P-39 Airacobra, Mk.I, P-400, P-39D-1 a P-39D-2, 2. část – Šnajdr Miroslav (2021)

Another in the series of publications dedicated to the famous American fighter type, the Bell P-39 Airacobra. The aircraft was characterized by an unusual design: the weight of the heavy armament located in the nose was compensated by installing the power unit behind the cockpit. This solution was intended to ensure great agility and maneuverability due to the placement of the engine at the aircraft's center of gravity. However, the weak altitude performance meant that the P-39 did not receive high praise in most theaters during World War II (with the honorable exception of the Eastern Front). The second part is dedicated to the variants Airacobra Mk.I, P-400, P-39D-1, and P-39D-2, in which the 37mm cannon typically associated with the type was replaced by a lighter 20mm weapon. Initial experiences with the aircraft in the British Royal Air Force are included, including a brief operational service with the 601st Squadron RAF. It was with this unit that Czechoslovak pilots also flew the Airacobra Mk.I. The reader will also become more familiar with the initial combat appearance of the Airacobras in the colors of the American Army Air Forces on the Pacific island of New Guinea. It was here that the P-400s (as well as the P-39D and P-39F, which were technically introduced in the first part of the series) faced off against the excellent Japanese...