Recovered WWII Bell P-39

[rufus]

Copied from elsewhere because it's interesting:

This is a fantastic video to watch. After 60 years, a Bell P-39 Aircobra was found intact in a remote Russian lake. It's currently being restored in the same building where it was produced. Did you know that the girls, like Rosie the Riveter, who built these planes wrote their names and addresses on the plane's bulkheads? They're still there!

Watch the video here: Recovered WWII Bell P-39 Aircobra

Enjoy.

Read More

 

[speedtriple]

Very cool story.. thanks for posting the link!

 

[orygun]

That's awesome!

 

[oldbrass]

Great story, thanx for posting

 

[sheepdip]

cool, thanks rufus

 

[Ironbar]

Here's some more info:

Bell P39Q-15BE 44-2911 Airacobra

 

[rufus]

Great info Ironbar. I wonder if the stew was still edible? (Yuk!)

With the engine behind the pilot, I was curious about the drive train of the Airacobra. You can really see the prop shaft in this picture of the cockpit: http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/sheppard/p39/p39b.jpg

 

[PaulZ]

Thanks,

 

[PhantomWorks]

Cool!
Wonder if Paul Allen picked this one up to?

 

[ATCclears]

Thanks for posting this!

Separately, if you enjoy this then I'd highly recommend a visit to the Flying Heritage Collection (owned by Paul Allen, former Microsoft co-founder). Every Summer the FHC has a series of "fly days" where they fly aircraft in their collection. Last Summer I was there when they had two P-51s, a Bf-109, a B-17, and a B-25 all going at the same time. The museum is in Everett, WA at Paine Field (which is just North of Seattle).
Home : The Flying Heritage Collection

Peter

 

[Russianfist]

I alway felt the aerocobra was a beautiful plane. Very cool they found another one.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

Sweet!

 

[Scrammer]

Thank you.
The Russians like the P-39 because it was a good Panzer buster.

 

[Aero Denezol]

The lend-lease versions (P-400, I think) had a smaller cannon which didn't jam as often. P-39s had a real rough time in New Guinea against the Oscar and Zero. The Russians however, had great success with them..

Beautiful airplane, thanks for the story!

 

[kenno]

The cannon and it's feed system was designed by John Moses Browning, he may have designed the drive-line as well