sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bell Aircraft, Supermarine Spitfire

Spotlight Bell P-39 Airacobra P-63 Kingcobra 16 Pages in detail

64 Iron Dog - the Bell P-39

70 In profile - P-400

72 Sting of the Kingcobra

76 The Airabonita Experiment

80 In Miniature

With its mid-mounted engine, lengthy drive shaft, tricycle undercarriage and huge 37mm positioned in the centre of the propeller hub, Bell’s P-39 Airacobra was radical in almost every element of its design. It was considered way ahead of its time and yet, when it was ready to enter combat in the early days of World War Two, it appeared to be practically obsolete – until used to Main picture A rare colour image of Bell P-39 devastating effect by the Soviets. The design was bettered Airac obras in service with the USAAF. KEY by the subsequent P-63 Kingcobra, a more powerful ghter that found favour in Russian hands, and later with the French. Spotlight Bell P-39 Airacobra The

This gaggle of P-39s of the 31st Pursuit Group was photographed at Selfridge Field in 1941. Ironuch has been written Its contribution to the war in D WARREN THOMPSON COLLECTION about the Spitfire, the Pacific and Mediterranean was MMustang, Hellcat, insignificant in terms of enemy Corsair, Thunderbolt, aircraft shot down (around 300 and Lightning, the truly remarkable victories), but it still managed to fighters of World War Two. One hold its own. More importantly, the might even conclude these types P-39 along with the P-40 gave the won the war by themselves. In Allies what they needed most – time. terms of performance these aircraft While inexperienced airmen flew were certainly thoroughbreds, but against the formidable Mitsubishi other, less famous, machines also ‘Zero’ in the Pacific, they managed, played a hugely significant part. in the end, to achieve a kill ratio of After aircraft such as the Hawker one-to-one. This is a remarkable Hurricane and Spitfire figure given Japanese pilots enjoyed were ‘blooded’ in combat during a considerable advantage in terms of the early stages of the conflict, US combat experience and equipment manufacturers were able to take in the early months of the war. advantage of the lessons learned. The time gained allowed the Allies But for those flying earlier American to build their forces and introduce designs such as the newer and faster fighters such as the Wildcat, Curtiss P-40 and the Grumman Hellcat, Corsair much-maligned Bell P-39 Airacobra and Lockheed P-38 Lightning. – the so-called ‘Iron Dog’ – pilots The Russians, however, couldn’t were forced into combat with wait. While several types of Allied what they had. The P-39, fighters – including the Hurricane in fairness, was a much and P-40 – were viewed with relative better fighter than the indifference by the Russians, the inadequate design usually P-39 was highly regarded. At low described by historians. altitude the Airacobra’s sparkling

64 January 2019 SPOT FACT The P-39 ew for the Spotlight  rst time on April 6, 1938 history

Donald Nijboer r e e c t s on the history of Bell’s innovative but often overlooked P-39 Airacobra n Dogperformance caused problems for There was There were few voices raised the ’s top pilots. a huge gulf in against the Bell company’s claims for Many leading Russian aces scored the performance its new fighter in 1940. The British most, if not all of their victories of the lightly loaded prototype had high hopes for the machine. At while flying the P-39. An informal and that of the fully equipped the time Britain was fighting for its count has more than 30 Russian operational version. By the time the life and the prevailing need was for ‘Kobra’ pilots with at least 20 kills. P-39 reached the production stage, more fighters. America had what The Airacobra’s contribution to its weight had increased by 30%, ‘Blighty’ needed and in retrospect it’s success on the Eastern Front was but its performance had been not surprising large-scale contracts significant, and the capability of the weakened by the removal of the were placed for almost anything type at low level played a major role all-important engine turbo- with . in the defeat of the German army. . It was a case The RAF was the first to use the of ‘buyer beware’. What Airacobra in combat, but of the RAF disaster Bell had promised could original 675 machines ordered, The Bell fighter was designed by a not be delivered and just four flew sorties across the team of engineers whose ideas, some the British Purchasing Channel in October 1941. ingenious, never reached their full Commission made a Dogged by armament problems, potential. The result was an aircraft terrible mistake in poor serviceability, an unreliable that was pleasant to fly and very ordering the type. compass and disappointing easy to take off and land but lacked potency at high altitude. With its 37mm cannon in the nose, an engine buried in the fuselage behind and a claimed top speed of 400mph (644km/h), the Airacobra held much promise. It was unveiled in a blaze of publicity but it could not live up to the hype.

Airacobras were built in total 9,529 January 2019 FLYPAST 65 SPOT FACT The XP-39 prototype was almost 2,000lb (900kg) lighter than production versions

Above A training fl ight by P-39s of an unknown unit over the American mid- west in 1942. WARREN THOMPSON COLLECTION

Right The cockpit of the P-39 was accessed via side-opening car-style doors. WARREN THOMPSON COLLECTION

Right centre P-400 ‘WAHL-EYE’ hailed from the 39th FS, 35th FG, and in 1942 fl ew from 12 Mile Aerodrome, New Guinea. WARREN THOMPSON COLLECTION high-altitude performance, the In American hands (re-designated as fighter squadrons P-39 proved unsuitable for combat It wasn’t just the Soviets that and groups in May) began flying in the European theatre. But the urgently required aircraft; the US operations. The following month, RAF experience with the type was also found itself in desperate need of the first detachments were deployed quite different to that of the Soviet fighters. After the Japanese attack on north to the front line at Port . Following the start of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Moresby. Early losses were incurred, the German invasion of the Soviet getting more fighters to the USAAF but the two squadrons had achieved Union on June 22, 1941, the was a priority. Aircraft ordered for operational status under extreme decision was made to divert the bulk export were quickly requisitioned; conditions by the end of April. of the British contract for Airacobras among them were nearly 200 Keen to engage the enemy, the 8th to the Red Air Force. British-ordered P-39s. These would Pursuit Group sent out 13 P-39s on On the face of it, the decision find their way to the Pacific and an offensive sweep. The Japanese seemed sound. What the Soviets were designated as P-400s, a version at Lae and Salamaua were caught needed was a fighter with good armed with a 20mm cannon in place by surprise. In a single run, low-level capabilities and enough of the original 37mm. the American fighters were able to firepower to deal with ground War for the US-flown P-39s began employ their guns on a fuel dump, targets – and it might also have been in Port Moresby, New Guinea. a radio station, other supply depots seen as a good opportunity for the Arriving in in March and three seaplanes found at anchor. RAF to rid itself of an unwanted, 1942, the 35th and 36th Pursuit Lae-based Zeros scrambled in time to unsuitable import. Squadrons of the 8th Pursuit Group intercept the withdrawal of the P-39s

66 FLYPAST January 2019 Spotlight history

the British experience look like a Left walk in the park. The aircraft they Two Soviet Airacobra received came with no instruction pilots pose with an American airman from manuals, no assembly tools or spare the 99th BG. Two weeks parts. Furthermore, they had just two after the P-39 entered pilots with previous P-39 experience. combat over New Guinea, The first Airacobras took to the air it began what was to be six days after the unit arrived, and an impressive career with 41 aircraft were assembled over the the Soviet Air Force. USAF following 29 days. Below A short period of training The single TP-39F trainer followed and in August 1942 the conversion seen in 1942 FS moved to Guadalcanal, to during early production begin ground-attack operations of the P-39. All original with 500lb (227kg) bombs. Its armament was removed. WARREN THOMPSON first kill was registered within 48 COLLECTION hours. During the remainder of August and September the Japanese threw everything they had at the Americans on Guadalcanal. US “The Russians will always and Marine fighters rose to the defence of the island and claimed remember the P-39 for its the majority of victories. success over their homeland” Time after time, P-39 pilots would take off to intercept an incoming raid, only to find the and in the that followed, Japanese airmen and the technical Japanese bombers flying too high four Zeros were shot down for the advantages they had, it’s remarkable (above 20,000ft). As had already loss of four Airacobras. Three of the just how much the often-disregarded been proven, the Airacobra’s high- Zeros destroyed were credited to Lt P-39 was able to accomplish. pressure oxygen system and Allison Col Boyd D ‘Buzz’ Wagner, one of engine were not suited for high- the first US aces of the Pacific war. Obvious de ciency altitude combat. The other major Wagner regarded the P-39 as an The 67th Fighter Squadron (FS) disadvantage was the P-39’s small excellent overall fighter at altitudes of the 347th Fighter Group (FG) size. With the engine located behind up to around 18,000ft (5,490m) and was the next unit in action in the the pilot there was little room for believed its performance to be “about South Pacific. While the P-39s fuel. Even when fitted with drop 10% better in every respect than and P-400s of the 8th and 35th tanks, the aircraft could not the P-40”. FGs battled with the Japanese over be flown safely for much This set the pattern for eastern New Guinea, pilots and longer than two hours. much of the Airacobra’s ground personnel of the 67th were involvement in the Pacific arriving at an airfield at Tontouta The Wau campaign. While never in New Caledonia. They factor able to gain a settled in on March 15, 1942, By the beginning of decisive followed a week later by 47 1943 there was just a upper crated Airacobras. handful of units still hand on The difficulties experienced flying the P-39. the Japanese, by the men of the 67th made By the P-39 pilots did manage to give as good as they got. Considering the experience of the more seasoned

YP-39s were ordered by the US Army for evaluation 12 January 2019 FLYPAST 67 SPOT FACT The P-39D was the rst variant to be used in action

Below end of that year the type’s tenure in approached, eight 40th FS P-39s Zero and Oscar fighters, the P-39 With guns blazing, the Pacific had finished. There was were escorting C-47s over the Wau managed to battle the Japanese to this iconic photo of nevertheless still some hard fighting area. Finding themselves in a sound a draw. Considering the minimal the P-39 graphically shows its impressive ahead and the Airacobra would tactical position, the American amount of training most young armament of four continue to make an impression. fighter pilots dived to attack. American pilots had before they .30-cal and two Between February and August Guns blazing, they tore through went into combat and the aircraft .50-cal machine 1943, P-39s of V Fighter the Japanese formation – 11 they were forced to fly, it’s a wonder guns, and one 37mm Command claimed more than 40 fighters and one Ki-21 fell to their they achieved so much against a cannon. USAF of the 50 kills credited to USAAF accurate fire. The year 1943 would formidable and determined enemy. units. Much of the action took place prove to be the most productive for If the P-39 had been equipped with over the advanced airstrip at Wau, P-39 units in V Fighter Command, a turbo-supercharger, the Japanese New Guinea. Despite losing the but as the tide of war shifted in would surely have suffered even ground battle for Wau, the Japanese the Allies’ favour, US fighters with more losses. continued to bomb and strafe the longer range were needed, taking In the end, the Americans had to base well into the middle of 1943. the fight deep into enemy-held go to war with what they had. Bell’s It was up to the pilots of the 40th territory. The relatively short- machine was able to chip away at and 41st FSs to oppose these raids. legged P-39 could not follow the Japanese, and helped to inflict a They also had the additional task of and was often left to perform less body blow from which the enemy’s protecting Douglas C-47 transports, ‘glamorous’ missions, such as local air force would never recover. used to deliver men and supplies. patrols or transport escort. On February 6, both units The P-39 Airacobra is not best Red star intercepted a large formation remembered for fighter-versus- While Japanese expansion was of seven Mitsubishi Ki-21s, fighter combat over Guadalcanal being checked in the South Pacific, escorted by 21 Japanese Army and New Guinea during 1942-43, the P-39 had its finest hour above Air Force Nakajima Ki-43 but while many pilots had harsh the frozen steppes of Russia. Two ‘Oscars’. As the enemy words for the type, it nevertheless weeks after the Airacobra was contributed to the eventual victory first used in combat over New over Japan. While inferior to the Guinea, it began a brilliant career on the Eastern Front. The ‘Kobra’ first served on the secondary battlegrounds in the far north and south, and only later operated over the main front in the centre. While it may not have been admired by all who flew it, the type was an incredible

“At low altitude the Airacobra’s sparkling performance caused problems for the Luftwaffe’s top pilots”

68 FLYPAST January 2019 Spotlight history

success in the . At the The Allison unit’s distaste for Russian and the American Wildcat for the Above, left to right end of the war some leading Soviet aviation fuel did not help either, and extraordinary triumph at Midway, Although one of the aces were reluctant to make the oil tended to pool within the engine, the Russians will always remember smallest single-seat fi ghters of World War transition to more modern types. then froze in the harsh winters. Pilots the P-39 for its triumphs over Two, the P-39 had the The first P-39s to enter Soviet service were also told to bale out only as a last their homeland. heaviest armament. came from the UK. The British sent resort; as the Americans discovered, The strength of the type in Soviet A single hit from its 212 Airacobra Mk.Is via Murmansk. jumping out from the unorthodox hands is exemplified by the success centreline-mounted 37mm Initially, Soviet pilots expressed side ‘car door’ was at best risky. of 298 IAP (Istrebitelnyi Aviatsionnii M4 cannon was more reservations about the aircraft’s At low and medium altitude the Polk – Fighter Aviation Regiment). than enough to down any Japanese fi ghter or unfamiliar tricycle . They Kobra was more than a match Over a five-month period, between bomber. NIAGARA were soon won over when they found for the Luftwaffe’s much-vaunted March 17 and August 20, flying AEROSPACE MUSEUM it gave them better control on the . According to against the Luftwaffe’s VIII ground and greatly improved forward the British Air Fighting Development Fliegerkorps, the regiment flew P-39D-1 ‘Sun Setter’ vision when taxiing. It was also far Unit, which compared an Airacobra 1,625 sorties, shooting down 167 from the 35th FS taking superior to any other fighter when it Mk.I to a captured Bf 109E: “the enemy aircraft. Losses amounted to off from Milne Bay, New Guinea in late 1942. The came to manoeuvring across snow- Messerschmitt cannot compete with just 30 aircraft shot down, with 11 maximum speed of the covered airstrips. the Airacobra in a turn and even if the heavily damaged. P-39D was 368mph at The P-39 was faster and had a Bf 109 is behind the Airacobra at the The third highest scoring Soviet 13,500ft. DONALD NIJBOER better rate of climb than the Soviet start, the latter should be able to shake ace of the war flew a Kobra. Grigoriy I-16, MiG-3 and LaGG-3 single- him off and get in a burst before two Rechkalov began his operational This 67th FS P-400, armed seat fighters, and its all-round vision complete turns have been carried out. career during the Battle over the with a 20mm cannon in the nose, was named canopy proved superior to anything The Bf 109 then tried diving on the Kuban in the early summer of 1943. ‘Fancy Nancy’ and based the Soviets were producing. Pilots also Airacobra from above and continuing He proved an excellent shot and at Henderson Field, on found the Kobra cockpit roomy, the dive down to ground level after a scored an impressive tally of 56 kills Guadalcanal, August 1942. warm and comfortable and very short burst of fire. It was found, and five shared, with 44 achieved 1000AIRCRAFTPHOTOS.COM appreciated the fact that it was however, that the Airacobra could while at the controls of a P-39. A equipped with an excellent radio. At follow and catch up on the Bf 109 in a remarkable 179 Russian aces scored the time, most older Soviet fighters dive of over 4,000ft.” most or some of their victories while had no radio at all, while the newer The P-39 provided an almost perfect flying the Airacobra. models were inadequate. Most devices solution to the Soviet Air Force’s In contrast, just one American fitted to MiGs, LaGGs and Yaks could problems, as it required a tactical pilot, Lt William F Fiedler Jr, made only receive. machine that could support ground ace status on the type. The last US The new, two-way units enabled forces. The vast majority of their unit to be equipped with P-39s was pilots to develop and adapt more operations were at low and medium the 350th FG in , which flew complex and open formations. altitudes, exactly where the Bell them until April 1944. The Soviets It also meant junior pilots could machine performed best. continued operating the type until warn of approaching enemy aircraft the final victory over Berlin and and allowed their leaders to make Mount of aces were reluctant to give them up even quick decisions. It is probably no Of the 9,585 production P-39s after that. coincidence that some of the built, 4,773 went directly to In the hands of the Americans highest scoring Soviet aces – and the Soviet Union. In the spring and the British, the Airacobra most innovative tactics – came and summer of 1943 the very is usually recorded in history from the pool of airmen assigned to best Soviet units were Airacobra books as having been ‘especially Airacobra units. regiments, mainly assigned to 216 disappointing’, or words to that Like many new fighters, the P-39 Air Division, which became the effect. It’s tempting to think that if had its share of faults. While the famous 9 Guards Air Division. Just the same historians had asked their Soviets made the best possible use of as the Hurricane and Spitfire will Soviet allies what they thought of the the type, there was no escaping the fact forever be remembered as symbols type, the final verdict might have read that it had a temperamental engine. of victory in the , ‘especially destructive’.

mph (764km/h) was the P-39’s recommended never-exceed dive speed limit 475 January 2019 FLYPAST 69 Spotlight Bell P-400 Airacobra

PPaci a c i c

PugilistArtist Andy Hay renders a modi ed version of the P-39 Airacobra

Artwork non-standard designation, 37mm weapon, the former being States Army Air Corps and sent The shark-mouthed P-400, was eventually considered more appropriate for the to the Soviets. With the return to example shown here, given to Model 14 role of low-altitude fighter by the US use, the aircraft were renamed coded ‘White 13’ and A with the dual nose Airacobras built initially British. One other difference was P-400 and fielded in the Pacific art of “WAHL-EYE II” for , but the order was the fitting of 12-stack exhausts, but and Mediterranean theatres. Its and “PAT”, was the then absorbed by the RAF. These eventually, six-stub fishtail versions 20mm cannon, two .50-cal and four personal mount of Lt were almost identical adorned the RAF’s operational .303 machine guns, in the spinner, Eugene Wahl, a pilot to the P-39C/D but had a aircraft. Ultimately, Britain never fuselage and wings respectively, with the 39th Fighter higher-performing 20mm accepted its full allocation of packed a real punch. The P-400s Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, based at 12 Mile cannon firing through the Airacobra Mk.Is, as they were also retained their British Drome, New Guinea, in propeller spinner rather known, and surplus airframes but had US markings 1942. ANDY HAY-2018 than the standard, heavier were rerouted back to the United applied for USAAF employment.

70 FLYPAST January 2019 SPOT FACT The rst RAF Airacobras Bell P-400 equipped 601 Squadron from August 1941 i n p r o l e st

kills were recorded by Soviet ace Alek sandr PokrysPokryshkin,hkin, mostly in the P-39 59 January 2019 FLYPAST 71 Spotlight Bell P-63 Kingcobra Venomous Although bearing a strong resemblance to the P-39 Airacobra, the P-63 Kingcobra was very much a separate design. Malcolm V Lowe tells theRoyalt story of this late-war ghter

Right he P-63 Kingcobra was the mounted roughly amidships behind Two Kingcobras last large-scale production the cockpit, driving the propeller (FR408 and FZ440) aircraft type designed and unit via a long extension shaft and were supplied to Britain, but the type built by the forward-mounted gearbox. TCorporation. It has often been was never used operationally by claimed in many published sources Major contracts the RAF. Both were that it was simply a development The P-63 became a part of the P-63A airframes, of the P-39 Airacobra, being little massive expansion in the USAAF’s and the latter more than a larger, more advanced fighter/fighter-bomber force aircraft features here. British trials version with less rounded lines and following the Japanese attack on included examination potentially better performance. Pearl Harbor in December 1941. of the laminar fl ow However, the Kingcobra’s story is It drew on experience gained from properties of the much more than just that, because the opening stages of World War Kingcobra’s wing the type was, to a considerable extent, Two, where well armed high- design. ALL MALCOLM V a standalone project. While having performance fighters had proven LOWE COLLECTION layout characteristics echoing the their effectiveness. Model 24) airframes initially flew P-39, it was created to meet different Bell wished to become a part of on December 7, 1942 – the long design criteria and mission needs. the increasingly lucrative fighter delay illustrative of development Bell originally intended the procurement possibilities in the US, problems. These difficulties new type to be powered by the and approached the new project continued when both were lost Continental V-1430 inline engine, with a view to creating a potent, in accidents. A third aircraft, the but development problems resulted well-armed fighter able to perform XP-63A, therefore effectively had to in the company reverting to the at all levels. become the programme’s prototype tried and trusted Allison V-1710 The company was originally and trials aircraft, and first flew for the P-63 Kingcobra. contracted during June 1941 for during April 1943. This involved the two prototypes of what the USAAF Ultimately successful testing, by engine being designated the P-63 and Bell named both Bell and the USAAF, led to the Kingcobra – forever incorrectly series production which initially confusing the issue of the new included type’s birth, as if it were just an uprated Airacobra. The first of these two XP-63 (Bell

72 FLYPAST January 2019 SPOT FACT The P-63 prototype made Spotlight on its debut ight on December 7, 1942 the Kingcobra alty

Above Looking very futuristic, one of the two swept- wing L-39 Kingcobra research aircraft displays its unusual wing confi guration. The trials several sub-types of P-63A (Bell programme was carried Model 33). out post-war on behalf of Altogether, 1,725 A-series aircraft the US Navy. were built, but Bell tinkered Left considerably with these different This P-63A-6-BE, serial marks and received input number 42-68931, from the Soviet Union, displays a distinctive which eventually received feature of the Kingcobra Kingcobras in large family: a four-bladed propeller as opposed to numbers. A planned “Bell wished to become a part of the three-bladed version fi tted to the the increasingly lucrative ghter P-39 Airacobra.

procurement possibilities in the Bottom left The P-63 Kingcobra was US, and approached the new an entirely new aircraft, despite bearing more than project with a view to creating a a passing resemblance to the earlier Airacobra. This potent, well-armed ghter.” P-63A-9-BE, 42-69417, displays the generally clean lines of the type Packard V-1650 Merlin-powered Wing span was 38ft 4in and length as well as armament version, the P-63B, was not built. 32ft 8in. Armament comprised a including a 0.50-cal Following the P-63A was the 37mm cannon centrally located in machine gun in a gondola P-63C – the last major production the hollow propeller shaft, firing beneath each wing. of the Kingcobra line, which again through the propeller hub, and represented more upgrading of the four 0.50-cal machine guns – two basic layout and included changes to mounted in the upper forward the wing and rear fuselage, where a fuselage firing through the propeller ventral fin was added. arc and two in underwing gondolas. The P-63C had the V-1710-117 Up to 1,500lb (680kg) of bombs supercharged powerplant, with a could be carried on one lower war emergency rating of 1,500hp fuselage centreline point, and one at sea level and 1,800hp with water weapons pylon under each wing. injection. At the time it was claimed An attempt to achieve better all- this gave an excellent maximum round vision for the pilot led to speed of 410mph (660km/h) at the one-off P-63D, an attractively 25,000ft (7,620m). streamlined derivative with a

P-63As were evaluated by Britain’s Royal Aircraft Establishment 2 January 2019 FLYPAST 73 SPOT FACT Post-war Soviet Kingcobras were allotted the NATO reporting name Fred

Right rearwards-sliding ‘bubble’ This image allows canopy. However, it did not for a comparison enter production. between the Kingcobra (lower) Two further Kingcobra and the Airacobra. models were built, albeit in The former small numbers: the P-63E (represented here and the final mark, the P-63F. by P-63A-1-BE, They represented further 42-68871) was tweaking of the basic design, but larger and a better performer, especially were good enough to approach the in multi- at higher altitudes. superb performance and capabilities engine bomber The Airacobra is a of the highly successful P-51D training units, to teach the P-39Q, the last major Mustang and P-47D Thunderbolt. importance of constant vigilance to production version A total of 3,303 Kingcobra bomber crew members in watching intended for Soviet service were of the type. airframes is usually cited for overall for enemy fighter attacks. flown in stages from Bell’s production, although some batches The Kingcobras were often painted Buffalo, New York, plant across were eventually cancelled. in bright colours to aid the trainee the continental US to Alaska and gunners to spot them, and were then Siberia. Limited operations based at Laredo Army Air Field in This became known as the The Kingcobra proved to be a Texas and Buckingham Army Air Alaska-Siberia route, with US ferry perfectly good warplane with useful Field in Florida. pilots handing over to their Soviet performance, despite the protracted The best known of the Kingcobra’s counterparts en route. Some of the development and production roles in USAAF training colours was Russian pilots were women, who changes. Nevertheless, only one the aerial gunnery programme often greatly impressed US personnel with operator, France, put the type to full referred to as Operation Pinball. their flying skills. combat use. This very specific type of schooling Deliveries to the Soviet Union Deliveries of production P-63As became the unique preserve of the began in the second half of 1944. were to begin during the final quarter Kingcobra in its role as a trainer. The exact number of Kingcobras of 1943. But the USAAF’s trials of Stripped of much equipment and supplied under the specific the P-63A at Eglin Field, Florida, fitted with armour plating, Pinball agreements between the US and concluded it was unsuitable for Kingcobras of several different the USSR has been open to wide US frontline service, even though versions (with the designation interpretation, but the most recent some test pilots reported favourably RP-63) were flown as manned target figure available from Russian on its general characteristics. aircraft for trainee bomber gunners historians is around 2,456. Therefore, the Army Air Forces took in ‘live’ airborne firing practice. There’s also much confusion as a comparatively small number of Frangible bullets made of lead to Soviet use of the type. Many Kingcobras on charge, and the type and plastic, which disintegrated extravagant claims have been made never entered frontline operational on impact without inflicting in misinformed publications in service with them. fatal damage, were fired at the the West that Kingcobras flew It appears that, at one time, Kingcobras – which were fitted extensively in combat against the there was a proposal for the with sensors to illuminate lights on Luftwaffe in Europe. Similarly, tactical US Ninth Air Force in their airframes to show when hits the aircraft is said to have been Britain to operate Kingcobras on were scored. prominent in the Far East during the fighter-bomber duties alongside brief war between the Soviet Union Thunderbolts and Mustangs for Foreign colours and Japan during 1945. the D-Day period and subsequent Two Kingcobras were supplied to In reality, by the final months operations in continental Europe. Britain, but the type did not fly of World War Two, sufficient But the plan never materialised and operationally with the RAF. Instead indigenous Soviet fighters were the P-63 only operated in a training they were used in various trials, available – such as the Lavochkin capacity with US forces. including investigation into the La-5 and La-7 series and the This included transition schooling characteristics and performance of excellent Yakovlev Yak-3 – to for future fighter pilots, and the the type’s wing aerofoil shape. render the P-63 of most use to the separate but equally important Numerically, the largest user Soviet Union as a trainer, in similar use of Kingcobras as ‘jump ships’ was the Soviet Union. Kingcobras fashion to the USAAF employment.

74 FLYPAST January 2019 Spotlight on the Kingcobra

Genuine combat Prominent among the ground- The country that employed the attack units was the famous French Kingcobra in combat was France. unit GC 2/6 Normandie-Niémen, More than 100 (most French whose P-63Cs were based at Tan sources quote 114) P-63Cs were Son Nhut. supplied to the newly reconstituted Another Kingcobra operator was French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) Honduras, which obtained five from mid-1945 for post-World War P-63E-1-BE airframes after World Two operation – not to the ‘Free War Two, supplied by the US. French’ as often incorrectly claimed. A number of P-63s were also The type was flown by at least used for experimental and trials seven French squadrons, and programmes. Distinctive among

Left Flying target: Operation Pinball involved Kingcobras being fl own for gunnery training as the recipients of ‘live’ fi ring with frangible bullets. Shown here is 43-11724, an RP-63G-1- BE, which was the fi nal version intended for the Pinball programme.

Left centre A French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) P-63C-5-BE Kingcobra, 44-4142, of GC these were two so-called ‘Vee-tailed’ 2/6 ‘Normandie-Niémen’ Kingcobras. Even more radical were circa 1950. At the time, two swept-wing airframes, which the unit was based in were modified P-63As, under a French Indochina with US Navy programme with the its Kingcobras at Tan Son designation L-39 (‘L’ being the US Nhut Air Base, nowadays one of the main transport Navy’s manufacturer prefix for Bell). hubs for Ho Chi Minh City Like the P-39 Airacobra, the (formerly Saigon). Kingcobra featured in civilian air racing following the end of World Below War Two. However, despite several Two Kingcobras were “The type was own by at colourfully painted entries in a converted into Vee-tail variety of races, P-63s were generally confi guration for trials least seven French squadrons, and experimental work. unsuccessful as racing machines. This, the fi rst of the two and played an important role One of notable triumphs airframes, was originally was the victory in the 1948 SOHIO a P-63A. during the war in French Handicap Trophy Race by a specially modified Kingcobra flown Indochina up to 1951.” by Robert Eucker.

Nonetheless, some Kingcobras played an important role during did reach Soviet operational units, the war in French Indochina especially post-war, but certainly not (sometimes confusingly called the in the numbers often claimed. First Indochina War) up to 1951.

mph (660km/h) was the P-63’s approximate top speed at 25,000ft 410 January 2019 FLYPAST 75 Spotlight Bell XFL-1 Airabonita The Attractive

FailureBell’s Airabonita was a proposed US Navy carrier-borne ghter derivative of the P-39 Airacobra. Malcolm V Lowe examines its unsuccessful development

Below he US Navy’s search for Bell Aircraft Corporation of customer, in order to meet a The XFL-1 Airabonita modern, high-performance Buffalo, New York, had no tradition totally different set of parameters fi rst fl ew in May pursuit (fighter) types for of providing aircraft for naval for a different client, proved to be 1940, but a series of problems meant it aircraft carriers was an requirements, unlike Vought. very difficult. Timportant American procurement Nevertheless, Bell also responded Bell was awarded a contract was never a serious contender for the US project during the late 1930s. A to the 1938 ‘contest’, with a go-ahead from the US Navy for the Navy’s requirement 1935 requirement initially led to the project that received the in-house construction of a single prototype for a modern, high- creation of the ponderous Brewster designation, Bell Model 5. The in November 1938, after Vought performance carrier- F2A Buffalo, and eventually the firm’s novel approach was to adapt received its own go-ahead during based fi ghter. This colour image is of the excellent , an existing proprietary design, the June 1938. Bell’s project was only example, BuNo the purpose being to modernise P-39 Airacobra, to compete for officially designated XFL-1, in the 1588, during 1940. the fleet’s increasingly antiquated the potentially lucrative US Navy US Navy’s laborious nomenclature ALL MALCOLM LOWE fighter force of colourful, but contract. The P-39 was a land-based of the time (X = prototype, F = COLLECTION seriously outdated, biplanes with fighter with a tricycle undercarriage Fighter, L = Bell). The cost of this modern single-engined that Bell was developing for the one-off aircraft has been quoted as fighters. During early 1938, the then US Army Air Corps. The $125,000, although some historians US Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics tricycle configuration in particular cite a much higher figure. (BoA) requested further proposals, would not work well for aircraft The single XFL-1 was allocated including a challenging demand carrier landings, so Bell’s designers the designating or of for a well-armed and (for its reworked the P-39 layout to 1588 by the US Navy’s BoA (usually time) high-performance carrier- make the Model 5 more suitable abbreviated as BuNo). The new borne naval fighter. Several for naval operations. In theory type was christened Airabonita in companies responded to these 1938 this appeared to be a good idea. Bell’s rather quaint naming process parameters, notably Vought, with However, redesigning an established (this name is written as ‘Airbonita’ what eventually became the famous and carefully formulated blueprint in some published sources). Bell’s F4U Corsair. that met the specification of one designers worked hard to adapt

mph w 76 FLYPAST January 2019 333 SPOT FACT The XFL-1’s wing chord was Spotlight on a broader than that of its P-39 progenitor P-39 Naval derivative

the P-39 layout for naval use, and Above eventually numerous changes were Dated July 16, 1940, this made to the Airacobra format. image displays what one branch of US fi ghter design looked like when Similar but different the Battle of Britain was Bell planned to use the same just starting. Appearing powerplant type for the Airabonita very streamlined, the as in the P-39, namely the Allison XFL-1 Airabonita was V-1710 liquid-cooled inline engine. undoubtedly attractive but did not enter Since the late 1920s the US Navy production. had tended to employ aircraft with air-cooled radial engines, and Left the more complicated logistics of The Curtiss Electric maintaining an aircraft powered by three-bladed propeller a liquid-cooled unit aboard aircraft of the XFL-1 Airabonita. Main undercarriage carriers was obvious. Nonetheless, it details and the was somewhat appropriate that the underwing engine Allison engine should be the first coolant installations are choice for the Airabonita. Despite also evident. the US Navy’s apparent reluctance to Below left employ inline liquid-cooled engines, Fake news. Bell early in its development the V-1710 employed several had been projected as a power talented artists and source for US Navy airships. Fitted photo manipulators who to the Airabonita was an XV-1710- created interesting, if 6, quoted at the time as producing sometimes misleading, artwork. This ‘photograph’ purported 1,150hp at 9,000ft (2,743m). to show Airabonitas This was a supercharged, but not (or perhaps even turbo-supercharged powerplant. Airacobras) in frontline The actual installation was similar US Navy service… which to that of the P-39, with the engine never happened. mounted roughly amidships behind the cockpit, driving the propeller unit via a long extension shaft and forward-mounted gearbox, allowing for a hollow propeller shaft. Revised design The most visible ‘new’ feature for the Airabonita was the deletion of the P-39’s tricycle undercarriage layout and its substitution with a conventional tailwheel. Its main undercarriage was moved forward due to this change, but it therefore encroached on the wing root mph was the Airabonita’s quoted top speed without frontline military equipment being tted January 2019 FLYPAST 77 SPOT FACT The was chosen by the US Navy in preference to the Airabonita

cal machine guns mounted in whole programme was dogged the upper forward fuselage, firing with problems, leading to many through the propeller arc, and a modifications and changes. Trials .50-cal gun mounted centrally, with the US Navy, including firing through the hollow propeller testing at Naval Air Station shaft and prop’ spinner. There was Anacostia, were protracted and apparently a plan to up-gun the type eventually unsuccessful.

Top leading edge radiator intakes of the The XFL-1 Airabonita P-39. Consequently, the Airabonita’s was an elegant if engine liquid cooling system was small naval fi ghter, with only one redesigned, with prominent radiator constructed. This fairings added beneath the wings. fi ne in-fl ight view Basically an all-metal structure shows some of the with fabric covering for control type’s features, surfaces, the Airabonita featured including the extensive split flaps beneath the depression in the wing upper surface wings and lower fuselage to aid beside the cockpit, the slow-speed handing and in service with a 37mm cannon in A creditable maximum speed which was an outlet manoeuvrability needed for safe this central position, similar to the of 333mph (536km/h) has been for the engine’s carrier deck landings. An arrester arrangement in many operational quoted in some sources for the XFL- radiators. hook was fitted to the lower rear P-39s, or possibly a 20mm cannon, 1, but this was achieved (if indeed fuselage, and catapult hooks were but trials never reached that stage. the figure is true) without frontline Above The XFL-1 featured added to the underside just behind Ultimately, the aircraft did not military equipment being added, fi ve small bomb the mainwheel bays. The carry armament at all and used the which would have reduced this compartments with was re-stressed to withstand the pointed spinner with no central hole reading considerably. In the event, retractable doors loads associated with catapult for all of its flying trials. Unusually, the US Navy proceeded with the in both wing lower take-offs and arrested landings. both wing lower surfaces included Vought F4U Corsair, which was a surfaces, intended Unusually, the fin leading edge was five small bomb compartments with wise decision. The initial production to contain two anti-aircraft bombs made from transparent Plexiglas. retractable doors for up to ten aerial Corsair flew during the summer each. A transparent Cockpit contours were also changed, anti-aircraft bombs on each side. A of 1942, and the type grew into an window was built with the cabin roof raised and the transparent sighting window was excellent naval fighter, although it into the lower pilot seated higher than in the P-39 built into the lower fuselage. was the British Royal Navy’s Fleet fuselage, for the to give greater visibility for carrier Air Arm (rather than the US Navy) potential sighting landings and generally better vision that proved the Corsair in combat of these archaic Testing problems weapons. while on deck. Piloted by Bryan Sparks, the XFL-1 from aircraft carriers. Compared to the Airacobra, the made its first foray into the air Eventually retired, the XFL-1 was Above right Airabonita’s wing was broader in on May 13, 1940, just before the surplus to requirements and ended The XFL-1 Airabonita chord, especially outboard, with Vought XF4U-1 on May 29. Flight its life at Naval Air Station Patuxent was fi tted with a slightly greater span. The wing testing did not go well. Centre of River, Maryland. Its wreck was later fl otation bags in the event of a ditching. span was 35ft, and the intended gravity issues surfaced very rapidly, used as some form of landfill in a This photograph production length 29ft 9 1/8in, demanding ballast in the forward local watery grave, although part shows them being but it has been claimed by several fuselage. Larger tail surfaces also of it re-surfaced during the 1970s. tested in a hangar, writers that the XFL-1’s pointed needed to be fitted later that year. What eventually happened to those with a Bell Airacuda spinner made it marginally longer. The carburettor air intake behind rare pieces of wreckage remains twin-engined fi ghter Armament envisaged for the XFL-1 the cockpit went through its own unknown, but the scrap man was in the background. comprised two synchronised .30- development phase, too, but the the likely beneficiary.

78 FLYPAST January 2019