Kozhevnikov's P-39

[KL]

According to Alex from VIF there even was little "43"somewhere bellow victory stars.

Alex said:

Бортовой там 43, он потом и на правом борту появился ниже-спереди звездочек. А вот серийный я пока не знаю.

Photos are quite clear... there is no number 43 under and in front of victory stars...

[KL]

Seems digit 3 should have straight line on the top.

you can get 3 by modifying 5. Strait line on top of 3 was more popular, so go for it... 
Number 8 could be also derived from lower half of the number 5

Regards,
KL

[KL]

Hi Misos,
a small correction from Kozhevnikova's book:

- it looks that Kozhevnikov's first Airacobra had been destroyed in German bombing raid end of February or beginning of March 1944 (not January 1944), so "38" became his personal plane in early March 1944.

В январе 1944 года 438-й полк перелетает на новый аэродром ? в Веселовку.
... фашисты направили против нас специальную группу асов. Случилось так, что шесть наших истребителей вылетели на прикрытие корректировщика артиллерийской стрельбы. Асы прилетели в этот район через пятнадцать минут группой из шестнадцати ?мессершмиттов?. Завязался тяжелый, неравный бой. В этом бою погиб Герой Советского Союза Николай Зинченко (26 February 1944).
...Понимая, что в воздушном бою они не добьются успеха, гитлеровцы применили другую тактику: решили нанести сильный бомбовый удар по стоянке полка поздними сумерками, когда большая часть летчиков уезжает с аэродрома, а на самолетах идут работы по подготовке их к завтрашнему дню.
...Девятки ?хейнкелей? появились неожиданно. На стоянку самолетов посыпались крупные фугасные бомбы.
...Вылезаю из неостывшей, наполненной удушающим запахом тола глубокой воронки и вижу перед собой искореженную взрывом машину комэска Кожевникова, которая три месяца назад пришла из разведки с рваной пробоиной в стабилизаторе, а рядом ? тяжело раненного техника Васильева.
...
...Помню, как придирчиво выбирал себе новый самолет комэск Кожевников, после того как его машина погибла на аэродроме под бомбами врага.
...Кожевников остановил свой выбор на самолете под номером 38.

Regards,
KL

[KL]

Hi Misos,
check this photo:



212 giap, older font, coloured spinner, spring 1945(?)...

regards,
KL

[66misos]

Hi KL,
thanks a lot for that photo.
It confirms oldstyle font on the number "34", same as "5", so very probably also "38".
Note only propeller spinner is painted (light) blue, not whole nose like on "43".
I posted at VIF questions about serial number (propably not, overpainted) and diagonal white stripe (propably yes) on the tail. I hope some answer will come.
IMHO no badges were painted on the door. The photo seems to be from the war-time era, and according to Kozhevnikov's book Guard and Nevsky badges were painted on the P-39 doors after the war at the Dabern airport between May and June 1945.
Regards,
   66misos

[66misos]

Hi,
nice photos posted at VIF today:





The font of digits "34" is nicely visible as well as white stripe on the tail. However, not visible, whether serial number was on the tail, or was overpainted with green. No badges are painted on the doors.
Regards,
    66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
enlarging the photo of the tail, it seems that the number was there, but unfortunately unreadable.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
or there is only a dark line separating rudder from the tail
Note the color of digits 34 - too dark for white. Light blue?, Yellow? I do not know, something like here?



Regards,
   66misos

[KL]

Note only propeller spinner is painted (light) blue, not whole nose like on "43".
I posted at VIF questions about serial number (propably not, overpainted) and diagonal white stripe (propably yes) on the tail. I hope some answer will come.

Your question from VIF:

От когда красили белую полос на хвосте?

White diagonal stripe was fast recognition marking for 205 iad (later 22 giad).  It looks that marking existed from 1943 till the end of war.  Many profiles of 1944 205 iad/22 giad Airacobras with white diagonal but very few photos.
This photo is supposed to represent 508 iap (later 213 giap) Airacobra in January 1944 during Kirovograd operation:



similar photo from RGAKFD is dated 1943 at 1st Ukrainian Front (meaning winter 1943/44)



So, all 212 giap Airacobras discussed here probably had white diagonal stripe.

HTH,
KL

[66misos]

Hi KL,
Thank you for info. What do you think about color of the propeller spinners? 213 giap had white spinners at the end of war. Here they look darker, but not red like star on the fuselage.
Serials on the tails are not visible.
Regards,
   66misos

EDIT:
http://www.rulit.me/books/mir-aviacii-2002-02-read-299516-18.html
P-39Q(-15) "Yellow 47", 213 giap, germany, airport Haro, June 1945:

EDIT: According to Alex at VIF it should be 212 giap, not 213 giap.

Regards,
   66misos

[KL]

What do you think about color of the propeller spinners? 213 giap had white spinners at the end of war. Here they look darker, but not red like star on the fuselage.

Hi Misos,
here is a better reproduction from a book:



Spinner definitively isn't white, so it isn't 508 iap (later 213 giap). It could be red (i.e. 129 giap), or light blue/yellow? (i.e. 438iap, later 212 giap).  IMHO, light blue is quite possible...

In post-war years 212 giap was based at following airfields:

May 45 - June 45   Dzhagra, Germany
26 June 45 - 27 July 45    Tullna an der Donau, Austria
27 July 45 - 14 March 47   Stockerau, Austria

-  In autumn 1946 started to replace P-39 Airacobras with P-63 Kingcobras
-  Disbanded on 14 March 1947

HTH,
KL

 

[66misos]

Hi,
here is another nice photo od P-39 b/n "47"from 212 giap:


Propeller spinner, number 47 and also diagonal stripe on the tail seem all are painted in the same color (light bue?, yellow?) Compare it with the white outline on the red star.
It reminds me this after-war Cobra "44", only not completly repainted:


Unforunately serial no. on the tail of "47" is not readable.
Seems the light blotch on the door is only shinning, not painted Guard and Nevsky badge.

"19" s/n 2207x5, e.g. 42-207x5 is P-39Q-10.
Serial no. on "47" look like long 6-digits number starting with 4, e.g. 47xxxx, e.g. 44-7xxxx so it should be P-39Q-30.
It means there should be at least 1 or 1,5 year time difference between photo of "19" and "47".

Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
could the number be 474673?
Regards
Massimo

[KL]

It means there should be at least 1 or 1,5 year time difference between photo of "19" and "47".

Hi Misos,
I am well aware of the time difference.  If you check my previous post, I have clearly indicated January 1944 for the time when "19" was photographed.

Airacobra No"19" is closest to the Airacobra No "38" which was mentioned in Kozhevnikova's memoirs and never seen on photographs.  If you speculate how "38" looked (you have already made its profile), it should have:

- white tail diagonal line - fast recognition marking for 205 iad
- original US serial No (still unknown...)
- red star with narrow white border and thin red outline
- no guards badge on door
- white No "38" painted on its nose in "decorative font" with horizontal top line
- light blue (or yellow??) spinner

Characteristics listed above should also apply to the Airacobra No "5", flown by 438 iap commander A.V. Oborin.  Oborin was an HSU, an ace with 13 personal and 13 group victories - you should make a profile of the Airacobra he flew.

here is another nice photo od P-39 b/n "47"from 212 giap:


... Seems the light blotch on the door is only shinning, not painted Guard and Nevsky badge.
... Serial no. on "47" look like long 6-digits number starting with 4, e.g. 47xxxx, e.g. 44-7xxxx so it should be P-39Q-30.

It is a nice photo - and a nice war trophy car... just a few comments:

- note branches on the ground (planes had been camouflaged).  This indicates combat status, IMHO the photo was taken in April-May 1945
- note slogans written to the right and above the fuselage star.  Slogans can be seen on both "47" and on the plane at the right side of the photo. From Kozhevnikov's memoirs, slogans appeared on April 15, 1945, at the beginning of Berlin operation
- IMHO there is a faint guards badge on doors of the "47".  Badges were painted in May-June 1945
- isn't that a 4-blade propeller on "47"?  It should be P-39Q-25-BE (Model 26Q-25)...

HTH,
KL  

[66misos]

Hi KL,
very good and interesting observation. Here I made them better visible:



regards,
   66misos