On 2012-06-09 12:05 , Savageduck wrote:

The P-39 was the Bell AiraCobra. They last provided some service for the
USAAF in combat on Guadalcanal & New Guinea in 1942. A truly nasty
aircraft we managed to dump on the Russians via Lend Lease. For some
perverse reason they seemed to like them. Most of those we kept were
used as target tugs or "Flying Pinball Machines".
http://educationviews.org/wp-content...012/04/P39.jpg

You're overstating its bad rep.

Part of the Guadalcanal problem where the P-39 is concerned was that
they were delivered with different oxygen charging equipment than the
Navy (Marines) aircraft. So the Marines could not supply oxygen to the
P-39's and there was no Army Air Force support to do it either. (The
P-39 was designed as a high altitude fighter - w/o O2 that was a bit
hard...) It fired IIRC a 20mm canon through the center of the propeller
hub - reputedly making it very easy to aim canon fire.

Despite the oxygen issue the Army pilots used the P-39 to good effect in
ground support of Marines and Army grunts on the 'canal. (They also
fought air to air but nearer the island and at low alt). This free'd up
the Marine pilots for patrols and air defense.

The Russians also used the P-39 (and P-63) in a ground support role.
It was not perverse at all. The Russians put them to the best use
possible along side their own aircraft.

--
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities."
-Samuel Clemens.