Bell P-63 Kingcobra Flight Demonstration- BIG ALLISON SOUND!

[VitaminC440]

BEAUTY!!!

[squizzoo]

Nothing like a drive shaft under your "package".

[Stuckey57]

Always was a sharp looking aircraft!

[apatheticempathy]

Never see enuff P-63's or P-39's at airshows these days.

Thank you for posting this ... one has to love that odd mid engine set up.

Such a unique ww2 aircraft ! TY TY and TY ~

[kolbpilot]

@apatheticempathy Hell, I've never seen one. Not in Virginia.

[oiseautempete]

Nice and modern aircraft, realy nice sound, and i think he was most easyer to handle at ground with they tricycle landing gear: many many accident (landing or take of) with all other fighter with tail dragger gear (bad ground control and bad forward visibility).

The Russian pilot like it and found it very efficient...

[Greenhornet270]

Great Post one of my favorite planes of WW2 (along with the P-39)

[kolbpilot]

The P-51 gets all the glory, some deserved, other somewhat inflated. Many wonderful airplanes from that period from all sides. America in particular, was on its game when it came to flying and the P-63 is a perfect example. No machine can do it all.

[wildcatactual]

Great sound.

[penetriergott]

Wonderfull!!!!

[WardogOtter]

What a totally unique sound, I've never heard a cobra before...i like it.

[Eurofighter19]

Not a world beater but certainly an effective fighter given the right tasks.

I remember reading about how the Soviet prefer them over P-40s, mostly because of their effectiveness against ground targets.

[NucularCorpseman]

If anybody can confirm or deny something that I've read, I'd be grateful.

There's a research paper on the net that says that the P-63's Allison had a second supercharger, driven through a fluid coupling, and that the engine itself and the 2-stage 'charger compared well with the Merlin's, EXCEPT that the Allison didn't have a top-notch intercooling system, and that was its real disadvantage.

That would seem to make sense, but I lack the expertise to know for certain if it's true.

[WORTHLESSCUNT]

@NucularCorpseman The allison engine in the p-63 could compete but what held it back was the lack of fuel it could carry. The mustang the way it was designed could carry more fuel linked with the merlin engine is what made the mustang a legend. Now i am going to be a asshole. North american cheated those bastards waited for lockheed and bell to do all of the hard work so they could end up with all the glory. All the testing of airfoils and other stuff.

the

[kolbpilot]

I there some sort of clutch? I thought I read something long ago that when you engaged the drive shaft (and the propeller I suppose) you could feel the drive shaft tunnel twist under the load.

[Flyboy207]

Sure, not the most respected or best, but I STILL WANT ONE!!!

[nbachmann]

Great little plane. It can out perform a P 51 at most altitudes and the 37mm cannon was absolutely devastating in the hands of an expert pilot.

[pheenix42]

woops, never mind my comment...I just looked up some info, and I was completely mistaken!

[pheenix42]

Russia sure loved them....with the nose mounted cannon, it was terrific as a tank killer.

Thanks for the upload! =)

[bikewhiz]

Really nice video this is one of my favorite planes ....... 

[kolbpilot]

I always liked the 12 exhaust stacks on each side. Just another unique feature on a innovative, unique plane. The P-63 also has the distinction of being the first American fighter plane to be used (by the French) in the 10.000 day war, also known as the Vietnam war.l

[iphone3gs2208]

i love this bird very nice form factor and beautiful noise

[Bruno47602]

Великолепная машина!

[pdutube]

She sounds great!

[BikerRussell]

Does the gear reduction from the crankshaft occur at the engine or just after the cockpit? If it where after the cockpit it would allow more room for the pilot? Just a thought...

[octane130]

@BikerRussell : The reduction gear case is all the way up in the nose, just a few inches behind the propeller.

[RocketTCoyote]

Had a Testors "Jungle Fighter" CL model plane of this which was in the pinball configuration with the dome behind the canopy. Then some dickweed tossed a rag in front of it and crashed it. :(

The MGs shooting at the RP-63s used frangible bullets made from bakelite btw.

[Stickman53fe]

They sure were. In fact, the rounds were so soft that the lights in the RP-63s indicating hits often didn't register.

[flexyco]

The soviets loved this plane.

[Stickman53fe]

Don't forget the RP-63s flown in the US during the war. My grandfather flew them and authored the book, "Operation Pinball." Though the P-63s didn't see action over seas for the US, they did see combative action INSIDE the U.S. as piloted drones. In fact, several were shot down during aerial gunnery training. They were armored with thick aluminum, but sometimes the frangible bullets hit a soft spot. Also, the gunnery training was done with .30 cals instead of .50s to keep the damage down.

[rlgdestroyu]

@Stickman53fe No shit...wow I've never heard of it. I'll have to look that up. Thanks for the info.

[Stickman53fe]

Anytime. Go to my page on youtube if you want more info.

[nagmashdriver]

@Stickman53fe Based on this posting of yours, I bought the book and enjoyed it very much. Thanks much for the tip!

[Stickman53fe]

@nagmashdriver Glad you enjoyed it!

[rockyPants4000]

That looks like a really fun toy!

[BudweiserDiary]

The only trick the british did with the merlin engine is stacking a supercharger on top of another super charger. That is what gave the merlin high alltitude service. The AAC was focused on turbosuperchargers to do the same thing for high alltitude. For the p-39 and the p-63 they eliminated the turbos, killing high alltitude capabililtys.

[f82man]

Great video, I wonder when somebody will build a replica of this fine bird? About 80-85% scale, and you'd have a very nice aircraft. Of course, a two seater is probably out of the question. Thanks for posting, Don

[wisdomstar1981]

man nothing beats the sound of ww2 war bird

[octane130]

The driveshaft is right on top of the cockpit floor, between the pilot's legs. A thin piece of sheet aluminum covers it. It looks like the transmission hump on the floor of your car, only much smaller (only 3"-4" wide).

[powerhungrytoo]

How close does the drive shaft get to the pilot? Love them Allison's JA

[jabberwock11]

They should have put it in Russian paint. At least the Russians (apparently) used them.

[carlosmurphy4u]

Outstanding, very rare airplane.

[blewett76]

I almost have a sympathy for the P-39's and P-63's, I mean, everyone wanted to make them amazing, new features with the motor location, landing gear, and a bunch of other things, and they ended up not even seeing service for the U.S., I wonder what they'd be like with merlins......

[phonix032]

sexy just sexy i dont give a F what her critics say my 4th fav ww2 fighter

[propfan2k]

Nice video, well shot. That Kingcobra looks great!

[KnockoffNigeI]

The engine protects the pilot, saving weight on cabin armour. It also makes any kind of spin terminal which is rather unfortunate in an aircraft that needs to out manoeuvre it's opponent.

[twistrsfinalplea]

yea to bad it came late in the war though. Great aircraft sure is wonderful.

[BikerRussell]

Where are the cooling radiators on it?

[NazarovVv]

Two in each wing root, and one over the cockpit

[LocomotiveBreth]

That old Allison sounds great

[barryhulio]

I AGREE A LOVELY AIRCRAFT - it seemed way ahead of its time - im no aircraft engineer- the like the allison for low altitude- it would be nice to see what this aircraft could do with a merlin. maybe it could have been really deadly against even the german focke wolf. If i were a a pilot and i am not- it seems to me it would be the perfect plane. engine in the middle for good balance and tricycle gear for good taxi ing. i think it could have been truely great. and it looks supurb.

[pramboy74]

if they had kept the super charger in the airacobra they would have had alot better aircaft, i'm not too sure you can call it a lovely aircaft, more workman like than lovely!

[timmie426]

Sounds real rough and like a cammed v8 in the startup, really nice!

[UNSClead1]

what is airport ID for Palm Springs Air Museeum?

[octane130]

The ID is PSP

[MikeChambers1001]

If I'm not mistaken and memory serves me well...I know this sounds weird but I think the engine in a kingcobra wa not in the nose at all ...it was mid fuselage or so with a long driveshaft?????anyone else care to elaborate?

[MarsFKA]

Your insight serves you well, young Skywalker. Both Kingcobra and Airacobra had the engine mounted behind the pilot. The designers had the idea that keeping the engine close to the aircraft's center of gravity would make it more manoeverable. In the event, it didn't. As a fighter, both aircraft were disappointing, but they proved very useful in the ground attack role. The Soviets loved them and took all they could get their hands on.

[BudweiserDiary]

Actually there was another reason for putting the motor in the rear. It gave them the room to fit a 37mm cannon in the nose.

[halnwheels]

Yes yes! I beleive that the shells actually came out dead-on-center from the spinner.

Great sound on fly-by too! Thanks.

[catman351]

Somehow, sitting above a spinning shaft going thousands of RPM between my legs would be unnerving. But the Reds loved them, I agree, compared to their Polikarpovs, Sturmorviks, and Yaks.

[pramboy74]

the soviets used them for greater effect as ground attack aircraft, if the designers had kept the supercharger which was supposed to be fitted to the airacobra they would have had far better aircaft.

[jabberwock11]

The Yaks (especially Yak-3) were good fighters. At lower altitudes Yak-3s were better than Me-109s and FW-190s. Also the Sturmovik wasn't a fighter. It was a specialized ground attack plane so you can't really compare it to a P-63.

[stephenwinkler]

@jabberwock11

What about the Mig-3? They were good fighters too.

[urrachunt]

Yup...nice engine sound. Thanks for the awesome vid.

[SmiertSpionem]

That engine noise is just delicious! ;)

[SmiertSpionem]

Lovely! I have a model kit for the 'Pinball' target plane version of the p-63.

[Stickman53fe]

My Grandfather flew those RP-63s in the 40's. He wrote a book called Operation Pinball. He was literally a human target.

[GerbilEssences]

Are those the ones that lit up when you shot them :)

[Stickman53fe]

You got it! The Pinball light system wasn't very good though so it only worked some of the time.

[Marauder0090]

read the book some years ago..(early 90's)pink king cobras with the flashing lights..dangerous way to make a living.

[Stickman53fe]

They were actually orange, but you are correct. He was shit down three times over the United States during the war but by US gunners. How many people can say that (though I'm not sure it's a bragging right!)?

[theblink3]

P-63 was one of the best Low Alt fighters ever built IIRC. It was probably the fastest with speeds on the deck at 425mph +. Could out run the russian La-7.

[bilbommer]

Is this the one that crashed :(

[yakovlev3a]

p-63s were awesome, and imo they should have replaced all p-40s that were still being used. Or they should have been sent even to the 23rd fighter group which was in need of more planes. Even so, at least the russians utilized this great plane

[trilingual]

lean and sleek. great video of a neglected fighter . . . thanks!

[johnbakoda]

Neglected fighter indeed, a beautiful machine.

[AndreiTupolev]

I'm glad the comments pointed out that the Russians appreciated the P-63 and the P-39, (and the P-40), in fact, some of their top aces (as many as 60 kills) flew them. The difference was, that most combat on the Eastern front was at low altitude, where they performed best.

[kimmer6]

Very nice vid. A very rare sound indeed. I was in a hangar at Van Nuys Airport in the '70's and saw a P-63 up close, being restored. I was amazed that the driveshaft ran under the pilot's nuts and thru an arch in the control stick. I wonder if this is the same aircraft I saw.

[Kataphraktoi]

21 March 1945

A P-63 from Walla Walla,Washington,intercepted a Japanese balloon bomb near Redmond,chasing it in a cross-country that necessitated two refueling stops for the Kingcobra before the fighter shot the balloon out of the sky near Reno,Nevada.

[SmiertSpionem]

fascinating, was the balloon going slower than the P-63 stall speed?

[DrHoldowicz]

You're right about the sound -awesome ! What a fantastic aircraft..

[Wombat403]

Actually it was the earlier P-39 Airacobra that was used in the Pacific early in the war. Thousands of them, and later P-63s, were sent to Russia where they were more successful. The P-63 never saw action with the US in the war.

[wolfie672]

This would have been a remarkable plane if the turbosupercharger would not have been deleted from the original plans.

[77gnu89]

great video, also for military enthusiasts, check out hmvftv com, also you could post your vids on there, thanks

[Dunwyche]

Nice, love it. Thanks. These saw action.

[Typhoon1]

i prefer the Airacobra

[Eliotthecool]

Great engine but u cant beat the P51 D Mustang.

[xKmotx]

Love your vid's octane!!

[fordroad]

A great posting The Bell P-63 Kingcobra was used by the USAAF in Northern Australia & New Guinea during the dark days of 1942-43. They in numbers turned on many a Jap formation sending a number of Jap pilots to an early appointment with their ansecestor. well done

[MrKase01]

P-63s didn't see combat in US service. I believe you are thinking of the P-39 Airacobra, which did see extensive use in New Guinea (and Alaska, North Africa, Italy and especially the Eastern Front where the Soviets were the biggest user of the P-39).