Bell P-63 Kingcobra

History of Bell P-63 Kingcobra

At its core, the Bell P-63 Kingcobra was a modest improvement over the relatively failed P-39 Airacobra. Although the P-39 developed into a viable platform, it never reached original specifications due to interference from the USAAF (United States Army Air Force). As such, the P-63 was designed to improve upon the poor high-altitude performance of the P-39, although the performance of the system itself could never match the excellent fighters already in service.

As such, the P-63 led the way for an "under-the-radar" presence, primarily used by air forces outside the United States.

The P-39 Airacobra has been built for the US Air Force. This unique small aircraft has a tail-mounted engine that turns a three-bladed propeller system via a shaft that runs under the cockpit floor. With the engine mounted to the rear of the fuselage, the nose assembly is free to arm itself - this is in the form of a 37mm Oldsmobile M4 cannon that fires unhindered through the propeller hub. In addition, 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns were mounted on the fairing and fired synchronously through the rotating propeller blades.

This weapon is complemented by four. 30 caliber machine guns - two per wing. Power is provided by an Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12 engine producing up to 1,200 horsepower.

While originally envisioned as a dedicated interceptor, the uniqueness of the aircraft proved to be much more expensive than the USAAF was interested in, thus offering a "proposal" to reduce costs. One of the biggest changes is the elimination of the turbocharger - which is actually the backbone of the P-39's performance as an interceptor. This was replaced by a mechanical-based supercharger that didn't offer much high-altitude performance, and the P-39 was destined to be a fighter jet.

In fact, the P-39 continued to be used as a low-altitude attack aircraft, with most of its success coming from Soviet pilots who used the model on Lend-Lease deliveries. Despite its inherent shortcomings, the P-39 became Bell's most successful production venture.

While the design of the P-39 largely fell short of expectations, Bell sought a design solution while the USAAF's interest remained in her favor. The same basic fuselage design and engine layout (with two superchargers) was carried over and integrated into an enlarged fuselage - basically based on the XP-39E with a laminar wing plane shape, modified superchargers and the new Continental I-1430 engine.

Three prototypes were ordered, two for the base Allison V-1710-47 series engine and one for the Packard-built V-1650 series Rolls-Royce Merlin engine (the Merlin engine was In excellent Supermarine Spitfires and North American P-51 Mustangs). The Packard-engined XP-63 was never designed for these Merlins, which were originally designed for Mustangs, so this prototype ended up being powered by an Allison V-1710-93 engine.

These engines drive a new large four-blade propeller system. Armament remains in line with the design of the P-39Q model, with its 37mm nose cannon, 12.7mm machine gun in the hood and an additional 2 x 12.7mm machine guns mounted in pods under the wings. The development code is fixed at XP-63.

Visually, the P-63 remains faithful to the design of the P-39 Airacobra, only its overall size is larger. The pilot sits in a glass-enclosed cockpit, relatively forward along the contours of the fuselage, with recognizable P39-designed automotive-style doors. The cockpit is located directly in front of the leading edge of the wing. The wings are circular monoplanes with a pronounced V shape.

The front of the fuselage is dominated by a large four-blade propeller system. The propeller is controlled by a shaft that passes under the cockpit floor and into the rear Allison engine located in the middle of the fuselage. The rear wing has a standard configuration with a vertical rear wing and a conventional horizontal plane. The landing gear is a more modern tricycle arrangement, with two single-wheel main gear and a single-wheel nose gear.

The nose gear retracts aft under the cockpit floor, while the main gear retracts inward toward the fuselage centerline, with each system mounted under each wing. At rest, the P-63 adopts a distinctive "frontal" appearance, thanks to its high nose landing gear. Overall, it's a good-looking - if unique - aircraft that still retains much of the P-39's pedigree.

As mentioned earlier, armament was transferred from the P-39Q model series to the P-63, with some minor changes in arrangement and ammunition supply.

Even though the XP-63 prototype hasn't even flown -- let alone completed any worthwhile evaluation -- the USAF has decided to go ahead and order new P-63 King Cobra fighter jets. Deliveries began in October 1943, and it was soon discovered that the P-63A was still unable to compete with the P-51 Mustang line. As a result, the U.S.

Air Force has little use of the aircraft in its current form, making the product available to Allied forces fighting Japan and Germany.

The USSR desperately needed a capable fighter and was already the main operator of the P-39 family. The P-63 seemed to be another good partner for the red arsenal, with the help of Soviet test pilot Andrey G. Kochetkov, the P-63 Kingcobra was improved and eventually shipped from Nome, Alaska to the Soviet Union only for use in the east Japanese Army. Despite this "agreement" on the Soviet side, the P-63 air force was deployed in the west to fight the Germans.

The P-63 excels at ground attack, with reasonable low-altitude flight characteristics and a concentrated dose of lethal weaponry, making it an ideal armor-buster. Attacking and shooting down enemy fighter jets is also rare, but still possible.

The P-63 used in the Soviet Union accounted for more than 72 percent of all Kingcobras produced, making them the main operator of the aircraft.

The P-63 survived the war and was used by a small number of operators. By the end of the war, France had received at least 300 models and used them for the next decade. Honduras emerged as another major operator, while the UK received only two examples. The U.S. Army Air Corps and the U.S.

Army Air Force are the two local operators of the Kingcobra platform, although the U.S. has never used the platform in anger.

While the Airacobra produces a large number of variants that are constantly improving, the Kingcobra has a more limited production life. The XP-63 represents the first two prototypes, serial numbers 41-19511 and 41-19512, and features laminar flow wings. The XP-63A are two examples for the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Sport Bomb Rack.

The first production model was the P-63A, of which approximately 1,725 ??prototypes were delivered in Zones 1 to 10.

The XP-63B is a proposed model based on the Merlin-driven XP-63A prototype. While this arrangement may show promise on paper, American Merlin engines have already been slated for North American production of the P-51 Mustang. Therefore, the XP-63B dropped to zero.

The P-63C series becomes the second product of Kingcobras. They installed an Allison V-1710-117 engine with water injection, with a power output of up to 1,800 hp. About 1,777 examples of this type were produced.

The P-63D is a one-off design for the Allison V-1710-109 (E22) series 1,425 hp engine. A foam roof (as opposed to car-style doors) is part of the changes, which also include extended fenders. Since production of all Kingcobras ceased at the time, this model was never shipped in bulk.

The P-63E is similar to the Model D, but has the original automotive style doors of the P-39 Airacobra and P-63A and P-63C Kingcobras. The bottom fins were slightly lengthened and a new propeller was installed, although only 13 examples of this Kingcobra made it through.

The E model has a top speed of 408 mph, a cruising speed of 280 mph, a range of 450 miles, and a service ceiling of 43,000 feet.

Again, only two P-63F variants were produced, and they were equipped with the Allison V-1710-135 engine and a larger vertical stabilizer. The XP-63H was a modification attempt, based on the improved P-63E with a new engine.

Like most unwanted airframes that have outlived their intended service life, the P-63 features an overall bright orange color scheme and is used as a manned target aircraft (with "kill" lights) and target trailers. These include the RP-63A (100 examples) and RP-63C (200 examples) and RP-63G "pinball" models (32 examples). The RP-63A/C was based on 5 completed P-63A production conversions, while at least 95 other A models were converted in production. These were later known as QF-63A. The RP-63G fins are more focused on the role of flying targets and have been modified accordingly.

These later became QF-63Gs.

Two P-63C production models were converted into L-39 test aircraft for swept wing and wind tunnel evaluation.

At the time of production, one P-63 cost US taxpayers $48,000 to manufacture. More than 3,300 Kingcobras were produced - a far cry from the more than 9,000 examples produced by the successful P-39 Airacobra series.

While the Kingcobra did not become the expected upgraded Airacobra, it still found a home to engage ground targets. It proved to be a solid ground attack concept, and its airframe proved as reliable as its lethal weapon. The Soviets had many successes with this type and with the entire P-39 family.

Overall, the larger Kingcobra turned out to be at least a slight improvement over its predecessor.

Specification

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