# Bell King Cobra Crash



## SmanUK (Jun 20, 2006)

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


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## EAF51_Bear (Jun 21, 2006)

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/index.php/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)


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## R988 (Jun 21, 2006)

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


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## SmanUK (Jun 22, 2006)

EAF51_Bear said:


> 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.


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## Tjen il-vec (Jun 22, 2006)

EAF51_Bear said:


> 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


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