Figure 1.--

The Bell Air Cobra was to be the Army Air Corps front-line fighter. It was intoduced before Pearl Harbor (1941). It proved a disappoinment, although nearly 10,000 were built. It faired badly againse Japanese Zeros in the South Pacific (1942). Thus it saw only limited use with the U.S. Army Air Corps. It not only proved disappointing to the Americans, but also to most of the foreign air forces that purchased it. The British sent the Air Cobras they received on to the Soviets. The Soviets were, however, impressed with it, especilly after upgrading the cannon. Most of the American aircraft deliveries to the Soviets under Lend Lease were thus Air Cobras. And in the intenive fighting on the Eastern Front, the Soviets racked up more kills with Air Cobras than any other Allied fighter type used on the Eastern Front. On the Eastern Front, high-alditude battles with high performance aircraft was much less important than low-alditude ground support performance. The Air Cobra was not primarily used as a ground-attack aircraft. It was not a tank-buster. Its job was to seek German aircraft which it did effectively. The air battles over the Reich forced the Germans to withdraw much of their air power West. Thus the Red Air Force was able to focus on its primary mission--ground support. It had a cannon that packed a real punch and multiple machine guns. The initial armament was a 37mm cannon mounted in the nose along with 2 x 50 cal mgs and 4 x 30 cals. This was later changed to a 37mm canon and and four 50 cal mg. It was very maneuverable and fast at low aklditudes. An often over lkooked factor, maintenance was not difficult. The relatively low-speed, low-altitude characteristic of most air combat on the Soviet Front was ideal for the P-39's attributes: sturdy construction, reliable radio gear, and more than adequate firepower. Soviet pilots report holding their on with their Air Cobras even with the German fighters when encountered. The Red Army came up with group aerial fighting tactics for the Air Cobra fighters and earned scored a surprising number of aerial victories over the German aircraft types they encountered. An advantage here was that bu 1943, the Red Air Force was able to mount attacks in which they outnunbered the Luftwaffe and this steadily increased as the War went on. Soviet P-39s could easily deal with the Junkers Ju 87 Stukas or even faster German twin-engine bombers. They even took on German fighters on a equal footing and in some areas surpassed, early and mid-war Messerschmitt Bf 109s. A factor here was the declining skill of the replacement pilots arriving at the front. The common Red Army name for the Air Cobras was Kobrushka ('little cobra') or Kobrastochka, an affectionate mix Kobra and Lastochka (swallow), 'dear little cobra'.

Bell Aircraft

The Bell Aircraft Corporation built several fighters during World War II. The best known was the P-39 Aircobra some 9,600 were built. The Army Air Corps bought some, but were disappointed in high alfitude performance. The planes primarily saw action in foreign air forces. The British and French were unimpressed, but after the German invasion (June 1941), the Soviets wanted as many as they could get. They put it to good use, primarily in combat with German planes. Thus the Bell P-39 Aircobras scored the largest numbers of individual German kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type, but flown by Red Army pilots, one more example of the effectivenss of the Allied cooperation and Lend Lease. This reflects the scale of combat on the Eastern Front and the duration of the campaign. For the same reason, German piloys chalked up much higher kill scores than Westernpilots. (Interestingly it was the Finnish modified Brewster Buffalos of all planes that had the highest kill ratio during the War.) Bell was also involved in the developmnt of American jet aircraft, but with disppointing results during the War. The company was best known after the War for the Bell X-1, the first supersonic aircraft. Bell also became involved in the development and production of many important civilian and military helicopters. Bell was also involved in the American space program. The company also developed the Reaction Control System for the Mercury Spacecraft, the North American X-15 and the Bell Rocket Belt. Textron purchssed Bell (1960) and continues to function as Bell Helicopterdivsion of Textron.

Plans

The Bell Aircobra was to be the Army Air Corps front-line fighter. It was intoduced before Pearl Harbor (1941). Along with the P-40, it was the fifgher that the USAF had when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The USAF was, however, very disappointed with it. One author labels it, America's unsung aerial hero." [Zimmer]

Features

The P-39 Aircobra had a 1,300 horsepower Allison V-1710 engine which caused it to be considered underpowered. It did not have a sipervharger which mneant it performed poorly above 17,000 feet. The most prominent featyre was 37mm- mose centered cannon like the Me-109. This was uncommon with American fighters and caused the plane to be called the 'flying cannon'..

Complaints

The primary coimplaint with the P-39 Aircobra was that it was unoowered, esopecially as American and British commanders dominated by the Bomber Boys wanted a plane that could perform at high alditude. Another complaint was that the plane had a reputation for going out of control when flown by inexperienced pilots.

Production

The Airccobra proved a disappoinment to the USAF, although nearly 10,000 were built. At first it was the P-39 and P-40 is what the United States had and then because the Soviets wanted them. Most of production went to the Soviet Union.

American Assessments

American first air combat actioins after OPeral Harbor with the Japanese. And the Airerican aircraft, bith Army and Navy perfornmed badly when the polits attemopted to diogfight. This was fue to the a manuerability and speed of the light-weight Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The planes the Americans had (P-39 Aircibra, P-40 Tomahawk, and F4F Widcat). Te American aircraft had their strengths iuf the poropert tactics were used. The AVG Flying Tigers achieved grreat success in China using Chenault's tactics. And the Thatch Weave enabled the Wildcat to compete with the Zero. And the same was true of the Aiurcibra. One commander writes, "Nothing could touch a P-39 used below 15,000-feet." He wouldn’t have hesitated to have even taken on the vaunted P-38 at lower altitudes because of the extreme maneuverability of the 'Flying Cannon.' He insisted that it could tangle successfully with a Japanese Zero, if the American pilot kept his airspeed at 300 miles per hour or better so the enemy 'couldn’t turn inside you.' [Shomo] The approach the American seized on was to build large fighters with huge engines that outclassed the zero, meaning less skill was need to win air battles.

Capabilities

One author writes, "The P-39 Airacobra was a bit like Rodney Dangerfield—it “couldn’t get no respect,” especially from those who never piloted the 'Flying Cannon' built by the Buffalo, New York-based Bell Aircraft Corp. But those who flew the P-39 came to love it and its idiosyncrasies. When flown properly, the plane—built around its fearsome 37mm nose-centered cannon—could knock anything out of the sky, cause calloused, flak-tossing antiaircraft crews to scamper for the ditches, and reign havoc over fortified enemy command and control positions with its four .50-caliber machine guns blazing away in later versions of the craft." [Zimmer] Soviet Russian tests gave the Airacobra I a speed of 306 mph at ground level and 363mph at 13,800ft> This was comparable to the Soviet fighters than in production (Yak-3 and MiG-3).

Combat Environment

The European comnbat environment for the British and Americans was primarily high level combat. Bioth the USAF and RAF Bomber Command was focused on strategi bombing which carried the air war to high alditudes. The Aircobra did not perform well at these alditudes. One American legendary ace says, "It was a good-looking airplane. If looks counted for anything, it would have been a great airplane. And the Russians absolutely loved them, and wound up with most of them. Under 15,000 feet, the P-39, called the Airacobra, was a decent if underpowered performer. But the Airacobra was mincemeat above 15,000 feet, and useless in Western Europe, where virtually all of the flying and fighting was at double that altitude." [Anderson] Gradually the USAF and RAF began to give more attention to low level ground support, but by that time thary had aircraft more capable than P-39s. The Eastern Front was different, in fact just the opposite. The fighting on the Eastern Front suited the P-39. Both the Soviets and the Germans concentrated on relatively low level activity, close ground support fir theiur rmies. As a result the Soviet P-39s rarely needed to fight above 15,000 ft. Now Soviets did not use the P-39 so much for actual ground support. Here they has the Shturmovik, meaning approptriately enough ground attack aircraft. The Soviets used the P-39s to go after the German ground support aotcraft like the Stukas.

Combat Performance

The P-39 had a very mixed, but not unsucessful World War II experience. One author reports that the Aircobras faired badly againse Japanese Zeros in the South Pacific (1942). Thus it saw only limited use with the U.S. Army Air Corps. It not only proved disappointing to the Americans, but also to most of the foreign air forces that purchased it. The British sent the Air Cobras they received on to the Soviets. The Soviets were, however, impressed with it, especilly after upgrading the cannon. The Soviet name was Kobra. Most of the American aircraft deliveries to the Soviets under Lend Lease were thus Air Cobras. And in the intenive fighting on the Eastern Front, the Soviets racked up more kills with Air Cobras than any other Allied fighter type used on the Eastern Front. On the Eastern Front, high-alditude battles with high performance aircraft was much less important than low-alditude ground support performance. The Air Cobra was not primarily used as a ground-attack aircraft. It was not a tank-buster. Its job was to seek German aircraft which it did effectively. The air battles over the Reich forced the Germans to withdraw much of their air power West. Thus the Red Air Force was able to focus on its primary mission--ground support. It had a cannon that packed a real punch and multiple machine guns. The initial armament was a 37mm cannon mounted in the nose along with 2 x 50 cal mgs and 4 x 30 cals. This was later changed to a 37mm canon and and four 50 cal mg. It was very maneuverable and fast at low alditudes. An often over looked factor, maintenance was not difficult. The relatively low-speed, low-altitude characteristic of most air combat on the Soviet Front was ideal for the P-39's attributes: sturdy construction, reliable radio gear, and more than adequate firepower. Soviet pilots report holding their on with their Air Cobras even with the German fighters when encountered. The Red Army came up with group aerial fighting tactics for the Air Cobra fighters and earned scored a surprising number of aerial victories over the German aircraft types they encountered. An advantage here was that bu 1943, the Red Air Force was able to mount attacks in which they outnunbered te Luftwaffe and this steadikly increased as the War went on. Soviet P-39s could easily deal with the Junkers Ju 87 Stukas or even faster German twin-engine bombers. They even took on German fighters on a equal footing and in some areas surpassed, early and mid-war Messerschmitt Bf 109s. A factor here was the declining skill of the replacement pilots arriving at the front. The common Red Army name for the Aircobras was Kobrushka ('little cobra') or Kobrastochka, an affectionate mix Kobra and Lastochka (swallow), 'dear little cobra'. At the end of the War. the Red Air Force still had 1,178 P-39 Aircibras in service with the Soviet air forces. In the final analysis, despite its technical faults, the Airacobra had become the most successful of all Len Lease aircraft provided the Soviet Union and had played an important role in the Soviet vicytory on the Eastern Front.

Western Allies

One author reports the Aircobras faired badly againse Japanese Zeros in the South Pacific (1942). It cetainly not have been used to dogfight a zero. It was what the USAF had in 1942. The Aircobras made mince meat out of the Jaoanese barges tring to resupply forces in the South Pacific. But by 1843 the USAF and Navy began to receive much more powerful aircraft. Thus it saw only limited use with the U.S. Army Air Corps. It not only proved disappointing to the Americans, but also to most of the foreign air forces that purchased it. The British after tests did not use the P-39s they received through Lend Lease. The British sent the Air Cobras they had received on to the Soviets.

Soviets

The Soviets were, however, impressed with it, especilly after upgrading the cannon. The Soviet name was Kobra. Most of the American aircraft deliveries to the Soviets under Lend Lease were thus Air Cobras. And in the intenive fighting on the Eastern Front, the Soviets racked up more kills with Air Cobras than any other Allied fighter type used on the Eastern Front. On the Eastern Front, high-alditude battles with high performance aircraft was much less important than low-alditude ground support performance. The Air Cobra was not primarily used as a ground-attack aircraft. It was not a tank-buster. Its job was to seek German aircraft which it did effectively. The air battles over the Reich forced the Germans to withdraw much of their air power West. Thus the Red Air Force was able to focus on its primary mission--ground support. It had a cannon that packed a real punch and multiple machine guns. The initial armament was a 37mm cannon mounted in the nose along with 2 x 50 cal mgs and 4 x 30 cals. This was later changed to a 37mm canon and and four 50 cal mg. It was very maneuverable and fast at low alditudes. An often over looked factor, maintenance was not difficult. The relatively low-speed, low-altitude characteristic of most air combat on the Soviet Front was ideal for the P-39's attributes: sturdy construction, reliable radio gear, and more than adequate firepower. Soviet pilots report holding their on with their Aircbras even with the German fighters when encountered. One author explaains their success, YHe German " bombers, and by necessity their escorting fighters, flew at altitudes well within the high performance envelope of the P-39-under 15,000 feet. The P-39, with its nose armament alone, had devastating air-to-air firepower. A hit on a German bomber with a single 37mm round was frequently sufficient to disable or destroy it. The Red Air Force compensated for the P-39's short range by locating their tactical airfields extremely close to the front line-often within artillery range. And during surge periods, when German air activity was intense, Soviet P-39 pilots were known to fly five and even six or more sorties in a single day." [Gebhardt] The Red Air Force came up with group aerial fighting tactics for the Air Cobra fighters and earned scored a surprising number of aerial victories over the German aircraft types they encountered. An advantage here was that bu 1943, the Red Air Force was able to mount attacks in which they outnunbered te Luftwaffe and this steadikly increased as the War went on. Soviet P-39s could easily deal with the Junkers Ju 87 Stukas or even faster German twin-engine bombers. They even took on German fighters on a equal footing and in some areas surpassed, early and mid-war Messerschmitt Bf 109s. A factor here was the declining skill of the replacement pilots arriving at the front. The common Red Army name for the Aircobras was Kobrushka ('little cobra') or Kobrastochka, an affectionate mix Kobra and Lastochka (swallow), 'dear little cobra'. At the end of the War. the Red Air Force still had 1,178 P-39 Aircibras in service with the Soviet air forces. In the final analysis, despite its technical faults, the Airacobra had become the most successful of all Len Lease aircraft provided the Soviet Union and had played an important role in the Soviet vicytory on the Eastern Front.

Aces

Six Soviet aces are commonly credited with 50 or more victories. Four of these six aces scored most of their victories flying the P-39 Aircobra. The Soviet (and Allied) second ranking ace of the war, Alexandr Pokryshkin gained 48 of his 59 victories while flying the P-39. Even in the fianl years of the war, the Soviet aces were able to use this generally poorly regarded American fighter to great success. Most of their victories were German groujnd attack aircraft like the Stuka. And here the otals were helped by the fact that the Luftwaffe had to bring back man=u of theiur frint-line fighters to protect German cities. Even so so, Red Air Force pilots took German pilots flying the latest versions of the Me 109 and FW 190. [Dorr]

Sources

Anderson, Clarence E 'Bud' bwith Joseph P. Hamelin. Tho Fly and Fight (1999).

Dorr, Robert F with Jerry Scutts. Bell P-39 Airacobra (Crowood Aviation, 2000).

Gebhardt, James. "P-39 in Soviet use" Acepilot.com (April 23, 2012).

Shomo, William A. in Phil Zimmer, "The P-39 Airacobra: America’s unsung aerial hero," Warfare History Network. Lt. Col. Shomo contended American Air Ace Lt. Col. who flew P-39s, P-40s, F-6Ds, and a P-51Ds. He noted the extrenme manuerbility pf the P-39.

Zimmer, Phil. "The P-39 Airacobra: America’s unsung aerial hero," Warfare History Network.

Created: 6:22 AM 9/18/2020
Last updated: 6:22 AM 9/18/2020