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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 2108.PDF
404 FLIGHT OCTOBER 12TH, 1944 Studies in Recognition Aircraft in Flying Attitudes i* Bell P-63 Kingcobra Single-seater Fighter. THOUGH it may not be the fault of its makers, the Bell Kingcobra (P-63) appears to be going into service a bit too late to be classed as a first-line fighter. For despite its improvements over the P-39 Airacobra a top speed of less than 400 m.p.h. is hardly good enough to-day. Kingcobras have already been supplied to Russia and are believed to have bees in action in support of ground forces. But this is low- altitude work and probably shows the P-63 at very little advantage oveT the old Airacobra. The Kingcobra's 1,500 h.p. Allison V-1710 engine has a two-speed, two-stage supercharger lor high altitude work, and. its ceiling is stated to be 35,000ft. Its armament comprises a 37 mm. cannon firing through the airscrew hub, two 0.5m. synchronised machine guns in the nose, and two 0.5m. machine guns in fairings under the wings. Flight has always stressed the point that most aircraft can readily be identified by their tail units, and this is particularly the case in recognising the Kingcobra from the Airacobra. Indeed, but for the difference in the outlines of their respective fins and rudders, it would be extremely difficult to tell the P-63 from the P-39. As the accompanying photographs and sketches show, the Airacobra had a very low aspect-ratio fin and rudder which was all convex curves except for the small fillet at the leading-edge root. That of the Kingcobra is of appreciably higher aspect-ratio and has straight leading and trailing edges tapering to a semi-circular apex. The P-63's wings, with almost equal taper on both edges, are again of high aspect ratio. For the rest, the 'midships engine with air intake behind the teardrop cockpit cover and general fuselage lines are practically identical to those of the slightly smaller Airacobra. Approximate dimensions of the Kingcobra are: — Span 38ft., length 32ft. Curves and low aspect - ratio mark the P-39 vertical tail sur faces (left) • in contrast with the straight taper of the taller tail of the Kingcobra. fELL-TAIL : It would be difficult to differentiate between P-63 (nearer camera) and P-39 but for their fins and rudders.
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