Bell P-39Q Airacobra – Old Crow, 363rd FS, 357th FG, USAAF, Bud Anderson, Tonopah, CA, 1943 DISPLAYED

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA1707: Bell P-39Q Airacobra Old Crow of 363rd FS, 357th FG, USAAF, Bud Anderson, Tonopah, CA, 1943

Length 5 inches Wingspan 5.75 inches

PLEASE NOTE: This is an imperfect ex display model. Comes with all original parts except the top of the display stand which has a rubber plug added.. Paintwork has the odd imperfection which has been touched in but not in A1 condition. Photos of actual model.

In September 1942 Clarence Emil “Bud” Anderson graduated as a pilot. He was assigned to the 328th FG flying the P-39 that he called “Old Crow”. One year later Anderson was transferred to the 363rd FS, 357th FG at Tonopah Nevada. Since they were flying the P-39 the pilots thought they would be assigned to the Pacific or North Africa. Later in 1943 the 357th shipped out for Europe without their Airacobras and received P-51 Mustangs. Anderson ended WWII with 16.25 victories and over his career was decorated 25 times.

The Bell P-39 was a revolutionary designed aircraft with the engine placed in the middle of the fuselage just behind the cockpit. The propeller shaft ran under the cockpit floor just beneath the pilot’s feet. All this was done to make room for the 37mm M4 canon that fired through the propeller hub. The M4 turned out to have limited ammunition, slow rate of fire and prone to jamming. To add to the poor performance a turbocharger wasn’t provided limiting the aircraft to low level duties.

Designed as a single-engine high-altitude interceptor aircraft, the P-39 was first flown on April 6th, 1938. The main purpose of the engine configuration-placed behind the cockpit-was to free up space for the heavy main armament, a 37 mm cannon firing through the centre of the propeller hub for optimum accuracy and stability. Unfortunately the Airacobra was vulnerable to any enemy fighter with decent high altitude performance, but its rear-mounted engine made it ideal for ground attack since return fire was less likely to hit the engine. The Airacobra saw combat throughout the world, particularly in the Pacific, Mediterranean and Russian theatres.