Subject: Number Sixty-Three in the Series--Bell P-63 Kingcobra (7 of 8)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 27 Apr 93 16:30:08 GMT

>From [email-masked]

The last wartime version of the Kingcobra was the P-63F.  It differed 
from the P-63E in having an extended vertical tail for better control 
in addition to the ventral fin extension.  It used the Allison 
V-1710-135 engine of 1425 hp instead of the similar-powered V-1710-109 
of the P-63E.  

The first P-63E flew in April of 1945.  Only two were built (43-11719 
and 43-11722) before postwar cancellations brought further development 
of the Kingcobra line to an end.  

After the war, lots of Kingcobras were disposed of as surplus on the 
commercial market.  P-63F 43-11719 was sold to a commercial user, and 
in later years it passed though a succession of owners and carried 
numerous civilian registration numbers.  It was used extensively for 
unlimited racing.  Bearing the civilian registration NX1719, it 
finished tenth in the Thompson Trophy races in 1946.  It finished 
fourth in the 1976 Mojave Races.  I am unaware of its ultimate fate.  
Anyone know? 

Sources:

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.  

  War Planes of the Second World War, William Green, Doubleday, 1964.  

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and 
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.  

  P-39 Airacobra In Action, Ernie McDowell, Squadron/Signal 
  Publications, 1980.  

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
2000 North Naperville Road      Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033