Warplanes of the USA: Bell P-39 Airacobra

Bell P-39 Airacobra

(USMC Photo)

US Army Air Force 67th Fighter Squadron P-400s probably on arrival at Guadalcanal on 27 August 1942. This photo includes another plane facing the camera in the background at the right, which is usually missing in published photos. This fourth plane also has the shark-mouth like the three other planes readily visble. Note that the plane in front, BW-167 #6, was wrecked in a take-off accident on 8 September 1942, with 2LT Vernon Head piloting (survived with minor injuries). One of the other two shark-mouth planes was shot down on 30 August 1942, with the loss of pilot 2LT Keith Wythes.

The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the Soviet Air Force, which used it to score the highest number of kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type flown by any air force in any conflict. Other major users of the type included the Free French, the Royal Air Force, and the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. The P-39 had an unusual layout, with the engine installed in the center fuselage, behind the pilot, and driving a tractor propeller in the nose with a long shaft. It was also the first fighter fitted with a tricycle undercarriage. Although its mid-engine placement was innovative, the P-39 design was handicapped by the absence of an efficient turbo-supercharger, preventing it from performing high-altitude work. For this reason it was rejected by the RAF for use over western Europe but adopted by the USSR, where most air combat took place at medium and lower altitudes. Together with the derivative P-63 Kingcobra, the P-39 was one of the most successful fixed-wing aircraft manufactured by Bell. (Wikipedia)

(USAAF Photo)

Bell P-39C-BE Airacobra assigned to the 40th PS / 31st PG at Selfridge Field.

(Frank Bond Photo)

Bell P-39 Airacobra, Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City, 1944.

(USAAF Photo)

Bell P-39N Airacobra (Serial No. 42-8896), c1943. The aircraft belonged to the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group and was named "Ill Winds".

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Bell P-39 Airacobra, No. 39.

Preserved Bell P-39 Airacobras

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Bell P-39N Airacobra (Serial No. 42-8740), Yanks Air Museum, Chino, California.

Bell P-39N Airacobra (Serial No. 42-18814) "Girlie", recovered from Tadji New Guinea in 1972 by MARC, Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.

(先従隗始 Photo)

Bell P-39N Airacobra (Serial No. 42-18408), "Snooks 2nd", "Betty Lou 3rd", Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, Buffalo, New York.

(Goshimini Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Bell P-39N Airacobra (Serial No. 42-19027), "Small Fry", "Little Sir Echo", Planes of Fame, Chino, California.

(SDA&SM Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-3478).

(Alan Wilson Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 42-20000), March Field Air Museum, Riverside, California.

(Author Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 42-20007), Virginia Air & Space Center, Hampton, Virginia.

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-2485), Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madrs, Oregon.

(Garber Facility Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-2433), C/N 26E-433, “Galloping Gertie,” Reg. No. NX57591, “Juba”, race No. 12, N57591.  This aircraft is preserved in the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia.

(NMUSAF Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-3887), 31, painted as (Serial No. 41-7073.  National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio.

(Author Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 42-19597), "Miss Connie", Commemorative Air Force (CenTex Wing), San Marcos, Texas.

(Kogo Photos)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 42-19993), "Brooklyn Bum", Lewis Air Legends, San Antonio, Texas.

Bell P-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-2911), "Miss Lend Lease", under restoration at the Niagara Aerospace Museum, Niagara Falls. This aircraft was recovered from a Russian lake after disappearing during a routine mission during the Second World War.  The pilot's remains were recovered and buried with full military honours.  The aircraft crashed due to engine failure, as two holes were found inside the engine block from snapped connecting rods.

(Michael Barera Photo)

Bell RP-39Q Airacobra (Serial No. 44-3908), "Whistlin Britches", Air Zoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

(Bergfalke2 Photo)

Bell P-39Q Airacobra in The Aviation Museum of Central Finland in Tikkakoski, Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Finland. Restored P-39Q Airacobra, "White 26", on static display. The aircraft is originally a Soviet lend-lease plane, shot down and captured by Finnish troops in World War Two. It has been restored in the original wartime camouflage and markings.

(USAAF Photo)

Bell P-39 Airacobra test firing its weapons on a firing range at night.

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document Warplanes from the Second World War preserved in the USA.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are as credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War in the United States of America would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.