P-39 AIRCOBRA
Bell P39 "Aircobra"
PLANE
TYPE:
Single seated fighter-bomber (P-39D) Designed to utilize the fire power
of the T9 37 mm cannon, the Bell XP-39 was ordered by USAAC in 1937. After
some tests made on the 12 pre-series YP-39 , the plane was ordered in
80 exemplars ( P-39C and P-39D ). In 1941 the Great Britain received some
P-39D that were utilized against the Luftwaffe. But the plane was inadequate
to fight against German fighters , due to poor performances at high altitudes,
and were substituted by "Spitfires". The plane,disliked by many
American pilots and utilized in USA as a training plane, was successfully
utilized by the Russians ( that received 4773 planes because of the contract
"Hire and Lend" )and appreciated for its armor and firepower.
In December 1942 flew the XP-63, one of the improvements of the plane,
that entered in production in 1943 as the P-63 "Kingcobra".
The majority of the production (2400 planes) was given to USSR.
LENGTH:
9,19 m ; 30,23 Ft
WINGSPAN:
10,36 m ; 34,08 Ft
WING
AREA:
19,79 m2 ; 23,67 Sq. Yds
POWERPLANT:
1
Allison V-1710-35 12 cylinder ( 1150 CV)
WEAPONS:
6
7,62 mm machine-guns, 1 37 mm cannon ; 1 227 kg bomb
MAX
LOADED WEIGHT:
3720 Kg ; 8212 Lbs
TOP
SPEED:
592 Km/h ; 368 MPH
CEILING:
9785 m ; 32188 Ft
RANGE:
1290 Km ; 802 Mi
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