William C. Brookbank P-47 Thunderbolt Cockpit Training Device
Content Description
The William C. Brookbank P-47 Thunderbolt Cockpit Training Device is a single-item collection comprised of a cardboard facsimlie of a Republic P-47 cockpit, dated to the 1940s.
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt cockpit training device is a cardboard facsimile of a P-47 cockpit that unfolds to reveal photographic reproductions of a cockpit on three panels which enabled pilots to familiarize themselves with the instruments and systems within the cockpit. The instruments in the images are labeled with numbers 1 through 97. In addition to the three photographic panels, there are two additional panels that open up in front of the image panels. One of these panels is an identification card listing names of the numbered parts, and the other is a pilot cockpit check-list.
The cockpit training device was produced by the U.S. Army Air Forces Training Aids Division during World War II. The trainer was used by William C. Brookbank and his signature is on the verso of one flap of the trainer. Folded, the trainer measures approximately 14 x 19 x .75 inches. Unfolded fully, it is 56.25 x 42.75 inches.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1940s
Creator
- Brookbank, William C., 1921-2015 (Former owner, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.
Conditions Governing Use
The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.
Biographical / Historical
William C. Brookbank served as a fighter pilot during World War II and had a long career in the U.S. Army.
William Caldwell Brookbank was born on June 12, 1921 to Thomass Ruffin and Eula Mae (Jones) Brookbank in Randolph County, North Carolina. He grew up primarily in Ohio.
Brookbank enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1940. He graduated from flight school as a Staff Sargeant and then was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces in October 1943. During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot flying Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Republic P-47 Thunderbots in North Africa and Italy, serving with the 317th Fighter Squadron and 325th Fighter Group.
Brookbank was discharged from active service in July 1945 but remained in the reserves. He played semi-professional baseball before being recalled to active duty in 1948. Based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he flew transport aircraft and then served in Korea during the Korean War from 1952-1953.
Later he participated in an exchange program with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1958-1960. He served two tours of duty with NORAD at Hancock Field in Syracuse, New York before returning to Korea from 1962-1963. Following that, he was stationed in North Carolina. He then attended NATO Defense College in Rome, Italy and remained there as Assistant to a Deputy Commander for Air Defense in the NATO forces.
Brookbank served in Vietnam as Director of Air Operations at Monkey Mountain, Vietnam. Finally, he was Commander of the 817th Air Defense Group at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon. He retired from this position.
During his service, Brookbank received the Legion of Merit for his outstanding service to the United States as Seventh Air Force Director of the Tactical Air Control Center, North Sector, Son Tra, Republic of Vietnam. In addition, he received the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with Seven Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.
Brookbank was married to his wife Helen for 62 years and together they had two daughters. William C. Brookbank died on August 13, 2015 in Syracuse, New York.
Biographical note derived from online obituaries and records on Ancestry.com
Full Extent
.1 Cubic Feet (1 oversize folder)
Language
English
Custodial History
The donor received the cockpit training device as a gift from William C. Brookbank. The donor met Brookbank when he was delivering newspapers to his house as a child and was gifted the training device.
- Title
- Guide to the William C. Brookbank P-47 Thunderbolt Cockpit Training Device
- Status
- Completed Level 2
- Author
- Nicole Davis
- Date
- 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- 1st edition
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-5874
curator@museumofflight.org