A P-27K Sky Shark of the 179th Fighter Group on the Kentucky-Tennessee Front, circa May of 1943. With the reports of a new Confederate fighter coming in early of 1943, engineers at Curtiss would respond by equipping the P-27J with a new powerplant, the Allison V-1744, which was a licensed copy of the German DB-605 Engine, in which it would grant the new K models of the Sky Shark more horsepower. Within a short period of time, the new variant would begin to operational service with the USAF on the Kentucky-Tennessee where they were able to match the new Merlin powered Hound-Dogs, thus making a good stop-gap until the P-46 began to enter service later on in the Autumn of 1943.
A North American A-36 Apache from the 604th Attack Squadron on the Tennessee Front during the Battle of Chattanooga, circa Autumn of 1943. In the middle of 1940, the North American Company would begin a new development of a new interceptor design which would be dubbed as the XP-47 Mustang. In the Autumn of 1941, the USAF would make a formal request to North American Aviation for a new so-called attack aircraft using the XP-47 as a base. By September of 1942, the variant, dubbed the A-36 Apache would begin to enter service with the USAF, in which it would prove to be an excellent plane in it's role as an attack aircraft as well as doubling as a fighter. Throughout 1943 and into 1944, the Apache filled the role as the USAF's primary ground attack aircraft, supporting the advancing US Army forces as they advanced into the Confederacy. The plane was armed with 12.7mm MGs in the nose and four in the wings, it can also carry up to 1,000 lbs of bombs on each wing and the later variants can also carry 5 HVAR rockets on each wing, thus making it a bane to any Confederate ground troops. A total of 866 Apaches would be built from late 1942 up until July of 1944, in which it soldier on in US service up until 1947 for frontline units.
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