P-39 Airacobras in VVS

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
apart for the color that is unknown, the photo shows that the hood should be asymmetrical, cutten on its left side only. I think that this was, on reald hoods, not to obstacle the right arm with the sword or spear.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
Good point! What do you think, appart not cut off right upper corner, was overall shape of the shield symetrical? On.the photo right side looks sharper, but it could be only illusion due to shape of the fuselage and view from the angle.
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
I can't be fully sure because the end of the shield is covered by the prop blade. Looking again, it can be a cut on both sides but it is possible that the one hidden by the blade is smaller. Anyway, the rows of stars are not parallel to the bolt, they are descending towards the nose. If you draw a line parallel to the row, you see that te cuts don't start at the same height, but it is not clear if because the row is descending or because te shield is asymmetrical. Possibly both things, also in consideration of the fact that a real shield has to leave space for moving the right arm.
Regards
Massimo

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
there is an interesting topic on Soviet P-39 with many photos of details here:
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235060031-russian-p-39q-airacobra-questions/
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo.
I checked heraldic emblem on Google, here are some examples:

old Russian emblems:


KGB:


Red army:


Basically all Russian old, WWII or after war embelems are symetrical - with both upper corners there or cut off. So I will not change that one on Cobra.
I will change size/pozition of the arrow to be in position not parallel to the line of the starlets.
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
then I think you should change the alignment of the starlets, the central row starts close to a corner of the shield but it is much lower than the other corner towards the propeller.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
here is updated pictute:



All no. 24, arrow, starlets and shield are slightly resized, redesigned and repositioned to better fit to what we can see at that photo. Line of stars is not parallel with the arrow now. As I wrote it is very difficult to deffinitely say what is on the photo due to curvature of the fuselage, low andle of the view and of course quality of the photo itself.
Thak you for your comments and inputs.
regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
I've uploaded the page. please check if it is all well.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi,
here is the last Cobra from this serie - Q version flown by F.Z. Lepelenko from 211 giap, 23 giad. Cobra itself is not very interesting. Interesting is the white prop spinner which nicely complement red spinner from 69 giap and blue spinner from 21 giap, all from 23 giad.





Regards,
   66misos

[learstang]

Beautiful profiles of the Kobras, Michal!

Best Regards,

Jason

[66misos]

Hi Jason,
thank you for comment.
I saw at Amazon that your new book Soviet Bombers of the Second World War is already out. Looks pretty good, congrats!
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
is the inscription unknown?
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
I looked for info via google and also yandex.ru at Russian pages but so far nothing.
Regards,
   66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
I wonder if there is any source with a list of the names of the pilots of this unit. It is likely that the inscription is related to some kia pilot.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
I have found interesting page abou 9 iap /211 giap at https://www.proza.ru/2019/01/15/1334
According to the List of Loses from that page Vasily Ivanovich Belyaev, Guard Senior Lieutenant, Squadron commander of the 9th Fighter Aviation Regiment (gentleman of two orders of the Red Banner, 11 personal victories) was shot down on his P-39 Aircobra aircraft by enemy anti-aircraft artillery in July 16, 1944.

So inscription on Lepelenko's Cobra White 10 could be "Za Vasyu Belayeva", in Russian "За Васю Белаева", e.g. For Vasya Belayev.

Regards,
   66misos