Aircraft

Bell P-39 Airacobra

Aircraft

Bell P-39Q - 108 GvIAP USSR

The Bell P-39 Airacobra was introduced in 1941, and was an unusual fighter aircraft in that it was designed around a gun. The 37mm T9 cannon was fitted in the nose and fired through the centre of the propellor hub. The engine was behind the pilot and fed with air via a scoop intake above. The undercarriage was also unconventional for a fighter in that it had a nose-wheel, and so landed 'tail up' like a modern Cessna. The pilot entered the aircraft through normal doors rather than the cockpit, again another innovation. The prototypes had a two stage turbo-supercharger and performed extremely well, but the production aircraft had this removed and performance was severely lacking at high altitude. But the P-39 was highly agile and acquitted itself well in the Pacific, and especially in the hands of the USSR, who flew many low level fighter sweeps and ground attack missions with the P-39. Early versions of the P-39 were armed with 1 x 37mm cannon, 2 x 12.7mm machine guns, and 2 x 7.62mm machine guns. In the P-39D this was increased to 4 x 7.62mm machine guns (in the wings) and the 'Q' version replaced the four wing guns with 2 x 12.7mm guns in pods. The RAF replaced the 37mm cannon with the more reliable 20mm Hispano, and many Russian squadrons disposed of their wing guns completely, so there were large variations in armament.

Bell P-39Q - 362nd Fighter Squadron

Bell P-39Q - 129 GvIAP USSR

Bell P-39Q - CGI/5 France

Bell P-39Q - 339th Fighter Squadron

Bell P-39Q - CGII/6 France

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