Republican Aviation Evansville Timeline

By alicia.myers

  • Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

    Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
    Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

  • Republic Aviation announces airplane assembly plant adjoining the Evansville Airport

  • Ground is broken for Republic Aviation plant and office

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

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

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

    First Evansville P-47 is flown, the Hoosier Spirit
    The P-47 was one of the most famous planes of WW II The P-47 developed as a heavyweight fighter and made its first flight on May 6, 1941.

  • 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

    P-47s entering combat in England-Europe
    it eventually credited with close to 4,000 air to air victories, as well as destroyed 6,000 tanks and armoured vehicles in ground attacks.

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

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

  • 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 presented by the United States Department of Commerce "to persons, firms, and organizations engaged in the marketing of products who make significant 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

    Re-tooling underway to build engine cowlings for B-29 Superfortresses
    The B-29 pushed the design envelope beyond these two aircraft in many ways: they were bigger and faster, yet well-balanced, efficiently armed, and tough.

  • 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

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

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

  • 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