BELL P-39 AIRACOBRA
P-39 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Bell Aircraft Corp., Buffalo, New York, USA |
| Models: | Model 4, 5, 12, 14, 15, 23, 26, 39 |
| Designations: | P-39; A-7, FL, F2L, P-45, P-76, P-400, TDL |
| Names: | Airacobra; Airabonita (XFL-1) |
| First official flight: | (XP-39) 06/04/1938 |
| Factory production period: | 1938 - 1944 |
| Primary service period: | 1941 - 1945 |
| Last official flight: | ? |
P-39 VARIANTS
| 1938 | Model 4 | XP-39 | 1 | |
| 1940 | Model 5 | XFL-1 | 1 | |
| 1940 | Model 12 | YP-39 | 13 | Total: 0015 |
| 1941 | Model 12 | P-39C | 20 | |
| 1941 | Model 14A/15 | P-39D | 923 | |
| 1941 | Model 14 | Airacobra Mk. I | 675 | Total: 1618 |
| 1942 | Model 23 | XP-39E | 3 | Total: 0003 |
| 1941 | Model 15B | P-39F | 229 | |
| 1942 | Model 15B | P-39J | 25 | Total: 0254 |
| 1942 | Model 26A | P-39K | 210 | |
| 1942 | Model 26B | P-39L | 250 | |
| 1942 | Model 26D | P-39M | 240 | |
| 1943 | Model 26C/F | P-39N | 2095 | |
| 1943 | Model 26Q | P-39Q | 4905 | Total: 7700 |
|
Grand Total: 9590 |
P-39 PRODUCTION
XP-39
Prototype single seat fighter, rear mounted engine, unarmed.
Produced 1938
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 38-326 | ? | 1 | Total: 0001 |
XFL-1 Airabonita
USN prototype for carrier ops., shorter fuselage, tail-wheel.
Produced 1940
Bell Buffalo, New York (L)
| BuNo.1588 | ? | 1 | Total: 0001 |
YP-39
Service test models, minor design modifications, armed.
40-039 originally designated YP-39A.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 40-027 / 40-039 | ? | 13 | Total: 0013 |
P-39C
As YP-39, minor combat changes.
Original designation was P-45.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 40-2971 / 40-2990 | ? | 20 | Total: 0020 |
P-39D
As P-39C, armament / combat upgrades.
Model 14A built as a Lend-Lease variant.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
(Model 15) P-39D
| 40-2991 / 40-3050 | ? | ||
| 41-6722 / 41-7052 | ? | ||
| 41-7057, 41-7058 | ? | ||
| 41-7080 / 41-7115 | ? | 429 |
(Model 14A) P-39D-1
| 41-28257 / 41-28406 | ? | ||
| 41-38220 / 41-38404 | ? | ||
| 41-38563 | ? | 336 |
(Model 14A-1) P-39D-2
| 41-38405 / 41-38562 | ? | 158 | Total: 0923 |
| 12 to RAAF as
A53-8 / A53-18, A53-20. |
|||
Airacobra Mk. I
Export version of the P-39D for the RAF.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| (RAF) AH570 / AH739 | ? | ||
| (RAF) AP264 / AP384 | ? | ||
| (RAF) BW100 / BW183 | ? | ||
| (RAF) BX135 / BX434 | ? | 675 | Total: 0675 |
|
~84 used in RAF service. 212 sent to Russia, further 49 (ex RAF) lost in transit. 379 to USAAF with the non-standard designation P-400. |
|||
XP-39E
Prototype, laminar flow wing, new tail, engine upgrade.
Original designation was P-76, later developed into the P-63.
Produced 1942
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 41-19501, 41-19502 | ? | ||
| 42-71464 | ? | 3 | Total: 0003 |
P-39E - Production XP-39E, 4000 ordered but later cancelled.
P-39F
As P-39D, prop and exhaust changes.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 41-7116 / 41-7344 | ? | 229 | Total: 0229 |
| 10 to RAAF as
A53-1 / A53-7, A53-19, A53-21, A53-22. |
|||
(Model 26) P-39G - Improved version of P-39F, 1800 ordered
but completed as P-39K to N.
P-39H - Not used.
P-39I - Not used.
P-39J
As P-39F, engine upgrade.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 41-7053 / 41-7056 | ? | ||
| 41-7059 / 41-7079 | ? | 25 | Total: 0025 |
P-39K
As P-39D, prop, equipment changes.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-4244 / 42-4453 | ? | 210 | Total: 0210 |
P-39L
As P-39K, modified prop, nosewheel, wing rockets.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-4454 / 42-4703 | ? | 250 | Total: 0250 |
P-39M
As P-39L, engine upgrade.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-4704 / 42-4943 | ? | 240 | Total: 0240 |
P-39N
As P-39M, engine upgrade.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-4944 / 42-5043 | ? | ||
| 42-8727 / 42-9726 | ? | ||
| 42-18246 / 42-19240 | ? | 2095 | Total: 2095 |
| 205 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
P-39O - Not used.
P-39P - Not used.
P-39Q
As P-39N, minor armament / detail changes.
Many sent to France and Russia under Lend-Lease.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-19446 / 42-21250 | ? | ||
| 44-2001 / 44-4000 | ? | ||
| 44-32167 / 44-32666 | ? | ||
| 44-70905 / 44-71504 | ? | 4905 | Total: 4905 |
| 995 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
|
Grand Total: 9590 |
P-39 CONVERSIONS
USAAF
| A-7 | - | Reserved P-39's converted to remote Powered Targets, cancelled. |
| XP-39B | 1 | XP-39(38-326), conversion to YP-39 standard, engine upgrade. |
| RP-39C | 20 | P-39C, 1942, redesignation as "restricted from combat". |
| TP-39F | 1 | P-39F, trainer conversion with extra cockpit. |
| RP-39Q | 1+ | Model 39, P-39Q, "restricted" tandem trainer conversions, unarmed. |
| (TP-39Q) | 1+ | 1944, redesignation of RP-39Q. |
| ZP-39Q | 1+ | P-39Q, 1948, redesignated as "obsolete". |
US Navy
| F2L-1K | 2 | RP-39Q, transfers to the USN as target
tugs. Assigned BuNo. 91102, 91103. 5 more aircraft never delivered. |
| XTDL-1 | 1 | P-39Q, 1946, USN test-bed as a pilotless drone, no BuNo. assigned. |
British RAF
| Airacobra Mk. IA |
3 |
P-39C, 1941, Lend-Lease "war test" aircraft in RAF
service. Assigned RAF s/n: DS173 / DS175. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- P-39's delivered to the Air Forces of Australia, the Free French,
Italy, Portugal and in large numbers to Russia.
- Several sold on the civil market post WW2 as circuit racing aircraft.
BELL P-63 KINGCOBRA
P-63 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Bell Aircraft Corp., Buffalo, New York, USA |
| Models: | Model 24, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 41, 43, 45 |
| Designations: | P-63; F-63, F2L, L-39, P-38 |
| Names: | Kingcobra; "Fred" (Russia, US codename) |
| First official flight: | (XP-63) 07/12/1942 |
| Factory production period: | 1942 - 1946 |
| Primary service period: | 1943 - late 40's |
| Last official flight: | ? |
P-63 VARIANTS
| 1942 | Model 24 | XP-63 | 2 | |
| 1943 | Model 24 | XP-63A | 1 | Total: 0003 |
| 1943 | Model 33/33A | P-63A | 1725 | |
| 1944 | Model 33A | RP-63A | 100 | Total: 1825 |
| 1944 | Model 33C | P-63C | 1227 | |
| 1944 | Model 33C | RP-63C | 200 | Total: 1427 |
| 1945 | Model 37 | P-63D | 1 | |
| 1945 | Model 41/41A | P-63E | 13 | |
| 1945 | Model 43 | P-63F | 2 | Total: 0016 |
| 1945 | Model 41G | RP-63G | 32 | Total: 0032 |
|
Grand Total: 3303 |
P-63 PRODUCTION
XP-63
Prototype fighter developed from the XP-39E,
4-bladed prop.
Produced 1942
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 41-19511, 41-19512 | ? |
Total: 0002 |
XP-63A
As XP-63, engine upgrade, wing bomb racks.
Produced 1943
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-78015 | ? |
Total: 0001 |
P-63A
As XP-63A, engine / combat upgrade.
Most sent to Russia under Lend-Lease.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
|
42-68861 / 42-69879 - 1014 as P-63A-BE. - 5 as RP-63A-BE. |
? | |
| 42-69975 / 42-70685 | ? |
Total: 1725 |
RP-63A
As P-63A, "restricted" manned target version.
Redesignated as QF-63A in 1948.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 5 mixed with P-63A-BE s/n. | ||
| 42-69880 / 42-69974 | ? |
Total: 0100 |
P-63C
As P-63A, ventral fin, engine upgrade, more armour.
Most sent to France (114) and Russia.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 42-70686 / 42-70860 | ? | |
| 43-10893 / 43-10932 | ? | |
| 43-11133 / 43-11717 | ? | |
| 44-4001 / 44-4427 | ? |
Total: 1227 |
RP-63C
As P-63C, "restricted" manned target version.
Redesignated as QF-63C in 1948.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 43-10933 / 43-11132 | ? |
Total: 0200 |
P-63D
As P-63A, modified wings, bubble canopy,
engine upgrade.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 43-11718 | ? |
Total: 0001 |
P-63E
As P-63D but with "A" canopy.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 43-11720, 43-11721 | ? | |
| 43-11725 / 43-11735 | ? |
Total: 0013 |
| 1030 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
P-63F
As P-63E, redesigned tail, engine upgrade.
Produced
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 43-11719, 43-11722 | ? |
Total: 0002 |
RP-63G
As RP-63C, engine upgrade.
Redesignated as QF-63G in 1948.
Produced 1945 - 1946
Bell Buffalo, New York (BE)
| 43-11723, 43-11724 | ||
| 45-57283 / 45-57312 |
Total: 0032 |
|
| 420 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
|
Grand Total: 3303 |
P-63 CONVERSIONS
USAAF
| TP-63A | 1+ | Model 38, P-63A, double cockpit fitted for conversion training. |
| XP-63B | - | Model 34, XP-63A, proposed upgrade, cancelled. |
| TP-63C | 1 | RP-63C, double cockpit fitted for conversion training. |
| XP-63H | - | Model 45, P-63E, engine upgrade, cancelled. |
| XP-63N | 1 | RP-63G, 1948, conversion for V-tail testing. 1 P-63A converted in 1945 as a test-bed. |
US Navy
| XF2L-1 | 2 | P-63A, reserved for USN but not taken up. |
| L-39 | 2 | 1 P-63A / 1 P-63N, 1946, conversions for swept-wing research, (L) - Bell factory code, (39) - Model 39. |
British RAF
| Kingcobra Mk. I |
2 |
P-63A, 1944-1948, delivered to the RAF for
evaluation. Assigned RAF s/n: FR408, FZ440. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- P-63's served with the Free French and Russia.
- Many P-63's sold on the civil market post WW2 as circuit racing
aircraft.