As the skies over Europe were dotted with
searing dogfights and devastating aerial raids, US engineers waged their own battle against
each other in a fierce competition to build the next great American fighter, one
that could shift the tides of the war. Bell Aircraft was no different, and
it aggressively sought to turn its failed P-39 Airacobra design into the
basis for a groundbreaking fighter. Months of excruciating days and sleepless nights
ensued, resulting in the Bell P-63 Kingcobra, a fast, agile fighter that improved
everything from the rejected P-39. However, weeks before being completed, North
American unveiled its newest P-51 Mustang variation, one with a Rolls-Royce
Merlin engine inside its hull, shattering the future of Bell’s
new creation in its intended role. Even so, the Kingcobra’s influence
in the conflict was far from over. Like its forerunner, it would find a niche
under a different air force and flag… Family History Combat aviation design during World War 2 was a
fast-paced and wild new frontier with emerging technology bursting into the scene faster than
aviation manufacturers could build new warplanes. Bell Aviation had the fortune of finishing
one of its most promising designs just as the war was about to begin, which gave
its aircraft an excellent opportunity to become the backbone of the United
States Armies Air Forces or USAAF. The innovative proposal would be
known as the Bell P-39 Airacobra. With its maiden flight in 1938 and its
introduction to the USAAF, the Airacobra was one of the newest fighters in service by
the time the US was dragged into World War 2. Nimble and fast, the P-39 was a
cutting-edge aircraft that brought many promising configuration
features to combat aviation. It was unique among contemporary fighters in
that its engine was located behind the cockpit, allowing for a powerful oversized cannon
to be mounted in the nose of the aircraft. But as impressive as its specifications
were before the war, as soon as the conflict started and arms races across
the globe were pushed into overdrive, newer and more powerful designs towered
over the Airacobra’s capabilities. The USAAF was not impressed with
the capabilities of the P-39, especially its poor high-altitude performance,
and decided that the Airacobra did not have what was needed to become the United
States’ leading fighter aircraft. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, one
nation expressed interest in Bell’s aircraft and, as early as 1940, asked to purchase many
of them. The Soviet Union got its wish, and after the Lend-Lease Act was passed in
1941, it began receiving hundreds of units. The fighter would go on to play
a stellar role in the conflict. A New Hope Just as its predecessor was being
flown into battle by Soviet pilots, a new aircraft design based on the airframe of
the Airacobra was being devised by Bell Aircraft. By then, the USAAF was still using some Airacobra units as ground attack and
reconnaissance aircraft. The military branch believed, as did Bell, that
with some significant modifications, the core design of the P-39 could become the high-altitude
powerhouse that the US was looking for. As such, the USAAF requested Bell three new
prototypes in 1941, designed but built for high-altitude combat and long-range operation.
One of the main issues that had to be addressed was the P-39’s poor high-altitude performance due
to its modest engine and lack of a turbocharger. The new prototypes were designed to fit the
still-in-development Continental I-1430 engine, which featured an improved overall
design developed from the hyper engine initiative and an improved supercharger. However, the Continental engine was nowhere
near completion, and the prototypes had to be fitted with the Allison V-1710-47, a
machine similar to the one inside the P-39. The three Bell prototypes showcased various
wing and tail configurations. These ranged from a rounded vertical tail with squared-off
tailplane tips to a squared-off fin and rudder with large wing fillets. There was even a
version with all its flight surfaces squared off. The results, however, were
all equally disappointing, with none of the prototypes performing
better than their predecessor. Even so, the USAAF was interested in developing an even
larger aircraft based on the same basic layout. In fact, before the P-39 had even flown, the USAAF placed an order for two prototypes
of an enlarged version of the Airacobra. These prototypes were designated the XP-63.
Additionally, a third prototype was ordered, which would be powered by the Packard V-1650
engine, the US-built version of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. These enlarged prototypes would
become the first P-63 Kingcobras in the world. Ring a Bell Bell Aviation was being pressured by the USAAF
to deliver a more capable and stable fighter that was larger, faster, and more reliable
than its previous design, the Airacobra. However, the prototypes also suffered
from external issues, which they could do little about. Bell had agreed to build
a Kingcobra with a Packard V-1650 engine, but the drive was never delivered. As such,
the USAAF began reserving the technology for the P-51B Mustangs, a new version of the
plane that exceeded every expectation. At that point, Bell not only
had to impress the USAAF but also surpass the performance
of the new Mustang variant. The XP-63 was a larger version of the Airacobra, with a redesigned wing featuring new NACA laminar
flow airfoils and a larger four-bladed propeller. The engine was fitted with a second remotely
mounted supercharger, and the P-63A was ordered into production in September of 1942, with
deliveries scheduled to start a year later. On December 7, 1942, the first prototype
of the XP-63 had its maiden flight. However, the aircraft was destroyed on January
28 when its landing gear failed to extend. The second prototype took its
first flight on February 5, 1943, but was also destroyed due to engine failure. And the third prototype, serial 42-78015, was delivered with an Allison -93 engine as
the Merlin drive was reserved for the Mustang. This prototype was one of the fastest Kingcobras
built, reaching a top speed of 421 miles per hour at 24,100 feet with a war emergency
rating of 1,500 horsepower at sea level. Nevertheless, despite all of Bell’s efforts,
their new model was doomed to repeat its predecessor’s fate. By this time, the USAAF
had concluded that the Kingcobra was inferior to the Mustang in high-altitude performance,
range, and armament and declined to order more. Ironically, even when Bell had been focused on
improving the P-39’s high-altitude performance when building the P-63, it showcased similar
limitations in high-altitude aerial combat, which limited its effectiveness in specific roles.
The US, which was looking for an aircraft capable of escorting its high-flying bombers to Germany,
quickly opted for the much more capable Mustang. Faced with being outclassed, Bell’s
Kingcobra was eventually degraded to a second-class fighter, mainly
used for ground attack roles. Back To Mother Russia While the US was mainly concerned with
a powerful fighter capable of escorting its strategic bombers, the Soviet
Union was waging a much more savage and tactical conflict on their territory and
desperately needed a ground-attack fighter. After their favorable experience with
the Airacobra, the Soviets opted to seek its more powerful successor and
placed a large order of Kingcobras. Before they were delivered to the USSR, the
aircraft were tested extensively by veteran Soviet test pilot Andrey G. Kochetkov, an authority
in probing airframe spin characteristics; his feedback led to a series of vital adjustments
on all the units delivered to the Red Army.
In 1944, the P-63s were transported from Nome,
Alaska, to the USSR under the condition that the American-made aircraft would not be deployed
against Nazi Germany on Russia's Western Front. Stalin had agreed to this condition,
and the planes were only intended to be used against Japan, which the
USSR was about to declare war on. However, once the warplanes were delivered,
Stalin showed minimal regard for the agreement and began replacing some P-39 squadrons with
the new aircraft. Several Luftwaffe records depict their pilots clashing against P-63s in
the skies over East Prussia, while on official Soviets records, most aviation regiments were
still flying Kingcobras passing as Airacobras. Redemption Under the control of Soviet pilots, the Kingcobra
became a rugged and capable fighter that saw some action in the conflict, especially during
the short Soviet-Japanese war of 1945. However, records of most of its
combat feats were drastically reduced, as the Soviet Union made it an official
policy to downplay the role aircraft of foreign design had on their war efforts
in favor of their own domestic warplanes. Even so, most Soviet pilots held the Kingcobra
in high regard, praising its impressive rate of climb, maneuverability, and firepower. Legendary
Soviet Aces such as Alexander Pokryshkin had a personal predilection for the aircraft and
admired its formidable capabilities in combat. Ultimately, the P-63 Kingcobra played
a significant role in World War 2 as a highly effective fighter aircraft used by
the Soviet Union. Its advanced features, such as a powerful engine and armament, made
it a formidable opponent in air-to-air combat. The aircraft’s versatility and reliability
were well-suited for various roles, including ground attack and
reconnaissance missions. Its success on the Eastern Front helped to turn
the tide of the war in favor of the Soviet Union, and the P-63 Kingcobra was a
crucial asset that provided air superiority and contributed to the
eventual defeat of the Axis powers. Thank you for taking flight with Dark Skies!
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