P-39 Airacobra Dil2 / Part 2 Airacobra Mk.I, P-400, P-39D-1 a P-39D-2

Another in a series of publications dedicated to the well-known American fighter type Bell P-39 Airacobra. The aircraft was characterized by an unusual concept: the weight in the bow situated strong armament designers compensated by installing a power unit behind the cockpit. Thanks to the location of the engine at the center of gravity of the aircraft, the chosen solution was to ensure great dexterity and mobility. However, poor altitude performance meant that the P-39 during World War II did not receive too high a rating on most battlefields (with the honorable exception of the Eastern Front).

The second part is devoted to variants Airacobra Mk.I, P-400, P-39D-1 and P-39D-2, in which the type usually associated with a 37mm fuselage cannon replaced a lighter weapon caliber 20 mm. Initial experience with the aircraft in the British Royal Air Force is included, including a short operational service with the 601st Squadron of the RAF. It was with this unit that Czechoslovak pilots also flew with Airacobra Mk.I. The reader will also get acquainted in more detail with the introductory combat performance of Airacober in the colors of the US Air Force on the Pacific island of New Guinea. It was here that the Belly P-400 (as well as the P-39D and P-39F, which were technically introduced in the first part of the series) measured forces with the excellent Japanese naval fighter Mitsubishi A6M2 (Zero).

The publication is in A4 format, full-color on high-quality coated paper, V2 binding, 52 pages, a number of photographs, color side views.