P-39 Airacobra Stars & Stripes Rocks Glass

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The Bell P-39 Airacobra was a distinctive American fighter designed in the late 1930s. It first flew on 6 April 1938 and entered service in 1941. Its most unusual feature was its mid-mounted engine placed behind the cockpit, driving the propeller through a long shaft under the pilot’s seat. This allowed the nose to house a powerful 37 mm cannon, firing through the propeller hub — a unique configuration among WWII fighters.

Although underwhelming at high altitudes due to the lack of a turbo-supercharger, the P-39 was effective at low to medium altitudes. It was widely used by the Soviet Air Force under Lend-Lease, where it became highly successful in ground-attack and air-combat roles. Soviet ace Alexander Pokryshkin achieved most of his 59 victories flying a P-39.

The USAAF, RAAF, RAF, and others also used the Airacobra in various theatres, including the Pacific and North Africa. The aircraft was robust, heavily armed, and easy to maintain — although its performance never matched later fighters.

Over 9,500 P-39s were built. Today, a small number survive, including several restored to airworthy condition in the U.S., New Zealand, and Europe.