The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat.

Jun 15, 2021 · Bell Aircraft, an aerospace manufacturer based in New York, presented its own design. Called the “XP-39,” the prototype reached 390 MPH in just five minutes, but it was unable to reach its top stated altitude.

Apr 1, 2019 · When it comes to ground attack and low level fighting, you’d be hard-pressed to find a WWII plane that could do better than the P-39 Airacobra. That’s the kind of plane the U.S. Army wanted when Bell hopped on the design.

This was a time when some commercial aircraft were faster than USAAC fighters and compared to the Boeing P-26, Northrop A-17 or Seversky P-35, the P-39's streamlined finish made it look like a winner. It was a sleek modern airplane, unlike anything ever seen before.

The P-39 was one of America's first-line pursuit planes in December 1941. It made its initial flight in April 1939 at Wright Field, Ohio, and by the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, nearly 600 had been built.

Designed by the Bell Aircraft Corporation, the unusual, mid-engined P-39 Airacobra holds the record for the highest number of enemy aircraft victories attributed to any US-built fighter in history. The lack of an efficient turbo-supercharger for its engine meant that the airplane did not perform well at high altitude.

Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter type of aircraft that was produced by Bell Company for the Air Forces of the US Army during the rise of World War II. This aircraft has an extraordinary layout having an installed engine in its center fuselage.

Nov 1, 2019 · Exiled by the RAF and disliked by the USAAF, the P-39 found its home flying for the Soviet Union. Employed by that nation's tactical air arm, the P-39 was able to play to its strengths as most of its combat occurred at lower altitudes. In that arena, it proved capable against German fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw ...

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.

Jan 11, 2013 · One of the first interceptors to have a tricycle undercarriage, the Bell P-39 Airacobra was unique in having its 1,150 hp Allison V-1710-E4 engine mounted behind the pilot, the propeller being driven via a long extension shaft.