The Soviet Union was in dire need of capable fighter aircraft and were already a prime operator of the P-39 series. The P-63 seemed like another good match for the Red arsenal and, with input from Soviet test pilot Andrey G. Kochetkov, the P-63 Kingcobra was modified for the better and ultimately shipped to the Soviet Union from Nome, Alaska, to be used solely against Japanese forces in the East. Despite this "agreement" on the part of the Soviets, P-63 air groups were set up in the West to battle the Germans. The P-63 excelled in the ground attack role, providing for adequate low-flying characteristics and a concentrated dose of lethal armament making them ideal tank busters. Engaging and downing enemy fighters also something of a rarity but still possible. Soviet use of the P-63 amounted to over 72% of all Kingcobras produced, making them the primary operator of the aircraft.
The P-63 survived wartime to be used by a handful of operators. France received at least 300 models at the close of the war and utilized these through the rest of the decade. Honduras became another primary operator while the United Kingdom received just two examples. The United States Army Air Corps and the United States Army Air Force were the two local operators of the Kingcobra platform though the United States never used the platform in anger.
While the Airacobra was spawned into a large number of ever-improving variants, the Kingcobra saw a more restricted production life. The XP-63 represented the first two prototypes with serial numbers 41-19511 and 41-19512 and featured a laminar air flow wing. The XP-63A were two examples intended to fit the Rolls-Royce Merlin and sporting bomb racks. The initial production models became the P-63A of which some 1,725 examples were delivered in blocks 1 through 10.
The XP-63B was a proposed model based on the Merlin-powered XP-63A prototypes. While this arrangement might have proved promising on paper, American Merlin engines were already earmarked for use in production North American P-51 Mustangs. As such, the XP-63B fell to naught.
The P-63C series became the second production Kingcobras. They fitted the Allison V-1710-117 water-injected engine with up to 1,800 horsepower output. Some 1,777 examples were produced of this type.
The P-63D was a one-off design fitting the Allison V-1710-109 (E22) series engine of 1,425 horsepower. A bubble canopy (as opposed to the automotive-style doors) was part of the changes that also included the lengthening of the wings. This model never entered quantitative deliveries for production of all Kingcobras was stopped by this time.
The P-63E was similar to the D-model but sported the original automotive-style doors of the P-39 Airacobra and P-63A and P-63C Kingcobras. The underside fin was extended some and anew propeller were fitted though only 13 examples of this Kingcobra made it out the door. The E-model exhibited a top speed of 408 miles per hour, a cruising speed of 280 miles per hour, a range of 450 miles and a service ceiling of 43,000 feet.
Similarly, only two of the P-63F models were produced, these fitting the Allison V-1710-135 engine and a larger-area vertical fin. the XP-63H was a single conversion attempt based on a modified P-63E and featuring a new engine.
As the case with most of the unwanted airframes seeing service past their worthy lifespans, the P-63 was covered in an overall bright orange paint scheme to be used as manned target aircraft (complete with "kill" lights) and target tugs. These encompassed the RP-63A (100 examples) and RP-63C (200 examples) and RP-63G "Pinball" models (32 examples). RP-63A/C's were based on five P-63A completed production models modified for the role while at least 95 other A-models were modified as such while still on the production lines. These later became known as QF-63As. The RP-63G Pinballs were more dedicated to the flying target role and modified as such. These later became the QF-63G.
Two P-63C production models were converted into L-39 test aircraft for swept wing and wind tunnel evaluation.
At the time of their production, a single P-63 cost American tax payers $48,000 to produce. Over 3,300 Kingcobras were produced - a far cry from the successful venture P-39 Airacobra, that series producing over 9,000 examples.
Despite not making it as the improved Airacobra it was intended to be, the Kingcobra still found a home taking on ground targets. It proved a sound concept in the realm of ground attack and her airframe proved as reliable as her armament proved lethal. The Soviets enjoyed many-a-success with the type as they did with the P-39 series as a whole. In all, the larger Kingcobra proved, at the very least, to be a slight improvement over her predecessor.
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