Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Single-seat fighter

Power Plant:

(P-39D)

One 858 kw (1,150 hp) Allison V-1710-35 twelve-cylinder VEE liquid-cooled engine

Specifications:

Armament:

One 37 mm (1.45 in) MJ4 cannon with 30 rounds; four 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns with 1,000 rounds; two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns with 200 rounds

History:

In 1936 Bell Aircraft Corporation designed what was to be a radical departure from the norm for fighter aircraft at that time, having the engine behind the pilot driving the propeller by means of an extension shaft. The idea had been tried previously but problems associated with the drive shaft had not been satisfactorily overcome. Bell felt the positioning of the engine behind the pilot would offer superior manoeuvrability, the engine weight being concentrated around the centre of gravity. The design included a heavy nose armament, and the use of a tricycle undercarriage to provide better visibility for the pilot on the ground. In the event, the aircraft was described in the official History of the USAAF as ‘specially disappointing…possessing…a low ceiling, slow rate of climb, and relative lack of manoeuvrability [which] put its pilots at a decided disadvantage wherever they fought.’

In the event, the Aircobra entered production and, although it would not become well-known for its qualities as an interceptor, it certainly found a niche in the role of low-level close-support aircraft, both in the Pacific Theatre and in Europe on the Russian front, to which Theatre some thousands were shipped.

The prototype Bell Aircobra, the XP-39, flew for the first time in April 1939 and attained a maximum speed of 623 km/h (390 mph) at 6,096 m (20,000 ft). This was followed by the YP-39 in September 1940 and a series of service test examples known as the YP-39B. The first production model was the P-39C, followed by the P-39D, which had four wing mounted 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns and a 37 mm cannon; whereas the P-39C had the 37 mm (1.45 in) cannon, two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns and two 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns.

The P-39D entered service with the USAAC in February 1941 and this model was ordered for the RAF. This latter batch differed from US aircraft in having a 20 mm Hispano cannon and six 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning machine guns. However, in RAF service the Aircobra did not perform as expected and only a few were taken on charge. The majority of aircraft on order for the RAF were shipped to the Soviet Union or were taken over by US forces.

However, despite its shortcomings in the interceptor role, the P-39 continued in production. The next model was the XP-39E with the 988 kw (1,325 hp) Allison V-1710-47 engine, but only three were built. The P-39F was identical to the P-39D apart from having twelve exhaust stubs on each side of the fuselage instead of the usual six, and an Aeroproducts propeller in place of the Curtiss Electric unit. The P-39G was then ordered and, as these aircraft were built, a number of minor changes were made, but these were of little significance as compared to the P-39F.

During production new models appeared, including the P-39J, P-39K and P-39M. The designations P-39I and P-39H were not used; and the P-39L variant was similar but reverted to the Curtiss Electric propeller. The P-39N followed with the Allison V-1710-85 engine and had an Aeroproducts propeller. The principal change with the next model, the P-39Q, was in the armament, the 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine guns being removed and a single 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun being mounted beneath each mainplane.

A total of 9,589 Aircobras was built, production ceasing in August 1944, of which 4,924 were allotted to the Soviet Union – although quite a few of these were lost when, aboard ships in convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean, they were sunk by German Kriegsmarine submarines.

The RAAF received 22 examples, these being P-39Ds and P-39Fs serials A53-1 to A53-22, which operated with No 23 (City of Brisbane), No 24 (City of Adelaide), and No 82 and No 83 Squadrons. In addition it is known that No 3 Aircraft Depot (AD) RAAF, by April 1942 had assembled and delivered 123 P-39s which had been shipped to Australia for the USAAF, being assembled at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, QLD during World War II.

The Australian P-39 Aircobras did not see combat. A number were lost in accidents: A53-1 (ex 41-7119) at Luddenham, NSW on 6 March 1943; A53-3 (ex 41-7157) at Bankstown, NSW after engine failure on 24 February 1943; A53-5 (ex 41-7164) at Bankstown after engine failure on 26 October 1942; A53-6 (ex 41-7168) after engine failure near Liverpool, NSW on 30 August 1943; and A53-12 (ex 41-6944) near Bulli, NSW on 1 July 1943. The survivors were eventually handed over to the US 5th Air Force, mostly at Charters Towers, QLD in late 1943.

A number of Aircobras were lost in northern Queensland. It is known in 1942 P-39s from the 35th and 36th Pursuit Squadrons of the 8th USAAF Fighter Group made forced landings in bad weather on their way north. The first of these was on 26 April 1942 when eleven P-39s left airstrips known as Black Weir and Ant Hill Plains near Townsville for Cooktown, QLD accompanied by a Boeing B-17 for navigation purposes, where they were to refuel and then continue on to Horn Island, a further refuelling stop, before proceeding to Port Moresby, PNG. Due to bad weather encountered on the flight nine of these were lost when they had to make forced landings and only two reached their destination.

On 1 May 1942 a further six left the Townsville area for New Guinea following the same route. Again heavy tropical storms were encountered, this time between Cooktown and Horn Island. Due to running low on fuel, all six aircraft made forced landings on Cape York, two inland, two near Orford Bay and another two north of Orford Bay near Logan Jack Creek on or close to coastal beaches.

The P-39 series saw extensive service with USAAF forces in Australia and New Guinea and faired quite well up to the end of 1942. On 1 September 1942 16 Aircobras of the 80th Fighter Squadron provided escort to transport aircraft carrying supplies to troops on the Kokoda track and afterwards 12 of these made strafing attacks along the track, this operation being repeated by 12 P-39s of the 41st Squadron, these sorties being basically against Japanese rear area supply bases. Seven P-39s bombed and strafed the village of Efogi after it had been bombed by Douglas A-20s on 7 September.

A number have had a connection with Australasia in recent years: AP347 at Port Moresby but, with another P-39, exported to Missouri in the USA; P-39D (41-6951) restored for static display at the Sid Beck Museum at Mareeba, QLD; P-39D (41-7215) recovered to Cairns, taken to Mt Isa, and later to Mossman, for restoration. One machine, with others, was conveyed for restoration to airworthiness at Wangaratta, VIC but in 2015 was taken to New Zealand for completion of its restoration at Ardmore, this being completed in 2018. After test flying it was exported to the United States.

A P-39Q (42-19993) was undergoing restoration at Essendon, VIC in the 1980s but was sold in the USA as N139DO, later going to the United Kingdom as G-CEJU. A P-39K (42-4312) was under restoration in South Australia for a period but was exported to the UK where it is being restored using parts from 42-4368 and others. A P-39 recovered from New Guinea was restored to display standard using parts of a number of aircraft at the Classic Jets Fighter Museum at Parafield, SA and painted to represent the RAAF’s first Aircrobra, A53-1, when it was operated by No 24 Squadron in the defence of Sydney, NSW after the Japanese midget submarine attack in May 1942.  It was later exported.

A P-400 (AP335) recovered in New Guinea by RAAF Chinook is with the National Museum of PNG. A P-39N (42-19039) was recovered for the J K McCarthy Museum in Goroka, PNG. In 1974 a number of P-39s were recovered from Tadji and Tsili Tsili in Papua New Guinea and shipped to the United States. Most remain in storage. The wrecks of a few of the aircraft which force landed on Cape York have been located and parts recovered to assist in the restoration of other aircraft.

P-39s recovered from New Guinea and restored overseas have included: P-39N 42-8740 at the Yanks Air Museum: P-39N 42-18814 at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson Arizona; P-39N 42-19027 at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California; P-39Q 42-19993 flying as N139DP in the UK with the Fighter Collection at Duxford, UK; P-39Q 42-20000 at March Field Museum in California; and P-39Q 42-20007 at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, Virginia.

In 2001 major parts of three more were recovered to Sydney and joined other P-39s under restoration at Wangaratta, VIC, three being restored to airworthiness for overseas interests, being 41-7215, 42-20341 and 42-4312. It is believed some 50 examples now survive.

P-39Q 42-20341 was not completed at Wangaratta and was shipped to Ardmore in New Zealand where the restoration was completed, the registration ZK-COB² being allotted for its test flying program, first flight being made on 26 February 2018, before being shipped to the Military Aviation Museum at Virginia Beach in the United States. Research of the aircraft has revealed it was in fact a P-39F (c/n 15-554).

Overseas one P-39Q-5 (42-19597) has been airworthy in the United States and work has been proceeding on a number of others. Examples have also been recovered from crash sites in the Soviet Union for restoration. A number have been placed on display in museums in the United States and Finland. A P-39N (marked 42-19039) was placed on a pole at Goroka, PNG after recovery from Tadji; and the remains of a P-400 has been placed on display at Jacksons Airport, Port Moresby.

On 1 December 2012 Robert Greinert of the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) at Albion Parkç NSW was allotted the registration VH-KWL for a Bell P-39K (ex 42-4312) and this aircraft is expected to be a long-term restoration.

Another P-39 is known to have been operated by an Australian unit. This aircraft (42-19040) was a P-39N-5 and was one of a group of 35th US Fighter Group fighters on its way to New Guinea in October 1943. The aircraft landed at Mission Strip, Cooktown in northern Queensland for fuel. The pilot over primed the engine and when the engine started sheets of flame came from the engine. The pilot then abandoned the aircraft and the fire was dealt with by an Australian fire crew. The pilot then climbed on board an escort bomber leaving the aircraft at Cooktown. Later No 12 Squadron RAAF crews did some servicing to the aircraft, including removing water from the fuel tanks. The aircraft started and was taxied to dispersal.

Flt Lt Jason Hopton, an ex-No 24 Squadron Bel Aircobra pilot, flew the aircraft a number of times, including training with Vultee Vengeance dive bombers. Eventually the US forces were asked to take possession of the aircraft and it was flown to Horn Island. It seems little interest was shown in the aircraft and, after being parked for some time, it became unserviceable and is believed to have been scrapped in situ.