Here is some info on a much forgotten about aircraft of WW2 the p-63 Kingcobra. The majority of these were used by the Soviets. Though you don't here much about there exploit as their role was down played in favour of the role played by home grown designs. -------------------------------------------------- History: The close sibling of the P-39 Airacobra, the Kingcobra was bigger and faster than its baby sister. The sturdy and capable Kingcobra was flown mainly by the Russians on the Eastern Front of World War Two. Early in the development of the P-39, experiments were aimed at improving the plane's aerodynamics. The P-39D was used as a starting point for three prototypes, each with a new laminar-flow wing and tail unit. The three experimental aircraft were dubbed the XP-39E. These were powered by Allison engines because the inverted-vee piston-engine from Continental was unreliable. Two of the prototypes were lost while being evaluated by the U.S. Army Air Corps, and a slightly modified design, the XP-63A, was built. The Allison engine in the XP-63A had provision for emergency water injection that could boost the available power to 1,500-hp for a short period of time. Production of the P-63 Kingcobra for the USAAC began in October of 1943, and nearly 3,300 aircraft were produced before the end of the war. Under lend-lease, the Russians bought 2,400 Kingcobras, and a further 300 were flown by the Free French. The rest were restricted to training squadrons in the United States by the USAAF. About 300 P-63s were turned into RP-63 flying targets for dogfight practice with frangible bullets. All armor and armament were removed from these planes, and a skin of duralumin protected the wings, fuselage and tail. Bulletproof glass was installed, steel grilles were put over the air intake, and a steel sleeve protected the exhaust stacks. A propeller with thick, hollow blades was also installed. When a hit was scored, a red light came on in the cockpit to indicate where the P-63 had been shot. Production of the P-63 ended on VJ-Day. Only a half-dozen P-63s remain flying today. Nicknames: Pinball (RP-63 variant) Specifications: Engine: One 1,325-hp Allison V-1710-93 inline piston engine Weight: Empty 6,375 lbs., Max Takeoff10,500 lbs. Wing Span: 38ft. 4in. Length: 32ft. 8in. Height: 12ft. 7in. Performance: Maximum Speed at 25,000 ft: 410 mph Cruising Speed: 378 mph Ceiling: 43,000 ft. Range: 450 miles (2,200 miles in ferry configuration) Armament: One 37-mm M4 cannon Two nose-mounted 12.7-mm (0.5-inch) machine guns Up to three 522-pound bombs Number Built: ~3,300 http://www.warbirdalley.com/p63.htm
Great stuff Mahross, I have always liked this one and the much maligned P-39. Although how anyone can claim the aircraft used by, what, five out of the top ten Allied aces can be called a poor aircraft is beyond me...
And by a funny coincidence, the following took place on May 15, 1942: Conversion training to P-39 Aircobra fighters of the Soviet 19th GIAP squadron, stationed on the Murmansk front on Shonguy airfield, is completed. The 19th GIAP is the first Soviet squadron to use the American plane, with combat operations commencing immediately. During the day, a dogfight with German Messerchmitt Bf-109 fighters develops, but both sides fail to inflict any losses on their opponent.
Yes the P-63 was very overlooked by history. There is one outside at Lackland AFB in San Antonio that was used during the war for air to air gunnery practice. It had extra armor and lights on it so that when it was hit by another aircraft it lit up. They supposedly used ammo that did not have the impact of real ammo but still I would not have liked having the job. Also in Soviet use,I think it got overshadowed by the Yak-3 and Lagg-3,plus it was not good for your health to say good things about American aircraft during those times.
