P-39 airacobra project

[cobra]

Hi everyone,

I have a Bell P-39D1 Airacobra that fought in the battle of the Bismark sea and served at Milne bay and Lae in New guinea in the pacific with the 35th FS in WW2, it has a good story, one confirmed air to air kill, several ground kills, two barges sunk, (kill and barges visible on the side), bell aircraft made a magazine ad about this plane a pilot in the war, it is an extensive project made up of mostly original parts, some nos parts and some new build parts. it includes the fuselage keel, rollover, wings, tail section/empannage with control surfaces, many smaller parts and sections.

asking $60k for it if any rebuilders are interested. I am rebuilding another airacobra myself and can provide pre formed and heat treated sheet metal sub assemblies for anyone wanting to rebuild it.

Located in Australia

thanks

(some photos, too much to list)

6195
6196
6197
6198
6199
6200
6201
6202

[crusty old aviator]

I'd rather have a P-400...

[cobra]

I'd rather have a P-400...

they are the exact same airframe, the only difference was the armament (20mm cannon vs 37mm, 30 cal vs 50 cal) though the D-1 was the same as a P-400.

anyway its sold

[choppergirl]

What's the story with the little drawn on airplane doodle circled in red? Just something you found?

My G. Grandfather (still alive) in a P-38 out of Port Moresby / 1944:

http://marlee2.peachcountry.com/6_19_2007_4.jpg

What he wrote me a few years back:


Let me tell you about that date when I crawled out of the P-39 and why I don't
think it can ever be found. By the way it was Jan. 23, 1943 and not the 28th as
listed. When I hit the ground I was in the middle of the outback, and it was the
middle of the summer there and it was hot. I was beside the trickle of a small
stream and I decided I had better stay close to it for I did not have a canteen. As
I walked down stream it got bigger and bigger and I finally looked up and saw a
windmill and a house. Before I started my walk I saw a lot of heavy black smoke and
knew the plane had exploded and burned. I was greeted by members of an
outback cattle station that was isolated in some hundreds of square miles of space.

For the next three days we went on horseback looking for the wreckage and even
though they were familiar with the territory we could not find any evidence of the
crash. Now after all these years I think it would be impossible to locate any of
it. The squadron came to get me in a jeep and took me back to Charters Towers,
Australia that was the base I took off from. a few days later I was on the way to
New Guinea and combat and the rest is history.

About the P-38s, I don't know what happened to all of them. Get on google and read
the story of The Glacier Girl, a P-38 that was dug out of the ice and restored. I
went to Middlesboro, KY and saw it after it was restored. I have some pictures in
front of it. It has been sold to a private party and is now somewhere in Texas.

The attachment shows my membership card as a member of the Caterpillar Club. The
other attachment is of the P-38 model that Sully sent me last Christmas. You can
read the inscription placque.

You haven't told me if you would be interested in reading some chapters of the book
on Lt. Bob Thorpe that I flew with and was beheaded by the Japanese. Also the movie
script.

Keep in touch.



My P-38 Marlee 2 / Port Moresby folder: http://marlee2.peachcountry.com

(http://marlee2.peachcountry.com)

[Kyle Boatright]

What's the story with the little drawn on airplane doodle circled in red? Just something you found?

My G. Grandfather (still alive) in a P-38 out of Port Moresby / 1944:

http://marlee2.peachcountry.com/6_19_2007_4.jpg

What he wrote me a few years back:


I'm sure that's your grandfather, and I agree that he's in a fighter plane, but it isn't a P-38. I think it is a P-47.

[FearTheH]

I'm sure that's your grandfather, and I agree that he's in a fighter plane, but it isn't a P-38. I think it is a P-47.

It's a P40 Warhawk.

[rwanttaja]

It's a P40 Warhawk.
My vote's with a P-47B or C. Note the lower line of the front windshield in the lower illustration:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/25/b3/fd/25b3fd4f09f8b8c8efc0df2af2a5664c.jpg
The plexiglass of the windshield curves down until it intersects the plane of the canopy bow. That closely matches the original photo, right down to the diagonal brace.

On a P-40, on the other hand, the plexiglass comes down and takes a sharp turn aft and runs horizontally for ten inches or so until it reaches the bow.

http://www.vintagewings.ca/Portals/0/Vintage_Stories/News%20Stories%20D/HS-B%20Discovered/HS-B11.jpg

Ron Wanttaja

[rwanttaja]

It's a P40 Warhawk.
My vote's with a P-47B or C. Here's the original:

http://marlee2.peachcountry.com/6_19_2007_4.jpg

Note how the plexiglass of the windshield curves down until it intersects the plane of the canopy bow. Compare it to the lower image in this drawing:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/25/b3/fd/25b3fd4f09f8b8c8efc0df2af2a5664c.jpg
That closely matches the original photo, right down to the diagonal brace.

On a P-40, on the other hand, the plexiglass comes down and takes a sharp turn aft and runs horizontally for ten inches or so until it reaches the bow.

http://www.vintagewings.ca/Portals/0/Vintage_Stories/News%20Stories%20D/HS-B%20Discovered/HS-B11.jpg

Ron Wanttaja

[FearTheH]

I see your point but the windscreen is still different from both of your historic photos, and upon that epiphany I don't believe it's a 40 either for the same reasons...I saw triangular sliding canopy and that's what got rattled around in my brain lol

[cobra]

What's the story with the little drawn on airplane doodle circled in red? Just something you found?

My G. Grandfather (still alive) in a P-38 out of Port Moresby / 1944:

http://marlee2.peachcountry.com/6_19_2007_4.jpg

What he wrote me a few years back:



My P-38 Marlee 2 / Port Moresby folder: http://marlee2.peachcountry.com

(http://marlee2.peachcountry.com)

its a painting of a japanese plane that this airacobra shot down, underneath it are japanese landing barges it sunk.

Im sure lews cobra is toast, though i believe parts were found. most cobras have been recovered here, though there is one missing.
He flew P-47's in new guinea.

[FearTheH]

Did you sell it to someone else in Australia? There's a guy here in Virginia(USA) that owns a Military Aviation Museum and I'm sure would love to get his hands on it.

[cobra]

Did you sell it to someone else in Australia? There's a guy here in Virginia(USA) that owns a Military Aviation Museum and I'm sure would love to get his hands on it.

no, the wings were sold here, the rest has been broken up due to lack of interest.

i think you may be talking about jerry yagan, his P-39 was rebuilt here at precision aerospace but has now moved for finishing to pioneer restorations in new zealand, you can see it here http://www.pioneeraero.co.nz/project/p-39f-1be-airacobra/