The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company. It was responsible for the design and production of many important military aircraft including the Thunderjet family. Based in Long Island, New York, the company built the P-47 Thunderbolt, F-84 Thunderjet and F-105 Thunderchief. The company was founded by a Russian expatriate Alexander de Seversky, a veteran WWI pilot who lost a leg in the war. Many of his early designers were Russian engineers whom he rescued from Stalin’s purges.

The Thunderjet became the Air Force’s primary strike aircraft during the Korean War. Manufactured by Republic Aviation, it was designed by Alexander Kartveli. Its first flight was in February 1946 and was introduced in 1947. Thunderjets were extensively used by the USAF and a total of 7,524 units were built. It flew some 86,408 missions and destroyed 60% of all ground targets in the war.