Bell P-63E-1 Kingcobra - The Last Production Kingcobra

[Nostalgistic]

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Bell P-63E-1 Kingcobra

   Hello everybody. I’d like to introduce and suggest the Bell P-63E-1 Kingcobra for the US aviation tech tree. The P-63E-1 (Bell Model 41) was an improved, late-war production variant developed after the prototype P-63D. While it retained many similarities with the earlier P-63C, the P-63E-1 was upgraded with the powerful 1,425-hp Allison V-1710-109 engine and a larger wingspan inherited from the P-63D. Unlike the P-63D, it restored the ventral fin extension and reverted to the standard car-door canopy. With only thirteen units produced, I believe it would be a worthy addition following the P-63A-10/C-5 folder in the US tree.

Key Characteristics

• 1,425-hp Allison V-1710-109 engine (same as P-63D)
• Enlarged wingspan
• Restored ventral fin extension
• Standard car-door canopy (not the P-63D’s bubble canopy)
• Armed with either the low-velocity 37mm M10 cannon or the experimental 20mm T31 cannon

History

The P-63E-1 Kingcobra was developed as a continuation of Bell’s efforts to improve the Kingcobra series, following the prototype P-63D. Built in early 1945, the P-63E-1 combined elements of both the P-63C and P-63D, featuring the 1,425 hp Allison V-1710-109 engine and enlarged wingspan of the P-63D, but reverting to the standard car-door canopy and low-velocity 37 mm M10 cannon used on earlier variants. Unlike the P-63D, the P-63E-1 restored the ventral fin extension, a feature that helped improve high-speed stability.

Other notable features of the P-63E-1 included a new Aeroproducts propeller and an increase of 28 US gallons in internal fuel capacity, enhancing its endurance. Though most P-63E-1s were equipped with the M10 cannon, some sources suggest the aircraft may have also tested the experimental 20 mm T31 cannon, carrying up to 175 rounds. I am unable to find the additional information to verify this claim.

A total of thirteen P-63E-1s were completed for flight testing in early 1945. Bell had secured a large-scale production contract for an estimated 2,900-3,000 additional units, designated P-63E-5, which were to include the bubble canopy and other improvements. Some of these were planned for delivery to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. However, the end of the war in Europe led to the cancellation of the full production run.

Following World War II, five of the thirteen P-63E-1s were exported to Honduras, where they served in the Honduran Air Force in the late 1940s. A few P-63Es have survived into the modern era and are preserved in museums today.

Specifications

Bell P-63E-1 Kingcobra

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1 (Pilot)
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
  • Wingspan: 39 ft 2 in (11.9 m)
  • Wing Area: 255 sq ft (23.69 sq m)
• Propeller: 4-blade constant-speed
• Powerplant: Allison V-1710-109 V12
  • Power: 1,425 hp (1,048 kW)
• Weights:
  • Empty: 7,300 lb (3,311 kg)
  • Combat: 9,400 lb (4,264 kg)
  • Max Takeoff: 11,200 lb (5,080 kg)

Performance

• Power-to-Weight: 0.15 hp/lb (0.25 kW/kg)
• Speed @ Critical Altitude: 410 mph @ 25,000 ft (660 km/h @ 7,620 m)
• Wing Loading: 36.86 lb/sq ft (180 kg/sq m)
• Climb Rate: 7.6 min → 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
• Service Ceiling: ~39,000 ft (11,887 m)
• Range:
  • Combat: 725 mi (1,167 km)
  • Ferry: 2,150 mi (3,460 km) with external tanks

Armament

• Guns:
  • 1 x 37mm M10 cannon (58 rounds) or 1 x 20mm T31 cannon (175 rounds)
  • 4 x .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns (900 rounds)
• Bomb: 3 x 500-lb M64 bombs

Images

Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

   This suggestion is part of my broader effort to promote more World War II content in War Thunder. I believe the P-63E-1 would be a strong candidate for a tech tree addition in War Thunder, as it represents the final production variant of the Kingcobra series, albeit one that arrived too late to see combat during World War II. From a performance standpoint, the P-63E-1 offers notable improvements over earlier American Kingcobras, thanks to its uprated powerplant with an improved supercharger. Thus, the P-63E-1 would make a welcome and well-rounded addition to the US Aviation, expanding the Kingcobra family with this variant.

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Sources

• P-39 Airacobra in Action (1980)
• P-39 Airacobra In Detail & Scale 63 (1999)
• Crowood Aviation Series Bell P-39 Airacobra (2000)
• Bell P-63E Kingcobra
• Bell P-63 Kingcobra
• Bell P-39 Airacobra & P-63 Kingcobra
• Bell P-63 Kingcobra - Wikipedia

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

[jon_man1199]

Sure, why not, it would be nice to have the last mass-produced variant of the 63. So take my +1