Bell P-39 Airacobra V12 Engine at Fort Nelson Museum. My video says Rolls Royce, but this the Allison V-1710, the only American designed V12 for aircraft in WW2
But when used as a close support, ground attack aircraft, the Airacobra shone, the Russians used them by the thousands as anti-tank aircraft. The Allison worked fine at low level and made the Cobra faster than the feared Focke-Wulf FW 190.
The Allison V-1710 was never a satisfactory engine, it had a limited service ceiling and trouble with synchronizing with the supercharger. NACA (Which late became NASA) actually advised the USAAF to not put a turbosupercharger on the Bell P-39 in believe that a more advanced version of the V-1710 was in the latest stages of development. But it took three years before that version was ready: the result was that the Airacobra became a severely under powered plane unfit for air combat.
But when used as a close support, ground attack aircraft, the Airacobra shone, the Russians used them by the thousands as anti-tank aircraft. The Allison worked fine at low level and made the Cobra faster than the feared Focke-Wulf FW 190.
RastaSaiyaman 2 weeks ago
The Allison V-1710 was never a satisfactory engine, it had a limited service ceiling and trouble with synchronizing with the supercharger. NACA (Which late became NASA) actually advised the USAAF to not put a turbosupercharger on the Bell P-39 in believe that a more advanced version of the V-1710 was in the latest stages of development. But it took three years before that version was ready: the result was that the Airacobra became a severely under powered plane unfit for air combat.
RastaSaiyaman 2 weeks ago