Why P 47 Pilots Started Diving 'Straight Down' — And Achieved 19 to 1 Kill Ratios Discover how the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt evolved from a doubted “flying milk jug” into one of the most respected fighters of World War II 🛩️💣. Early pilots struggled with its size and weight, but Colonel Hubert Zemke and the 56th Fighter Group studied the aircraft’s strengths and reshaped air combat tactics. By mastering steep “dive and zoom” attacks, P-47 pilots learned to strike from high altitude, unleash th