Bell Aeracobra

The P-39 was one of America's first-line pursuit planes in December 1941. It made its initial flight in April 1939 at Wright Field, Ohio, and by the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, nearly 600 had been built. Its unique engine location behind the cockpit caused some pilot concern at first, but experience showed that this was no more of a hazard in a crash landing than with an engine located forward of the cockpit. From the Aeracobra the P-63 Kingcobra was developed.

• The Aeracobra on display at the USAF Museum (Dayton) is a P-39Q, was obtained by the Air Force Museum Foundation from Hardwick Aircraft Co., El Monte, Calif., in 1966 and painted as a P-39D flown by Lt. Leslie Spoonts of the 57th Fighter Squadron on Adak Island during the Aleutians Campaign.
• The P-63E Kingcobra on display at the USAF Museum was donated by Bell Aircraft Corp. in 1958. Although it lacks the armor plate and other "pinball" features, it is marked and painted in the unusual orange color scheme of an RP-63A.