Bell King Cobra Crash

[SmanUK]

Hi, Dose anyone have any video of the Bell King Cobra that crashed at Biggin Hill. Oh and if you also have it, the report into why it crashed.
Thanks

[EAF51_Bear]

As far as I know it was the only P39 Aircobra still flying in Europe.
I saw it at her first public flight ad Duxford in 2004

There are some news about the fcat on this forum:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/archive...p/t-49287.html

You can find some pic of that Aircobra here (scroll down to mid page):
http://ambiorix.spymac.com/introduction.html

It seem the pilot lost control of the plkane. The fact is knowing what he was doing that time. I read several books of WW2 pilots who say that the P-39, due to the location of the engine, was not at all a plane to be used for aerobatic.
A number of Italian pilots, flying P-39 with co-belligerant Air Force (ICAF) in 1943-45, run into accidents and even died just because they were doing aerobatcs with their Aircobra.

You can find more news on what above in the book "Marco Mattioli - Bell P39 Aircobra in Italian Service - - ED. Aviolibri (double language book, Italian + English)

[R988]

The P-39s difficult flying characteristics are fairly well known.

[SmanUK]

Originally Posted by EAF51_Bear

It seem the pilot lost control of the plkane. The fact is knowing what he was doing that time. I read several books of WW2 pilots who say that the P-39, due to the location of the engine, was not at all a plane to be used for aerobatic.
A number of Italian pilots, flying P-39 with co-belligerant Air Force (ICAF) in 1943-45, run into accidents and even died just because they were doing aerobatcs with their Aircobra.

Thanks. I play IL2 and theres one in that, such a hard aircraft to fly. It tip stalls very easy. Shame it crashed, was such a nice aircraft to look at too.

[Tjen il-vec]

Originally Posted by EAF51_Bear

It seem the pilot lost control of the plkane. The fact is knowing what he was doing that time. I read several books of WW2 pilots who say that the P-39, due to the location of the engine, was not at all a plane to be used for aerobatic.

Yep, thats the same thing about the P-38 lightning except for the engine. But if so, why do they fly these airplanes like that? And what does one mean with aerobatics ? A roll and a loop is not exactly extreme aerobatic flying as far as I'm concerned. The real aerobatic flying is not in any way committed to loops and a half Cuban eight or a roll.
For instance, the fact that they were not allowed to do a victory roll after a mission was more due to unknown afflicted damage during a dogfight....




regards,

Tjen