Republic Aviation Timeline

World War II

Period: Jan 1, 1941 to Dec 31, 1946

Japanese attack Pearl Harbor

Dec 7, 1941

Republic Aviation airplane plant adjoining Evansville Airport

Mar 22, 1942

Ground is broken for Republic Aviation plant and office

Apr 6, 1942

Evansville Airport leased to Republic Aviation plant and office

Apr 15, 1942

Elder Brooks hit by falling steel at Republic

May 10, 1942

Republic Aviation office opened

Jun 10, 1942

First Evansville P-47 is flown

Sep 19, 1942

P-47-D aircraft assembly line begins operation

Oct 25, 1942

P-47s entering combat in England Europe

Apr 15, 1943

President Roosevelt visits city

Apr 27, 1943

5 Thunderblots have a "private" air show for Republic Aviation employees

Jul 16, 1943

Lt. Herbert Fields is first to fly his P-47 carrying a bomb

Sep 1, 1943

Republic increases production 300% from previous July

Oct 1, 1943

Repiblic Aviation Corp has highest fighter production totals of all US aircraft plants

Dec 31, 1943

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

Feb 1, 1944

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

Feb 18, 1944

P-47's now flying with 21,000-pound bombs attached

Mar 23, 1944

3,000th Evansville P-47 completed

Aug 11, 1944

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

Jan 11, 1945

Republic Aviation plant is offered for sale or lease

Sep 7, 1945

International Harvester buys Republic Aviation Plant for $5,648,000

Jan 4, 1946

Walter Cockrogy killed at Republic Aviation

Mar 19, 2015

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

Apr 15, 2015

Two P-47s bump wings and crash near lnglefirld north of airport

May 3, 2015