Bell P-39 WWII Aircraft
Restoration Project

In 1938, airplane designers R.J. Woods and O.L. Woodson developed a unique fighter plane for Bell Aircraft. The Bell P-39 Airacobra's single Allison engine was mounted behind the pilot and the fighter plane rested on tricycle landing gear. The propeller was driven with a long shaft, which was also equipped with a cannon that would fire through the propeller. Airacobra's pilots had exceptional visibility while in flight as well as on the ground because of the tricycle landing gear.

In 1941 the French placed the first production order for the Airacobra. Britain soon followed with their production order, but due to their disappointment in ground attack performance, a portion of their order was undelivered. The United States Army Air Force purchased the undelivered airplanes and used them as trainers.

Several variations of the Bell Airacobra were produced, but none as large and the P-39Q, which numbered over 4,900. Production of the Airacobra stopped in 1944 and Bell began producing the P-63 Kingcobra. Several countries used P-39's including France, Italy, Portugal, Britain, and the United States, but the Soviet Union acquired over 5,000 of the total 9,588 Airacobra's built.

The Fighter Factory Bell P-39 Airacobra is currently being restored in Australia from several wreckages recovered in Russia. It will be several years before this rare airplane is flying again.

Bell P-39 Photos