged in the marketing of products who make contributions to the expansion of the export trade of the United States

  • Two P-47s bump wings and crash near Inglefield north of airport, no injuries

  • P-47s chance to bubble canopy

  • 2,000th Evansville P-47 completed (this was the day it was announced)

  • Modification builds two 2-seat P-47s for training use, nicknamed the “Doublebolt”

  • 3,000th Evansville P-47 completed (this was the day it was announced)

  • Walter Cockroft, age 17, killed at Republic Aviation by walking into spinning propeller

  • Republic Aviation Corporation completes 10,000 and 10,001 P-47s at NY and Evansville Plants

  • Republic Aviation wins 2nd E-Award

  • Modification builds water-cooled XP-47with water cooled Chrysler Engine

  • 4,000th Evansville P-47 completed, employment is at 8,300 people

  • Re-tooling underway to build engine cowlings for B-29 Superfortresses

  • Republic announces cost reduction of one P-47 from $68,750 to $45,600 from 1942 to 1945

  • Famed south Pacific P-47 fighter “The Jackie” returns home to Evansville plant for 2 week display

  • Tornado hits city. Damages several p-47s, warps tails & breaks a hundred blue window panes

  • 5,000th Evansville P-47 completed, the “Grandiana”, man-hours cut from 23,000 to 6,300 per P-47

  • Republic Aviation wins 3rd E-Award

  • Test pilot Wm Moose was killed as he crashed his P-47 into field 3 miles SW of New Harmony

  • 1st Evansville P-47-N model is flown, change-over was smooth without any lines shutdown

  • 6,000th Evansville P-47 completed (this was the day it was announced)

  • Republic Aviation Corporation completes its 15,000th P-47

  • Republic Aviation announces closure of Evansville Plant

  • Republic Aviation plant is offered for sale or lease

  • Employment at the Evansville plant is at 250 people

  • The last P-47 is flown from Evansville plant, it was the 6,670 P-47

  • 14 P-47s given to regional schools and colleges, without guns and radios, wings were also offered

  • International Harvester (IH) buys Republic Aviation Plant for $5,648,000 (date approximate)

  • The IH Plant still contains equipment used in P-47 production by RA, Servel & Hoosier Cardinal

  • International Harvester sells plant and facilities to Whirlpool-Seeger

  • Whirlpool Seeger is the largest city employer at 5,800 mostly in the former Republic Aviation plant