The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service at the start of World War II. Although its mid-engine placement was innovative, the P-39 design was handicapped by the lack of an efficient turbo-supercharger, limiting it to low-altitude work, although the type was used with great success by the Soviet Air Force. In the P-39, Soviet pilots scored the highest number of individual kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type. Together with the derivative P-63 Kingcobra, these aircraft would be the most successful mass-produced, fixed-wing aircraft manufactured by Bell.
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| - The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service at the start of World War II. Although its mid-engine placement was innovative, the P-39 design was handicapped by the lack of an efficient turbo-supercharger, limiting it to low-altitude work, although the type was used with great success by the Soviet Air Force. In the P-39, Soviet pilots scored the highest number of individual kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type. Together with the derivative P-63 Kingcobra, these aircraft would be the most successful mass-produced, fixed-wing aircraft manufactured by Bell.
- The Bell P-39 Airacobra was a single-seat fighter used by the United States and her allies during World War II.
- The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service when the United States entered World War II. The P-39 was used with great success by the Soviet Air Force, which scored the highest number of individual kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type. Other major users of the type include the Free French, the Royal Air Force, the United States Army Air Forces, and the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force.
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| - ** 1 x 37 mm M4 cannon in nose . 30 rounds of HE-T ammunition gun.
** 2 x .50 cal (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns, nose-mounted. 200 rounds per gun
** 4 x .30 cal Browning M1919 machine guns, wing mounted. 300 rounds per gun
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| - USAAFref|As well as being operated by the Free French, the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, Portugal (Interned aircraft), the Soviet Union and - briefly - the Royal Air Force, the type was also flown in limited numbers by the air arms of Australia (type code A-53), Canada (one example tested late November 1941), Germany (captured example flown with fuselage code GE+DV) and Poland (P-39Q of the 2nd Special Air Regiment, Polish Air Force, serving as the personal aircraft of Russian General Fyodor Polynin, Commander of the Polish Air Force in 1944 - 1947).|group="N"
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| - "One of the enduring myths regarding the P-39/P-63 in Soviet use is that because of its armament, in particular the 37mm nose cannon, it excelled as a ground-attack aircraft, even a 'tank buster.' In translating and preparing this manuscript for publication, I have had the opportunity to peruse several Russian-language sources. Mentions of the employment of this aircraft in the ground-attack role are so rare in these sources as to be exceptional ... The 'tank buster' myth has its roots in the misunderstanding of the general wartime role of the Red Air Force and in the imprecise translation of specific Russian-language terms that describe this role. The specific Russian-Language term most often used to describe the mission and role of the Airacobra-equipped Red Air Force fighter units, in this manuscript and other Russian-language sources , as prikrytiye sukhoputnykh voysk [coverage of ground forces]... Frequent misunderstanding in this country as to the combat role of the P-39 in Soviet use is based in part on imprecise translation of the term prikrytiye sukhoputnykh voysk to 'ground support'. The latter term as it is understood by many Western military historians and readers, suggests the attacking of ground targets in support of ground troops, also called "close air support." Soviet Airacobra pilot ever strafe a German tank? Undoubtedly. But this was never a primary mission or strong suit for this aircraft."
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| - Fighter
- Fighter/Fighter-Bomber
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| - Up to 500 lb of bombs under wings and belly
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| - Soviet Army Colonel Dmitriy Loza
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