P-39 Airacobra: In Defense of America's Worst Fighter?

Although successfully used in the Soviet Union and in the Mediterranean, the P-39's Airacobra reputation in the Southeast Pacific was poor. To explain this, we need to look at the context of its use in the area.

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Sources -
(Amazon Links are Affiliate)
Eric M. Bergerud, Fire in the Sky, Basic Books: 2001, https://amzn.to/3uAtHuo

Francis Dean, America's Hundred-Thousand: U.S. Production Fighters of World War Two, Schiffer Publishing: 1997, https://amzn.to/3wNlYuX

Rene J. Francillon, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War , Putnam 2nd Ed.: 1979, https://amzn.to/3wxZptQ

T.O. No. 01-110FE-1, Pilot‘s Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model P-39D-1 and -2, Rev. June 1943,

T.O. No. 01-125CF-1, Pilot‘s Flight Operating Instructions for P-40D and P-40E Airplanes, Rev. October 1943,

Michael J. Claringbould, P-39/P-400 vs A6M2/3, Osprey: 2018, https://amzn.to/3dEESuU

Michael J. Claringbould & Peter Ingman, South Pacific Air War Vol.3, Avonmore Books: 2019, https://amzn.to/2PPKxX8

Some pictures from: acepilots.com

Timecodes -
00:00 - Trying to get your attention
00:13 - Intro
01:08 - Restored P-39
01:42 - P-39 Design
05:26 - P-39: Range and Climb
09:04 - Comparison
10:21 - Context of theatre & pilots
15:19 - Combat losses & Reputation
17:37 - Ground support
18:20 - Reading recommendation
19:35 - P-39 in Soviet Union (briefly)
21:02 - Outro