Love Those P-39 Ads!

[Elmas]

Bobbysocks wrote:
".....
The 357th started out as a 39 unit and flew them in Tonopah. Because of that a lot of them thought they were going to the pacific. Reactions among the pilots varied...some ( not a heck of a lot tho ) liked the plane. Others like Obie OBrien were happy they never had to get behind the stick of one ever again..."

From:

357th FG Interview

"HOW WAS FLYING THE P-39?


I could write a book about this, but thank God someone else did. The book is "Nanette" by a man named Park. He, like me, thinks the damn thing had a soul. The P-39 was undoubtedly the worst airplane the Air Corps had in its inventory. But if a pilot could accumulate about 150 hours, he should be awarded a medal, as he is well on his way to being a fighter pilot. That particular airplane was absolutely unforgiving and aerodynamically unstable. It was so bad that many service pilots did not, or more likely, would not fly it. Tactical units had members sent to the manufacturers to fly P-39s to their units. I know this because I was one of the lucky ones who got to do this type of work."

And these were brand new planes... let's imagine with worn out Allisons, I think it could have been a nightmare.Italian pilots were not the only ones to hate P-39.

 

[michaelmaltby]

I don't understand the complaint about old Allisons .... I've read several Soviet accounts and they seemed to always have a ready supply .. but the crew chiefs checked engine oil slavishly for metal filings ... the Soviet pilots routinely flew their P-39s at full combat power .
Amazon product ASIN 039305618XView: https://www.amazon.com/Nanette-Her-Pilots-Love-Story/dp/039305618X

 

[Elmas]

P 39 Airacobra italiani

http://www.alieuomini.it/AJAX/catalogo/dettaglio2_catalogo/108/

 

[Elmas]

 

[XBe02Drvr]

An advantage a grass trip for taildraggers is that often it is a lot wider than a paved runway. Also the grass enables you to slide sideways a bit if you have a bit too much rudder applied.

Plus, the drag of a tailwheel (even a swiveling one) in the grass helps keep you straight at those slow speeds when the rudder is less effective. On pavement that swivel can get pretty squirrelly. Ask any Luscombe pilot.
Cheers,
Wes

 

[MIflyer]

I fly an Ercoupe. A friend of mine who had a 1939 Luscombe said you did not quit flying his airplane until it was stopped, engine off, and tied down. And then when you walked away you turned around and made sure it was not sneaking up on you.

But he landed his Waco better on grass, in a crosswind, than he could on a paved runway.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

I fly an Ercoupe. A friend of mine who had a 1939 Luscombe said you did not quit flying his airplane until it was stopped, engine off, and tied down. And then when you walked away you turned around and made sure it was not sneaking up on you.

But he landed his Waco better on grass, in a crosswind, than he could on a paved runway.

Your friend was a wise man. I learned taildragging in a Luscombe after a thousand hours of nosedragging bad habits. What a trip! Tall narrow landing gear, short coupled fuselage, and twitchy controls, I can sympathize with BF109 newbies. Sweet flier, but would bite you in the butt on the ground.
Taxi on grass to the tiedown area and try to swing it around in front of your spot. Little burst of throttle, full rudder, doesn't budge. Try again, a little more throttle, and the tailwheel suddenly swivels and you come around 270 degrees tipped up on one mainwheel with a wingtip almost brushing the ground. Hope nobody's looking! Unfortunately the tiedown was right outside the window of the FAA Flight Service Station, and the Feds are all watching the show. Makes their day.
As if that wasn't enough, I made the mistake of tying one wing down first. Walking around to the other side, a gust of wind swung the plane around and almost ran me over. ALWAYS tie the tail first!! Your friend was right about looking over your shoulder!
Cheers,
Wes

 

[Admiral Beez]

Did many people go out and buy one?

The Brits? Maybe they saw these ads.

Now if only this flightline was in Malaya to serve alongside the Buffaloes.

 

[MIflyer]

If the commander of the Repulse and Prince of Wales task force had thought to call up and ask for some air cover, the Buffalos would have caught those Betty bombers without an escort and today we might think differently of those old Brewsters.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

If the commander of the Repulse and Prince of Wales task force had thought to call up and ask for some air cover, the Buffalos would have caught those Betty bombers without an escort and today we might think differently of those old Brewsters.

He was told ahead of time air cover would not be available. RN a little too proud to beg? IIRC, the bombers were the older Nakajimas, not the new Mitsubishis.

 

[MIflyer]

He was told ahead of time air cover would not be available.

I assume that was relative to the intercept point for the IJN convoy he was going to attack. He was careful to maintain radio silence when he headed back but that did not keep the IJN from findng him. I'd have to look again at Bombers Vs Battleships to see if the bombers were Bettys or Nells but I thought they were Bettys, which surprised me.

 

[Shortround6]

I believe both the Mitsubishi G3M and G4M were involved.