Bell P-63 Kingcobra: The WW2 Cobra Fighter Aircraft
In the realm of wildlife, the king cobra is a famously deadly venomous snake, known for its speed. Thankfully, these land-dwelling serpents don’t fly. However, in the world of military aviation, a similarly deadly entity known as the Ww2 Cobra Fighter Aircraft did take to the skies – the Bell P-63 Kingcobra. Unlike its reptilian namesake, the Kingcobra fighter dealt death with machine guns and bombs, not venom. Let’s explore the history of this intriguing aircraft, and where it fits into the broader context of fighter aircraft generations.
P-63 Kingcobra: Origins and Specifications
The P-63 Kingcobra first flew on December 7, 1942, one year after the Pearl Harbor attack, and entered USAAF service in October 1943. Manufactured by Bell Aircraft Corporation (now Bell Textron), it was conceived as an evolution of their earlier P-39 Airacobra. Like the P-39, it featured an unusual mid-engine design. However, despite their similar appearance, the Pima Air & Space Museum (https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/bell-p-63e/) highlights key differences: “[T]hey are in fact quite different and share no parts in common. The Kingcobra is significantly larger and uses an advanced laminar flow wing design similar to that of the P-51 Mustang.” Learn more about the evolution and list of fighter aircraft by generation.
The P-63 boasted the following key specifications:
| Characteristic | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Fuselage Length | 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m) |
| Wingspan | 38 ft 4 in (11.68 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 7 in (3.84 m) |
| Empty Weight | 6,800 lb (3,084 kg) |
| Gross weight | 8,800 lb (3,992 kg) |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 10,700 lb (4,853 kg) |
| Max Airspeed | 410 mph (660 km/h, 360 kn) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m) |
| Range | 450 mi (720 km, 390 NM) |
| Service Ceiling | 43,000 ft (13,000 m) |
| Armament | Guns: 1 × 37 mm M4/M10 cannon (propeller hub), 4 × .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns (2 nose, 2 wing) |
| Bombs: 1,500 lb (680 kg) bomb load |
Combat Role and Operators
Interestingly, the Ww2 Cobra Fighter Aircraft saw no combat service with the USAAF. Instead, American forces used them for a unique form of training. The Military Aviation Museum (https://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/aircraft/bell-p-63-kingcobra/) describes this: “Provided with special armor plating and a system of lights to indicate when it had been ‘hit,’ manned P-63s would be fired on by trainee gunners using special frangible bullets. The flashing lights earned these airplanes the nickname ‘Pinball.'”
Bell P-63E Kingcobra 'Pinball' target aircraft
The primary combat operator of the P-63 was the Soviet Air Force. Through the Lend-Lease Act, 2,397 Kingcobras were delivered to the Soviet Union, accounting for a significant majority (72.6%) of the total 3,303 produced. While restricted from use against Germany under the agreement terms, these aircraft were stationed in the Soviet Far East for the planned campaign against Japan. This was typical of early what are the generations of fighter aircraft strategies.
Soviet records confirm the Kingcobra’s combat debut against Japanese forces in the final days of WWII. Red Air Force pilots effectively utilized the P-63’s ruggedness and features for escort, close air support, and ground attack missions. The aircraft achieved its first air-to-air victory on August 15, 1945, when Lieutenant I. Miroshnichenko shot down a Japanese Ki-43 Hayabusa fighter.
Beyond the Soviets, 114 P-63s were delivered to the French Air Force in 1945. Though too late for WWII combat, they saw action during the First Indochina War before being replaced around 1951. While the P-63 served in Indochina, naval air power, including 3rd gen fighter aircraft like the Bearcat, soon took over.
Where Are They Now? Surviving WW2 Cobra Fighter Aircraft
After WWII, the Soviets kept their P-63s in service until around 1950, earning the NATO reporting name “Fred.” France retired theirs by September 1951. Honduras was the last nation to retire the Kingcobra from official service, though the specific year is unclear. Stateside, many found new life in the air racing circuit.
Out of the 3,303 P-63s manufactured, approximately 14 survive today. Of these, four are reported as airworthy:
- Registration No. 42-68864 Pretty Polly: Palm Springs Air Museum, California.
- Reg. No. 42-68941 TEST: Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia, Peachtree City, Georgia.
- Reg. No. 42-69080 Fatal Fang: Yanks Air Museum, Chino, California.
- Reg. No. 43-11223: Legacy Flight Museum, Rexburg, Idaho (painted as P-63A-6/42-69021).
Tragically, one of the airworthy Kingcobras (Reg. No. 43-11719), a rare P-63F variant, was lost in a collision with a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress at the Wings Over Dallas airshow on November 12, 2022. The accident resulted in fatalities aboard both aircraft.
Conclusion
The Bell P-63 Kingcobra holds a unique place in aviation history. While primarily serving as a high-tech target drone for the US, this ww2 cobra fighter aircraft proved its mettle in combat, particularly with the Soviet Air Force on the Eastern Front and against Japan. Today, a small number of these distinctive aircraft survive, reminding us of their unconventional role and surprising effectiveness in the closing chapters of World War II.
