Hi all,

I have been seeking reference material for the P-47 'Belle Of Belmont' featured on the cover of Kinzey's P-47 Thunderbolt in Detail & Scale.

I have been able to dig up the pilot's name (Armand A. LaFlam, Lt. Col ret. - deceased 6/2002) but I need more info regarding the aircraft, ID#s, Serial#, etc. If anyone has some suggestions, or better yet, pictures of this aircraft other than that which appeared on the Detail & Scale cover, please lemme know...THANKS!

You might try the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB. They should have a web site where you could put in an information request.

Well folks, here's an example of how tenaciousness can pay off. I was able to answer my own questions above with alot of patience and research...ok, so what if it DID take a year!

Lt. Armand A. LaFlam of the 56th FG, 63rd FS, flew the P-47D-20-RE, Serial # 42-26293, A/C Code "UN - L" , nicknamed "Belle Of Belmont" featured on the cover of the P-47 Thunderbolt in Detail & Scale book by Bert Kinzey.

A special thanks to the 56th FG's website as well as the 'Little Friends" website. They helped pull it all together.

Model on my friends!