P-39 Airacobra Collectable Airplane Models and diecast models.
www.YellowAirplane.com

P-39 Airacobra World War 2 Military Fighter Airplane Models, Plastic and Wood Aircraft Model Kits.

Plastic & Wooden Model Airplanes
P-39 Airacobra Balsa Wood  Model Airplane Kits
You are in the 
P-39 Airacobra section.
of the World War 2 Fighter Model Department.
in the YellowAirplane  store.

Plastic and Wooden P-39 Airacobra and P-400 Airacobra WW2 Military Fighter Aircraft Models, Wood and Plastic Kits Here Now P-39 Airacobra Specifications. 

The Bell Aircraft P-39  Airacobra  has a  wingspan of 34 Feet  a wing area of 213 Sq. Feet, it is  30 Feet 2 Inches long,12 Feet 5 Inches high, has an empty weight of 5,645 Pounds, a gross weight of 8,300 Pounds.  The P-39 uses a  Allison V-1710-85 engine which is Liquid Cooled V-12 with 1,325 HP The airplanes top speed is  360 MPH At 15,000 Feet MSL  and has a service ceiling of 35,000 Feet MSL.  There was one huge problem with the P-39 Airacobra, and that was that there was a door to get into the canopy.  When the plane was in flight, the air pressure on the door was so great that a pilot could not open the door to jump out if he need to.  A huge design error.  Also, the Airacobra had a mid engine and it didn't handle properly, as reported by many pilots.  Read more at the bottom of the page, this is a great story which follows.   Information thanks to Roy Seher,

Hello Jeff,

Just want to correct a misconception.  You have a description of the P-39 and state that the slip stream pressure on the doors of the P-39 made it impossible for the pilot to open them and bail out.  The design was called an oversight or design mistake.  Not true!

Just want you to know that there was a red emergency handle (or lever) on each side of the cockpit fastened above and in line with the door hinges.  When the red lever was pulled down the door hinge pins were extracted and then the slip stream easily whipped the door away.  With either door gone the pilot need only roll out onto the wing and be swept away -- under the tail (horizontal elevator).  With a door gone it was probably the easiest of all fighters to bail from.  Certainly far safer than bailing from the highly prized P-51. 

  There are many versions of this plane, these specs cover only one version.

  P-39 Airacobra Art and Gifts       P-39 Airacobra Books       P-39 Airacobra Diecast Models       P-39 Plastic and Wood Models  
    P-39 Airacobra DVD Documentary Videos         Also look at these P-400 Airacobra Fighter Aircraft 

Home WW2 Fighters Model Airplanes Airplane Books Airplane Movies
 A-1 Skyraider  F4F Wildcat  F4U Corsair  F6F hellcat  F8F Bearcat
 P-38 Lightning  P-39 Airacobra  P-40 Warhawk  P-47 Thunderbolt  P-51 Mustang
 P-61 Black Widow  SB2C Helldiver  SBD Dauntless  SNJ-3 / AT-6 Texan  T-28 Trojan
 TBD-1 Devastator  TBM Avenger  Calendars  Exhibits  Real Sports Cars for Sale

To the Main Entrance of the Yellow Airplane StoreFly to the Stores Front Door to See Much More.

P-39 Books      *      Fly to the Models Department Fly to the airplane models department
Jet Fighters WWII Fighters WWI Fighters Guitars Ships
Jet Fighters WWII Fighters WWI Fighters Guitars Ships Tanks Motorcycles
Tanks

 

Airplane Calendars    Real Corvettes for Sale

  P-39 Airacobra Diecast Models Here 

 

P-39 Airacobra Fighter Aircraft Models

 

Plastic Cements
   

Plastic Paints
   

Adventure Travel Site

Discount Insurance

Discount Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 P-39Q/N Airacobra 1/48 Kit

You can build either a P-39Q or a P-39N Airacobra with this 1/48 scale plastic kit! Features include engraved panel lines; separate nose parts and wing panels for each version; a fully outfitted cockpit with an optional-position door; a rotating three-blade propeller with a cannon; externally-mounted bombs and fuel tanks; detailed tricycle landing gear; a choice of markings for the P-39Qs flown by Lt. "Bud" Anderson and Lt. Col. Edwin Chickering of the 357th Fighter Group and the P-39N flown by Lt. Bill Fiedler of the 347th Fighter Group; and more. 8" wingspan; 127 parts, assembly required. P-39Q Airacobra 1/48 Kit

Snooks 2nd, the P-39Q flown by 8-victory ace Lt. Col. William Shomo of the 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, stationed in the Southwest Pacific in 1944, this 1/48 scale, plastic kit features textured surfaces, a detailed cockpit with separately molded fuselage doors, under-wing gun pods, a choice of a centerline drop tank or a bomb, authentic markings, and more. 8" wingspan; assembly required.
P-39 Airacobra 1/48 Kit

This 1/48 scale, plastic kit features a detailed cockpit with an optional-position door and a glazed canopy, a 37mm cannon firing through the spinner, a choice of a centerline fuel tank or a bomb, realistic landing gear, a choice of three USAAF markings (including the 51st Fighter Group, 1943, North Africa; "Devastating Devil," 15th Fighter Group, 1943, Pacific Theater; and "Hells Bells," 347th Fighter Group, 1942), three figures (seated and standing pilots and a mechanic standing on an oil drum), and more. 8" wingspan; 71 parts, skill level 2.
P-39 Airacobra Balsa 1/17 Kit

Build your own flying replica of an early World War II P-39 Airacobra! This 1/17 scale kit of that legendary fighter includes high quality balsa wood parts; lightweight covering tissue and color peel-and-stick decals; a plastic propeller and FAI rubber; realistic landing gear; and full-sized plans with building and flying instructions. Suitable for display or rubber-powered flight, it has a 24" wingspan. 100+ parts, assembly required.    


P-39 Airacobra Balsa Kit
Based on a P-39 Airacobra, this kit features over 100 hand-selected, laser-cut balsa parts; covering tissue; a molded 6" propeller; landing gear; step-by-step instructions; and more. Suitable for display or rubber-powered flight, it has an 18" wingspan. Assembly required.
P-39D Airacobra 1/32 Kit

This amazingly detailed, 1/32 scale plastic kit features finely scribed panel lines, a fully outfitted cockpit with photo-etched seatbelts/harnesses, a clear canopy with separate "car doors," a gun sight and exhaust stacks made of resin, an external fuel tank, realistic landing gear, a choice of three markings from the USAAF's 8th Fighter Group based in New Guinea during 1942, and more. 12" wingspan; assembly required.   XFL-1 Airabonita 1/72 Kit

Based on the land-based P-39 Airacobra, the Bell XFL Airabonita was an experimental shipboard interceptor developed for the U.S. Navy in 1940. the late-modification XFL-1 Airabonita prototype, this 1/72 scale, resin kit features textured surfaces, a detailed cockpit with a glazed canopy, a three-blade propeller, a conventional "dragger" tail, U.S. Navy test aircraft markings, and more. 5" wingspan; assembly required.  P-39Q/N Airacobra 1/72 Kit
Plastic Model Airplane Kit.

P-39 Airacobra Balsa Wood  Model Airplane Kits
Plastic kit includes fully engraved panel lines and rivet detail, optional position cockpit entry door, and highly detailed cockpit interior and landing gear bay. Assembly  required. 
P-39 Airacobra 1/12 Scale Balsa Wood Kit
Balsa Wood Model Airplane Kit.
Build your own replica of this sometimes-controversial WWII fighter. 1/12 scale kit of  balsa wood and tissue paper has a 35" wingspan when completed. For display or  rubber-powered flight; assembly required. 
WWII US Army Fighter Modeling
Softbound Book

Scutts & Green. From Airacobras to Warhawks, this book covers both the history of scale WWII U.S. Army fighters, and how to get the most from modeling this subject. Step-by-step guides to creating miniature masterpieces combine with color images that clearly demonstrate key modeling techniques. This book also features superb examples of the work of top aviation modelers. 128 pgs., color photos throughout, 8"x 11", sfbd.

P-39D Airacobra 1/32 Scale Model
Pre Built Mahogany Airplane Model.
Made of Philippine mahogany, this 1/32 scale model measures 10¾" in length and has  a wingspan of 12¾". Hand painted and detailed, model comes ready to display on the  included mahogany base. 

iPhones, Cell Phones, Mobile Phones, GPS

Apple iPhones

Boost Mobile Phones

Smart Phone GPS

Android 4G

Android 3G

Android Dual

Android Unlocked

LG Optimus

iPhone 5

Samsung Galaxy

Virgin Mobile

HTC Onemax

HTC Desire

128 GB Cell Phones

64 GB Cell Phones

32 GB Cell Phones

16 GB Cell Phones

8 GB Cell Phones

Quad Core Cell Phones

Dual Core Cell Phones

GSM Cell Phones

Motorola Cell Phones

ZTE Smartphones

Smartphones

Unlocked AT&T

Unlocked T-Mobile

Unlocked Straight Talk Mobile

Unlocked Android

 

      P-39 Airacobra Everything    
 

 

 

 

The most successful use of the P-39 in World War II was in the hands of the Soviet Air Force, which nicknamed the Airacobra "Kobrushka" (dear little cobra).   Another nickname was The Flying Dog.

Google    
        YellowAirplane.com   

 

P-39 Airacobra WW2 Fighter Plane

P-39 Airacobra Fighter Plane from World War 2

This is from the back of the above picture of the P-39 Airacobra

 

P-39 Airacobra Engine

My name is Cole Cooper. My father worked at Bell Aircraft during WWII as a structural engineer and I have a few pictures of the original, prior to combat Airacobras in flight testing with their serial numbers. I am willing to send these to you via email, if you are interested. There will be no charge for you to use them in any fashion you may see fit.

Dear Cole,
Thank you very much.  These pictures will look great on the P-39 page and will be a great credit to your father.  When I was a kid, I thought that the P-39 was the most beautiful airplane made.  One day I bought a COX flying model of the P-39, but there was something wrong with the plane.  It would pull up, but I was not able to level it out.  The little .049 engine didn't have enough power to pull it over into a loop from takeoff, so that's where I experienced my first stall.  The plane crashed very badly and that was the end of that one.  Now I just build my own planes and forget the prebuilt ones.
Anyway, that's a memory that just now returned after almost fifty years, so my memory isn't completely gone.
Take care and Merry Christmas,
Jeff

 

Cole Cooper

Cole Cooper

Dad was an avid camper and airplane designer and builder (models). He was very smart in electronics, too. He would design and build his own transformers for specific applications. Circuit boards weren't invented yet, so he wired all his things himself. He built the house we grew up in to withstand 400 MPH winds. (We always made that joke). He loved HO trains and dabbled in them. He drove us across country in a 1956 Pontiac Chieftain pulling a trailer. (Gas wars were the thing then. I remember 0.01 per gallon of regular in Arizona). I miss him, Cole.

Continued from Roy Seher at the top of the page.

Hello Jeff,

If my authority is correct, if it can be called an authority, is that I was a Crew Chief on P-39s in the 39th Fighter Squadron.  The 39th was the first USAAF squadron to be equipped with the P-39 Airacobra (at Selfridge Field in early 1941) and I speculate this was done since the number of the squadron and airplane model number coincide.   The 39th took them overseas and into combat at Port Moresby, New Guinea in mid-May of 1942.  I was made very aware of those emergency door release levers when one of our pilots, shot up and on fire, pulled the levers down and the doors would not go. 

 Long after the war Gene Rehrer gave me a personal account of his frantic effort to get rid of at least one door and bail out.  Gene said that with both release levers pulled fully down he banged the doors with knees and elbows.  Nothing!  It was getting hot so he released his seat belt/shoulder straps so that he could put more power into his slamming against the doors.  Nothing!  Suddenly the plane flipped into an up-side down flat spin and he was now pinned into the top of the Cobra Dunbar Emblemcanopy.  His frantic flailing caused the plane to flip once more and he was ejected.  For just an instant he thought he was tumbling through space without a parachute, but reached, found the "D" ring and pulled.  Then, somewhat tangled in the shroud lines, Gene fell with a trailing 'chute from about 17,000 feet to about 2,000.  Gene attributes the free fall to a factor that saved his life.  The Japs were unfriendly little bastards and delighted in using any American in a 'chute for target practice.  Free falling for about 15,000 feet dropped Gene through a low level cloud layer that hid him from the Japs.  The end of the whole thing is that Gene spent a week without a gun and without shoes, fighting his way through thick jungle and floating down a stream with crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks.  Gene finally found friendly natives and was returned to us. 

Our tech. manuals should have had a directive that those door pins be lubed and exercised (pins pulled) periodically, but nothing!  We were made aware of this problem only because this man survived.  When the squadron was first being equipped with the P-39, Bell Aircraft designed an emblem for the squadron - a hooded cobra in the clouds ready to strike.  This Cobra in the Clouds emblem was accepted by the U S Army Office of Heraldry and the 39th Squadron officially became The Cobra Squadron.  I have attached a picture of the emblem. 

I've said far more than I intended and I'm out of breath!   Roy  

P-39 History Snippets

The Bell P-39 Airacobra is shown in profile over a combat strip of the  period. "Short Stroke" operated from Fighter 2, an airstrip west of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal during 1942 and 1943. It was flown by the pilots of the 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force.

The most successful use of the P-39 in World War II was in the hands of the Soviet Air Force, which nicknamed the Airacobra "Kobrushka" (dear little cobra).

flown in the 1946 Thompson Trophy race, and Old Crow, the first of World War II ace "Bud" Anderson's aircraft to bear that name.

intended for service in North Africa, the P-39 "Devastating Devil" - wearing a sand-colored camouflage scheme - instead joined the 46th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, at its home base on Makin Island in the Pacific Theater in 1943.

lend-lease P-39N flown by 9th Guards Fighter Division commanding officer Aleksandr Pokryshkin - three-time Hero of the Soviet Union recipient who recorded 48 of his 59 victories flying an "Iron Dog," as the Soviets called the Airacobra - in 1944

Airacobra Mk.I - the P-39 variant modified for export to Britain - flown by 601 "County of London" Squadron, Royal Air Force, in 1941,

"Devastating Devil" - a P-39Q intended for service in North Africa that instead joined the 46th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, at its home base on Makin Island in the Pacific Theater in 1943

Saga Boy II, the P-39Q flown by 357th Fighter Group Commander Lt. Col. Edwin S. Chickering while training in California in 1943

P-400 Airacobra that flew with the Cactus Air Force at Guadalcanal in 1942

one of the three P-400s - a modified export version of the P-39 originally intended for British service - flown by the 347th Fighter Group in the defense of Guadalcanal's Henderson Field on September 14, 1942,

Based on the land-based P-39 Airacobra, the Bell XFL Airabonita was an experimental shipboard interceptor developed for the U.S. Navy in 1940.

USAAF's 8th Fighter Group based in New Guinea during 1942

51st Fighter Group, 1943, North Africa; "Devastating Devil," 15th Fighter Group, 1943, Pacific Theater; and "Hells Bells," 347th Fighter Group, 1942)

Snooks 2nd, the P-39Q flown by 8-victory ace Lt. Col. William Shomo of the 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, stationed in the Southwest Pacific in 1944

P-39Qs flown by Lt. "Bud" Anderson and Lt. Col. Edwin Chickering of the 357th Fighter Group and the P-39N flown by Lt. Bill Fiedler of the 347th Fighter Group

 

Officers of the 39th Fighter Group; Eason, Angier, Everett, Hess, Green, Dr. Blauss, Jones, Bartlett, King, Faurot, Lynch, Royal, Carey

Eason, Angier, Everett, Hess, Green
Dr. Baluss, Jones, Bartlett
King, Faurot, Lynch,
Royal, Carey

 ( )  ( Model Airplanes )

Veterans only, here

 


   Write to the Webmaster  

 

   AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com        Best Aviation Sites Airplane Web Sites   

 

 

 

 

Copyright Dates:

10-21-10     11-13-2010     10-26-2011    10-18-2012     06-03-2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  .