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Bell P-39 Airacobra....

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Bell P-39 Airacobra

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The P-39 single-seat fighter was, in all respects, a radical design for its day, and proved the adage, "Form follows function." It was designed around a 37mm T-9 cannon which, in order to maximize the airplane's forward firepower, was fitted to fire through the propeller hub. In order for the cannon to fit inside the nose, the engine was placed behind the cockpit, and drove the propeller via a long shaft which passed under the pilot's feet. The center-of-gravity shift caused by the engine's location resulted in the need for a tricycle landing gear arrangement, the first of it's kind among WWII fighters. The prototype XP-39 first flew on 6 April 1938, and after several evaluation programs, some major modifications were made to the design, resulting in the first production version, the P-39C. This production version entered service with the US Army Air Corps in 1939, but was almost immediately upgraded to the P-39D model with self-sealing fuel tanks, more guns, and larger fuel capacity. In July 1941, the Royal Air Force took delivery of the first of 675 P-39Ds (called the Model 14 by the RAF) which they had ordered the year before. Shortly after delivery, however, the RAF realized that the aircraft had minimal performance characteristics without a turbocharger, an accessory that had been deleted early in the aircraft's development. It was too late to cancel the order, and only one RAF squadron (No. 601) ever flew it operationally. Over 250 of the others were sent to Russia, about 200 more were transferred to the US Army Air Force in Britain, and another 200 or so were sent back to America and designated as P-400s. At least eight additional variants were later built. Most changes to the original design involved new engines and propellers, but otherwise the airframe remained very much the same over its production life. The P-39N and P-39Q were built for the Russian air force under the Lend-Lease military assistance program, and 4,773 Airacobras were delivered to Russia by American and Russian ferry pilots. Seven P-39s were designated as the F2L and used as US Navy target drones. The Airacobra served successfully in the ground-attack role in North Africa, and in the Pacific theater, until more powerful fighters began replacing it in 1944. Other nations which acquired P-39s included Portugal, France, and Italy. The Airacobra, though hampered by its lack of a turbocharger, was a very satisfactory low-altitude attack airplane, and served as faithfully as any other combat aircraft.

Bell P-39 Airacobra R.C.

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Necesitó una pista en Granada para despegar despues de largo tiempo en Stand By

P-39 Airacobra 'Brooklyn Bum'

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Bell P-39

P-39 Airacobra Tribute

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This is a featurette tribute... and a PSA to all fighter sim fans... paying respect to the oft-ignored but still admired Bell P-39 Airacobra... and now Mr. Pokryshkin's name has been spelled properly. - David Czapiewski

Bell Airacobra Mk 1 for the RAF (P-39/P400)

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In 1940, the British were desperate for combat aircraft and were willing to consider just about anything that had wings, irrespective of how poor its performance might be. Consequently, when Bell submitted specifications to the British Direct Purchase Commission for a fighter with a top speed of 400 mph, a ceiling of 36,000 feet, and a range of 1000 miles, the Commission literally salivated on the spot and ordered 675 Bell Model 14s sight unseen on April 13, 1940. Unfortunately, Bell's glossy advertising brochures did not distinguish between the performance of a lightly-loaded, unarmed, highly-polished experimental prototype and a production fighter heavily-loaded with military equipment and armament, and the British were to rue the day that they ever looked at an Airacobra. The first of these P-39Cs actually arrived at RAF Colerne on July 3, 1941, followed by the other two the next day. It made its first test flight in England on July 6. However, during trials at Duxford, the performance proved disappointing. Although the test pilots praised the general ease of handling of the aircraft, the maximum speed was a shocking 33 mph lower than that anticipated. The fighter proved to be definitely inferior to the Hurricane and Spitfire in climb rate and ceiling, and the 750-yard takeoff run of the Airacobra excluded its operation from some smaller fighter airfields. There was universal shock and dismay among the RAF personnel. What had gone wrong? Bell Aircraft executives later sheepishly admitted that their performance figures had been based on the unarmed and unequipped XP-39 prototype, which weighed a ton less than the armed and equipped P-39C. No. 601 Squadron pilots found numerous flaws and weaknesses during their initial work-up with the the Airacobra. Numerous modifications were made in the field in an attempt to make the aircraft suitable for combat. A master valve was introduced to allow oxygen to be turned on from the cockpit. The gunsight was modified to improve forward visibility. Changes to the ammunition tanks for the wing guns were made. Modifications were made to the cockpit harness release in order to simplify the operation. The IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) set was removed from behind the pilot, where it obstructed aft view. A throttle control quadrant friction damper was introduced. The AFDU also did some comparative dog-fighting tests with the Airacobra against a Spitfire VB and a captured Messerschmitt BF 109E. The Airacobra and the Bf 109E carried out mock dog-fighting at 6000 feet and 15,000 feet. The Bf 109E had a height advantage of 1000 feet in each case. The Bf 109, using the normal German fighter tactics of diving and zooming, could usually only get in a fleeting shot. The Bf 109 could not compete with the Airacobra in a turn, and if the Bf 109 were behind the Airacobra at the start, the latter could usually shake him off and get in a burst before two complete turns were completed. If the Bf 109 were to dive on the Airacobra from above and continue the dive down to ground level after a short burst of fire, it was found that the Airacobra could follow and catch up to the Bf 109 after a dive of over 4000 feet. When fighting the Bf 109E below 20,000 feet, the Airacobra was superior on the same level and in a dive. A similar trial was carried out against a Spitfire V. Although the Airacobra was faster than the Spitfire up to 15,000 feet, it was outclimbed and out-turned by the Spitfire. Unless it had a height advantage, the Airacobra could not compete with the Spitfire. The Airacobra was considered to be very suitable for low altitude operations because of the excellent view and controllability, and it was fully maneuverable at speeds above 160 mph. It was not difficult to fly at night, but the exhaust flames could be seen by another aircraft flying three miles to the rear. The flash from the nose guns was blinding, and could cause the pilot to lose not only his target but also his night vision. Firing of the nose guns caused the buildup of carbon monoxide contamination in the cockpit, and this could reach a lethal level very quickly. The guns were fairly inaccessible, and maintenance was troublesome. In December of 1941, the Airacobra was officially withdrawn from operational service with the RAF. Length: 30' 2" Wingspan: 34' 0" Gross Weight: 7180.00 lbs Powerplant: Allison V-1710-35 Horsepower 1150 Max Speed: 379.00 Mph

P-39 Airacobra of Amet-Han Sultan

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Re-loaded.

P-39 Airacobra Flying Legends

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P-39 Airacobra flown by Steve Hinton at Flying Legends airshow.

P39+P51,HELLCAT+WILDCAT TAILCHASE

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FILMED AT DUXFORDS AUTUMN AIRSHOW 2007 .

Мир - это только любовь _ воздушный бой

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Sudak, Crimea, 1944, April 16 Germany: BF-109G-6 USSR: IL-2 &Р-39 (Bell P-39 Airacobra) (с) Klein UserPikchers

allison engine run

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allison engine at the Parafield Airport Museum, absolute gold as the ladies oposite crap their panties as the Super charged engine bursts into life. specs Comp ratio - 6.65:1 Blower gear ratio - 8.80:1 Cyl - 12 Bore - 5.50 inches Stroke - 6.00 inches Used on the US - p51a Mustang Kitty Hawk Lockheed P38 Lightning Bell P39 Airacobra

FS2004 - Bell P39D Airacobra à La Réunion

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Flight aboard a P39 over La Réunion island. PAP (Papa Alpha Papa) is my callsign when flying online with Taxiways ( www.taxiways.org )

WW II in the Air: Russian Front

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Artists have depicted war in a variety of paintings and sketches. Here are 52 of the best depicting Soviet tanks and attack planes in action during World War II, culled from the Internet and set to music.

BF109 vs P39 Guncam - Test footage

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BF109 vs P39 - WW2, A BF109 downs a P39 Airacobra after a 12 minute long duel at high altitude... Filmed in IL2 1946 + Edited in Windows Movie Maker.