Bell P-39 Airacobra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids P-39 Airacobra
P-39Q 42-1947, "Saga Boy II" of Lt. Col. Edwin S. Chickering, CO 357th Fighter Group, July 1943
Role	Fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Bell Aircraft
First flight	6 April 1938
Introduction	1941
Status	Retired
Primary users	United States Army Air Forces Soviet Air Force Royal Air Force
Produced	1940 – May 1944
Number built	9,588
Unit cost	US$50,666 (1944)
Variants	Bell XFL Airabonita Bell P-63 Kingcobra

The P-39 Airacobra was a fighter aircraft made by Bell Aircraft. It first flew in 1939, and was introduced in 1941. While it had good weapons, it was known for being very unstable and could lose control easily. It was fast but not very good above 5000 m (15,000 feet) as it lacked turbocharger. The Soviet Union used it during World War II as a fighter interceptor as most air battles at the Eastern front were fought at low heights. Very near the ground the Airacobra became extremely maneuverable and could out-turn any German airplane. The Russians liked the plane, and they often removed the wing guns to make it even more maneuvreable. Several Soviet pilots became fighter aces on P-39. The main weapon of P-39, a 37 mm cannon, was so powerful that it could destroy almost any airplane on a single hit.

The pilot who scored the most aerial victories was Grigori Rechkalov of the Soviet Air Force. He shot down 57 Germans with Airacobra. His squadronmate Aleksandr Pokryshkin had 59 victories, of which 47 were with Airacobra.

The P-39 was different from most aircraft in World War II. It had "tricycle" landing gear, doors that opened like a car (pilots would climb out of most fighters of the time) and the engine was behind the pilot. The "Q" version could go 375 miles per hour (600 km/h), had four 12.7mm machine guns, and one 37mm cannon.

Images for kids

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  Bell XP-39 showing the position of the supercharger air intake

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  Bell P-39 Airacobra center fuselage detail with maintenance panels open

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  Bell P-39K-L internal layout from Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions P-39K-1 and P-39L-1 (T.O. No. 01-110FG-1)

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  The weapons bay of the P-39

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  Bell P-39 Airacobra firing all weapons at night

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  Bell P-39Q

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  601 Squadron Airacobra I. The long-barrelled 20 mm Hispano-Suiza cannon Hispano is clearly shown, as are the .303 wing guns.

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  72nd Tactical Recon Group P-39, c. 1942

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  USAAF P-400 of 80th Fighter Squadron "Headhunters," 8th Fighter Group

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  Soviet P-39Q formerly 44-2664 on display at the Aviation Museum of Central Finland

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  Former USAAF flown post-war by the Commemorative Air Force in Soviet markings, c. 1990s

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  A RAAF P-39 Airacobra on loan from the U.S. Fifth Airforce and came to Australia in April 1942 to train RAAF pilots. It was damaged on 10 February 1943 and written off on 1 April 1944. Note the US star on the wing.

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  Bell P-39N-1 supplied by the U.S. Army Air Force to the Italian Regia Aeronautica's (Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force) 4th Stormo in the summer of 1944

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  Mira Slovak's P-39Q "Mr. Mennen"

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  P-39C-BE assigned to the 40th PS / 31st PG at Selfridge Field

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  P-39L-1BE 44-4673 Lend-Lease to USSR

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  Bell P-39Q Airacobra of the 508th Fighter Air Regiment of the Soviet Air Force, Autumn 1944

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  P-39Q-6BE Brooklyn Bum 2nd 71st TRG, 82nd FS The Fighter Collection

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  P-39Q on display at the Air Zoo

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  P-39Q at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. This winter diorama shows ground crew with a Type F-1A Utility Heater in front of an Airacobra flown by Lt. L. Spoonts of the 57th FS based on Adak Island during the Aleutians Campaign in 1942.

See also

In Spanish: Bell P-39 Airacobra para niños