Bell P-39 / P-63 Airacobra & Kingcobra

-- - - -- - - ~ - - - - -- - - - - ~ --~ ---~ -- ~- ,.,::," l." ~ , , .J. .&...a. L.&I .&...a. __ 5 E R I E 5 _ \"""\ \'- ! ';'\ \ 5 E R I E 5 VOLUME 17 . BELL P-39/P-63 .RACOBRA & NGCOBRA By FREDERICK A. JOHNSEN Copyright © 7998 Frederick A. Johnsen Published by Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers 77487 Kost Dam Road North Branch, MN 55056 United States of America (672)583-3239 Distributed in the UK and Europe by Airlife Publishing Ltd. 707 Longden Road Shrewsbury SY39EB England ISBN 7-58007-070-:8 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage andretrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. Material contained in this book is intended for historical and entertainment value only, and is not to be construed as usable for aircraft or component restoration, maintenance or use. Designed by Greg Compton Printed in the United States of America TABLE OF CONTENTS P-39/P-63 THE BELL AIRACOBRA & KINGCOBRA e· • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ~ PREFACE •••••••••••••••••••••••••• • "••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 i=()FtIe,",()Ft[) ••••••••••••• By PETER M. BOWERS IN SEARCH OF THE REAL AIRACOBRA CHAPTER 1: P-39 DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6 AIRACOBRA SYMBOLIZED BELL'S BOLD OUTLOOK CHAPTER 2: THE MECHANICS OF WAR •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 26 OBSERVATIONS BY P-39 TECH REPS AND GROUND CREWS CHAPTER 3: P-63 DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 35 KINGCOBRA ADVANCED THE ART CHAPTER ~: EXPORT AIRACOBRAS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 50 P-400s AND P-39s FOR AMERICA'S FRIENDS CHAPTER 5: 'COBRAS IN COMBAT •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 59 P-39s AND P-63s IN SERVICE AND IN TRAINING SPECIAL FULL COLOR SECTION: THE COLOR OF 'COBRAS •••••••••••••••••••• 65 P-39 AND P-63 PAINT AND MARKINGS CHAPTER 6: TUMBLING P-39s: MYTH OR REALITY •••••••••••••••••••••••• 75 AIRACOBRA INFLIGHT EMERGENCIES CHAPTER 7: PINBALL ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 79 A NEW DIMENSION IN GUNNERY TRAINING REALISM CHAPTER 8: CIVILIAN 'COBRAS 90 RACING INTO HISTORY ApPENDIX A: 'COBRA CHARACTERISTICS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 96 ApPENDIX B: 'COBRA ENGINES & PROPELLERS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 99 SIGNIFICANT DATES ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 100 KEY DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE P-39/P-63 AIRACOBRA & KINGCOBRA WARBIRDTECH .. FOREWORD he author, Frederick A. Johnsen, has had a unique relationship with the Bell P-39 Airacobra. As a youngster five years old, he became fascinated with the box art illustration on a ninety-eight cent Revell model kit of the Airacobra. He would gaze at it by the hour in the dime store he couldn't afford to buy it. P-39 - one with a combat record at that. It is one of several salvaged from the jungles of New Guinea by warbird collector David Tallichet back when such an operation was. still possible. Fred, who is currently an Air Force historian, is also a noted free-lance writer. He is a former editor of Western Flyer (now simply The Flyer, a Times have changed. Instead of twice-monthly aviation