Bell P-39Q Airacobra

The P-39Q was the latest version of the Airacobra and also the most numerous. From the previous versions, the Q differed in armament - 7.62 mm machine guns in the wings, used on previous types, were removed and replaced by two half-gun Brownings in holsters under the wing. These machine guns each had 300 rounds. American pilots were satisfied with this change, because the original weapons were ineffective, the Russians, who got most of the machines, but mostly removed the holsters. All machines were powered by the same engine, Allison V-1710-85 (E19) as the previous version - P-39N.


The individual production units again differed from each other in various equipment, from fuel tanks to armor. P-39Q-1-BE had a 329 liter tank, as P-39N -5, but at the same time they got back the original armor according to the variant P-39N-1. The P-39Q-5-BE (Model 26Q-5) returned to the light armor of the N-5 and 421 liter tank. These machines also received an A-1 bomb sight before delivery to the front units. For the P-39Q-10-BE series (Model 26Q-10), the tank capacity increased to 455 l and the weight of the armor decreased slightly. The propeller was automatically adjusted to the gas, the oil system was additionally insulated against the cold and the engine was mounted on rubber silent blocks. The first P-39Q-10-BE were handed over in July 1943, a total of 705 pieces were built, but another 995 with assigned numbers 42-21251 to 22245 was completed as P-63E-1 Kingcobra.


The P-39Q-15-BE (Model 26Q-15) differed from the previous ones by minor modifications to the equipment, which were to improve the resistance of the machine gun mount, reinforcement of some other components and relocation of the battery solenoid. In this form, 1000 pieces were created and were delivered from August 1943. Series Q-20 (Model 26Q-20) more or less coincided, only for some machines were released cases with machine guns under the wings. P-39Q-21-BE received a four-bladed propeller Aeroproducts, P-39Q-25-BE (Model 26Q-25) also had a reinforced construction of the tail and horizontal surfaces. All 700 Q-25s were delivered to the Soviet Union and therefore did not have machine guns under the wings. However, because the four-bladed propeller worsened the overall longitudinal stability, the P-39Q-30-BE returned the original, three-bladed propeller.


As with the versions D and N there are now subversions for ground support and reconnaissance - P-39Q-2-BE were five Q-1s, modified with the usual set of photographic equipment. 148 Q-5 machines were modified to P-39Q-6-BE, again by installing cameras in the fuselage behind the wings. The same was out of eight Q-10s, now designated Q-11s. On July 25, 1944, production was terminated by the 9558th machine.


The P-39Q pair was modified to two-seater advanced training aircraft, designated RP-39Q and after 1944 TP-39Q. The second cockpit was placed in front, in places where the cannon was originally located. This new space had only basic equipment and served as an instructor who could talk to the student through the intercom. Under the fuselage, two-seater machines got a new keel area. The first was modified from the P-39Q-5 42-20024 and first left the hangar on September 16, 1943, under the designation TP-39Q-5. Another 12 machines (44-3879, 3885, 3886, 3887, 3889, 3895, 3897, 3905, 3906, 3908, 3917 and 3918) originated from P-39Q-20 as RP-39Q-22, the keel surface had a slightly different shape than TP-39Q-5.


The first P-39Qs were handed over to the army in July 1943, the last in August 1944. Most of them ended up in Russian hands, the few that remained with the US Air Force served for example at 332. fighter group, which deployed 75 P-39Q since February 1944 in Italy. After two months, however, they were replaced by P-47 and P-39 definitely left the armament of American troops.



Source:
Pelletier, A. J .: Bell Aircraft Since 1935, Putnam, London 1992.ISBN 1-55750-056-8
Bartoszewski, Piotr: Thought Samolot P-39 Airacobra, TBiU Nr.85, Warsaw 1983
McDowell, Ernest: P-39 Airacobra in Action, Aircraft No.43. Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton 1980. ISBN 0-89747-102-4
Dorr, Robert F., Scutts, Jerry C .: Bell P-39 Airacobra. Crowood Press Ltd., Marlborough 2000. ISBN 1-86126-348-1
Juszczak, Artur, Pęczkowski, Robert: Bell P-39 Airacobra. Mushroom Model Publications, Sandomierz 2003. ISBN 83-916327-9-2
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p39_15.html
http://www.aerofiles.com/_bell.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-39_Airacobra

Airacobra was known to have a tendency to fall into an almost flat corkscrew during the so-called drag, which in less experienced pilots usually ended in fatal accidents. Therefore, in the Soviet Union from 16.10.-19.10.1943 tests were carried out on models P-39Q-10 (Art. No. 42-20561) for the behavior of the aircraft when falling into a corkscrew and for possible solutions to this undesirable phenomenon.


Chief Test Pilot of the 3rd Department of the Red Army Air Research Institute Major Vladimir Jefremovich Golofastov and other test pilots proved during the tests that the American machine is possible, at a sufficient height, always safely come out of the corkscrew. It was essential not to panic when the plane fell into the corkscrew and not to try to remove it right at the beginning by pushing the lever, with the pedals in the neutral position. It was necessary to leave the aircraft until it made six to seven corkscrews and then slowly push the control lever and pedal in the direction of the corkscrew. At the same time, the results of the experiments showed that it is necessary to pay attention to the thorough balancing of the aircraft before takeoff, which could to some extent also contribute to a lower chance of the machine falling into the corkscrew.


At the same time, the so-called anti-drill device, developed by the Aviation Research Institute, was also tested as part of the tests. It was a parachute with an area of 3m ² placed on a tubular structure mounted under the tail surface of the aircraft and controlled from the cockpit. According to the test pilot Major Golofastov, who tested the modified machine for an hour of flight time, it was an effective device, as the opening of the parachute was able to give the aircraft enough torque to taking the aircraft out of the corkscrew. Despite the favorable evaluation, this device remained only in the prototype and was not mounted on serial aircraft.


Later, tests were also carried out on the P-39Q-21/25, which was a version with a four-bladed propeller by Aeroproducts. In this case, the shape of the structure holding the parachute was slightly changed, which was placed even closer to the fuselage and was a bit shorter than the previous modification. It is not known that this device has been installed in series on this production series.

Act after resolutions of summer traces on the trunk of the import aircraft Aerokobra P-39Q-10 with dvigatelj Allison V-1710-85, with undercover pajemjotami, caliber 12.7 mm, NII VVS KA, 1943
Bondarenko, N. A .: Test pilot, Our Army, Prague 1978
Kotelnikov, V .: Realii lend-liza, monthly Aviacija i Kosmonavtika, roč. 1996, No. 2, pp. 38-45
https://coollib.com/b/260697/read#t15
https://www.t akredit.ru/base/2012/12/golofastov-v-e/

Bell P-39Q-15-BE Airacobra 42-8747, 16. GIAP, summer 1944, machine of G. A. Reckalovov.
Instead of a tactical number, the aircraft carries the pilot's initials (RGA), the stars on the bow symbolize Rečkalov's victory at that time.

Bell P-39 Airacobra Side view by Basil Zolotov

Bell P-39Q-25 Airacobra “White 55 ″ 44-32488, 16. GIAP, Stefanesti Airport 1944. Pilot G. Golubyev.

Bell P-39 Airacobra Side view by Basil Zolotov

Bell P-39Q-15 Airacobra “White 21″ 44-2498, Command Squadron 72. GIAP, personal machine regiment commander P. F. Zavaruchin. The red propeller cone and the white lined stripe on the fuselage were the identifying features of the 72nd GIAP.

Bell P-39 Airacobra Side view by Basil Zolotov

Bell P-39Q-15-LO Airacobra "White 93" 44-2844, personal machine of Lieutenant Dimitri A. Kalinin, 2nd Air Force, 7th Fighter Corps, 20th Fighter Division, 508.IAP, 1st Ukrainian Front He flew from Turbia Airport in Poland in August 1944. The machine is camouflaged with the standard USAAF Olive Drab paint with Neutral Gray bottoms.

Bell P-39 Airacobra Side view by Basil Zolotov

P-39Q from the armament of the 4th Stormo of the Italian Allied Air Force (Co-Belligerent) in 1945.

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Bell P-39Q Airacobra (42-19595) from the 362nd Fighter Squadron, which operated from bases in California in 1943.

Bell P-39Q-1 Airacobra ("Sad Sack", 42-19510), which in 1944 has served with the 72nd Fighter Squadron from the assembly 21st Fighter Group on the Makin atoll in the Pacific. The pilot of the aircraft was captain James van Nada..

The Bell P-39Q-20-BE (serial number 44-3569, listed as 43569 on the SOP) was to serve with the 71st Fighter Group, and was lost on September 2, 1944, New Georgia.

A view of the P-39Q cockpit

SOP construction

Center of the GTC - this part went through the fuselage - I apologize that there will be no overall view of the GTC, but the photo failed.

Construction of the GTC - here its right part - when viewed from above.

The aircraft that was in the Polish Air Force was not for school purposes, it was a personal aircraft of General Fyodor Polynin, commander of the Polish Air Force on the Eastern Front (commanded in 1944 - 47). As far as I know, it was the only Airacobra in the Polish Air Force, and the remains are probably from it.

https://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/297/29/0/1
book "Bell P-39 Airacobra" by Mushroom model publicatons, published in 2003, by Artur Juszczak and Robert Peczkowski, ISBN 83-916327-9.2