P-39 Racer

[Mike51]

Re: P-39 Racer

The Palm Springs Air Museum flies theirs. I think Will Whiteside has flown it.

As 'Big Jim' says, that is a P-63. Will was kind enough to fly it for me to shoot some A2As a couple of years back

About the only parts interchangeable between the P-39 and P-63 are the cockpit doors.

[Samuel]

Re: P-39 Racer

Shows how much I know!

[Leo]

Re: P-39 Racer

Just a couple I dug up.
#1 is the CAF's P-63F back in the 70's when it was owned by Jack Flaherty I believe.
#2 & #3 is the POF P-63 in their yard about 1974.
#4 is 3 of the Tallichet P-39's in the Chino yard at that time.

[supercub]

Re: P-39 Racer

Speaking of P-39's, remember the movie "The Best Years of our Lives" near the end when he's in the scrap yard, I believe it's just before he gets in the B-17, he's walking among rows and rows of P-39's, I believe they had the engines removed and nose gear retracted or gone, so they were sitting with the tails in the air. That entire scene is amazing.
Brian

[V1670]

Re: P-39 Racer

Speaking of P-39's, remember the movie "The Best Years of our Lives" near the end when he's in the scrap yard, I believe it's just before he gets in the B-17, he's walking among rows and rows of P-39's, I believe they had the engines removed and nose gear retracted or gone, so they were sitting with the tails in the air. That entire scene is amazing.
Brian

Yup...GREAT film. Seeing that film and seeing pictures of Davis-Monthan and actually driving by DM, it's sad to see such great machinery end up like that. And speaking of "Best Years...." a big salute to the vets who dealt with the tramua of war and THEN the tramua of returning to civilian life. Brave people they are.

[Leo]

Re: P-39 Racer

That was actually Chino if I remember right, which just reinforces your point. There were several fields like that all over the U.S. A lot of aircraft recycled.
Today it makes us sad but then, they were just unneeded junk.

[Race#21]

Re: P-39 Racer

That was actually Chino if I remember right, which just reinforces your point. There were several fields like that all over the U.S. A lot of aircraft recycled.
Today it makes us sad but then, they were just unneeded junk.

A couple of years ago a friend of mine is PHX found out about one stored in a barn in mid Michigan and asked me to go look it over and take pictures of it before he made an offer on it. Sure enough it was a barn find Aerocobera P-39. He did not win the bid but it sold and is out there someware.

[Leo]

Re: P-39 Racer

I remember reading about that one on WIX. It caused a lot of arguing amongst the armchair doubters, enough that the original poster gave up trying to explain it all. Nice to know it IS out there.

[Idaho_cowpony]

Re: P-39 Racer

A couple of years ago a friend of mine is PHX found out about one stored in a barn in mid Michigan and asked me to go look it over and take pictures of it before he made an offer on it. Sure enough it was a barn find Aerocobera P-39. He did not win the bid but it sold and is out there someware.

Still have any of those photos?

[Race#21]

Re: P-39 Racer

Still have any of those photos?

The friends name is Chris Miller formally of AZ now in TX restoring a Tempest. He may still have the pix I sent him, I don't have them anymore.

[B29FE177]

Re: P-39 Racer

This photo was taken @ Torrance, CA when we had Mr. Mennen hangared there doing maintenance in 1974. I was getting ready to close up and go home when I went across the taxiway to dump the water out of my cooler and thought this would make a nice photo. I took my camera down the next night and shot this. I won't comment on how many exposures it took to get it right.

[Idaho_cowpony]

Re: P-39 Racer

This photo was taken @ Torrance, CA when we had Mr. Mennen hangared there doing maintenance in 1974. I was getting ready to close up and go home when I went across the taxiway to dump the water out of my cooler and thought this would make a nice photo. I took my camera down the next night and shot this. I won't comment on how many exposures it took to get it right.

Wow!
That is super stuff right there. Sure wish things would have turned out different for Mira and Reno.

Thanks again!
- Joseph

[supercub]

Re: P-39 Racer

That's a great picture, I loved the colors on her. Not every day, even back then you would find a P-39 sitting in a T hangar that is normally occupied by a Cub or C-172......pretty Kewl. Thanks for sharing.
Brian

[Race#21]

Re: P-39 Racer

This photo was taken @ Torrance, CA when we had Mr. Mennen hangared there doing maintenance in 1974. I was getting ready to close up and go home when I went across the taxiway to dump the water out of my cooler and thought this would make a nice photo. I took my camera down the next night and shot this. I won't comment on how many exposures it took to get it right.

Great picture of Mr. Mennan. My new favorite. Thanks!

[B29FE177]

Re: P-39 Racer

[The engine in Mr. Mennen was an Allison V-1710-143 (G6). It was originally for a P-82 Twin Mustang. The P-39 was the easiest aircraft I ever worked on. That runs from Piper J-3's to Boeing 707's. The access to everything was GREAT! Especially in the cockpit area. I'll send more pics later.

Don Vance