- Yes
- No
Hello everybody. I’d like to introduce and suggest the Bell P-39D-1 Airacobra for the US aviation tech tree, and this is one of my series of suggestions for the early P-39 variants in the US Army Air Corps and US Army Air Force services. The P-39D-1 was the first subversion developed from the P-400 and incorporated some changes, and this variant had seen actions in the South Pacific.
History
P-39D-1 was the first of two batches specifically ordered for the United Kingdom and its allies. 150 P-39D-1s were produced from June 11 to September 17, 1941. The P-39D-1 was still powered by an Allison V-1710-35 engine. It was armed with a 20mm M1 cannon with an ammunition capacity of 60 rounds and retained the same armament of two .50-cal and four .30-cal machine guns. The P-39D-1 has a new tail shape within a small dorsal fillet, where it merged with the top of the fuselage; it became standard on all later P-39 variants.
Most of these P-39D-1s were intended to be shipped to the United Kingdom, but the Royal Air Force had rejected the P-39 as an aircraft option for the frontline fighter. Some were rerouted and delivered to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. Several P-39D-1s were re-issued to the US Army Air Forces squadrons and painted Olive Drab.
The 8th Fighter Group and the 35th Fighter Group were deployed to their mission in New Guinea, where they began to experience severe combat and operational losses from June 1942 and onwards. The reinforcements of new P-39D-1s arrived in August 1942 and were issued to the mixed 8th and 35th FGs with P-400s and P-39D-2s.
The P-39D-1s were used by the 347th Fighter Group at Guadalcanal in August 1942, where their tricycle landing gear made it ideally suitable for operations on the rough strips on Guadalcanal and elsewhere in the Pacific. In Guadalcanal, P-39D-1s demonstrated as a successful ground-attack platform and fighter bomber but struggled against the A6M Zero in aerial combat.
The P-39D-1 and other Airacobra variants also operated in Alaska, defying the Japanese forces in the Aleutians until 1943 with replacements of more modern warplanes.
Specifications
Bell P-39D-1 AiracobraGeneral Characteristics
- Crew: 1 (Pilot)
- Length: 30 ft 2 in (9.19 m)
- Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.6 m)
- Span: 34 ft (10.36 m)
- Wing Area: 213.0 sq ft (19.78 sq m)
- Propeller Type: 3-bladed Curtiss Electric propeller
- Propeller Diameter: 10 ft 4.5 in (3.16 m)
- Powerplant: Allison V-1710-35 liquid-cooled piston engine with single-stage, single-speed supercharger
→ 1,150 hp (846 kW)- Internal Fuel: 120 US gal. (454 L)
- Oil Tankage: 13.8 US gal. (52.2 L)
- Empty Weight: 6,300 lb (2,858 kg)
- Gross Weight: 7,830 lb (3,552 kg)
- Max. Takeoff Weight: 8,200 lb (3,719 kg)
Engine ratings
Takeoff:
→ 1,150 BHP @ 3,000 RPM @ S.L.
Military:
→ 1,150 BHP @ 3,000 RPM @ 12,000 ft
Maximum continuous:
→ 1,000 BHP @ 2,600 RPM @ 10,800 ft
Performance
- Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.15 (0.24 kW/kg)
- Sea Level Speed: 309 mph (497 km/h)
- Critical Altitude Speed: 368 mph @ 12,000 ft (592 km/h @ 3,658 m)
- Wing Loading: 36.7 lb/sq ft (179.2 kg/sq m)
- Service Ceiling: 32,100 ft (9,784 m)
- Combat Range: 800 miles (1,288 km)
- Max. Range: 1,545 miles (2,486 km) w/ external ferrying tanks
Armament
- Guns:
- 20-mm M1 cannon (60 rounds)
- 2 x .50-cal. M2 Browning machine guns (200 - 270 rpg; 400 - 540 rounds)
- 4 x .30-cal. M1919 Browning machine guns (250 - 1,000 rpg; 1,000 - 4,000 rounds)
- Bomb:
- 1 x 250-lb M57 bomb
- 1 x 300-lb M31 bomb
- 1 x 500-lb M43 bomb
- 1 x 600-lb M32 bomb
- Drop Tank:
- 1 x 75-gal drop tank
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
I made this suggestion to request more World War II-era vehicles for War Thunder. I feel the P-39D-1 is another significant aircraft with historical value that deserves a place in the game, as it was among the earlier American aircraft to oppose the Japanese air raids in the Pacific in 1942-1943. Performance-wise, the P-39D-1 is similar to the P-400 but is lighter and has less armor overall than the P-400. Thus, this P-39D-1 would make a welcoming addition to the P-39 Airacobra family for US aviation.
See Also - P-39 Family
I made additional suggestions for other P-39 variants. If you’re interested in these suggestions, check them out!
- T.O. 01-110FE-1 Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions for Army Models P-39D-1 and -2 (5 March 1943)
- The Bell P-39 Airacobra, Profile Publications Ltd, Profile 165
- P-39 Airacobra in Action (1980)
- P-39 Airacobra In Detail & Scale 63 (1999)
- Crowood Aviation Series Bell P-39 Airacobra (2000)
- P-39 Airacobra Aces of World War 2 (2001)
- Mushroom Yellow Series 6106 Bell P-39 Airacobra (2003)
- P-39/P-400 Airacobra vs A6M2/3 Zero-sen: New Guinea 1942 (2018)
- Bell P-39D-1,2 Airacobra
- P-39 Performance Tests
- Bell P-39 Airacobra - Wikipedia
- Bell P-39 Airacobra & P-63 Kingcobra
- Bell P-39 Airacobra Single-Seat, Single-Engine Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃