Victory marks on Pokryshkin's P-39 "100"

[Troy Smith]

HI Konstatin

I don't know if Tetra ethyl Lead was just added to 100 octane fuel,  as it is an anti knocking agent which effectively increases the octane rating of a fuel. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraethyllead

Antiknock agent[edit]
A gasoline-fueled reciprocating engine requires fuel of sufficient octane rating to prevent uncontrolled combustion known as engine knocking ("knock" or "ping").[6] Antiknock agents allow the use of higher compression ratios for greater efficiency[7] and peak power. Adding varying amounts of TEL to gasoline allowed easy, inexpensive control of octane ratings; aviation spirits used in WWII reached 150 octane to enable supercharged engines such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffon to produce 1500 HP at altitude.[8] In military aviation, TEL manipulation allowed a range of different fuels to be tailored for particular flight conditions, and ease and safety of handling.
The use of TEL in gasoline started in the US, while in Europe, alcohol was initially used. The advantages of leaded gasoline?its higher energy content and storage quality?eventually led to a universal switch to leaded fuel. One of the greatest advantages of TEL over other antiknock agents or the use of high-octane blend stocks is the very low concentrations needed. Typical formulations called for 1 part of prepared TEL to 1260 parts untreated gasoline. Competing antiknock agents must be used in greater amounts, often reducing the energy content of the gasoline.

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

I got to stand a Hurricane one which had just landed, the pilot told me to watch out for the exhaust deposits, which were pale grey brown, and rubbed off very easily.
I think the grey deposits come about more from using the engine at certain power settings, like cruising [like the warbird I saw] , rather than high combat boost settings.

I am in no way an expert, but thought a little background on the staining might be of use.

cheers
T

[66misos]

Hi,
they write on Russian forum http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/viewtopic_t_12_start_420.htm that "Бензин в Кобре 100-октановый, белый налёт от тетраэтилсвинца... Но обычно мылся после вылета" e.g. Fuel for Cobra was 100 octane, white staining was from Tetra-ethyl-lead... But it was usually cleaned/washed after the flight.

regards,
       66misos

[66misos]

Hi,
I just found at http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=14430&printertopic=1&start=0&finish=-1 this wider photo of Pokryshkin in front of (his) MiG-3, showing bigger part of the plane:

[66misos]

Hi,
While browsing Avia Dejavu pages at http://crimso.msk.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft20288-3.htm#pics I found this picture:

with accompanying text:
The celebrations on the occasion of the opening of A.I. Pokryshkin monument (already the third in the city) held in Novosibirsk on March 2, 2013. Bust by Honored Artist of Russia Alexander Appolonov was established in the area of Novosibirsk College of Metallurgy and Mechanical Engineering of A.I. Pokryshkin (previously trade school where famous pilot studied in 1930-32). The fighter P-39 "Cobra" restored in Novosibirsk was placed next to the bust. A.I. Pokryshkin scored most of his victories on the aircraft of this type.



Serial number of that P-39 is very interesting ? it is the same serial no. as I used on the hypothetical profile (no known direct evidence about it, based on indirect info and analogies) at http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1367.msg11014#msg11014
  

?Information about this number (e.g. S/N: 219158) is from historian Levchenko. He refers to the order he found in the archives and according to which aircraft technician Chuvashkin, was awarded. As it is known Chuvashkin maintained Pokryshkin?s planes throughout the war. Order for awarding is for time period autumn 1943. I have no other information.?

regards,
    66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
seems a good confirmation. Probably the Russian historian has made the same connections.       

The restored P-39 has something wrong. I mistook it for a bad model at a first look.

Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
IMHO it is painted with some standard current Russian dark green paint, not original OD. And probably blue underside, like Babak's plane:


plus position of S/N, shape of red tail tip without white trim etc. Even thought, without photo of original plane...
Anyhow, serial number 219158 is interesting enough
Regards,
    66misos

[KL]

Hi Misos,
Babak's plane is a model in 1:1 scale and it is actually one of the few Airacobra models made in last 10-20 years.

Novosibirsk Airacobra may look like a model but according to http://vedomosti.sfo.ru/articles/?article=41229 it is a restored plane found in Irkutsk area.



Searching info about this monument i found two interesting links:
Pokrishkin's museum within the Novosibirsk colledge:  http://oldmintrud.nso.ru/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=2032
Electronic library dedicated to Pokrishkin:  http://pokryshkin.ngonb.ru/jspui/

somewhat hard to navigate through this library but you may find something interesting.  check "kinodokuments" for start

[Flavio]

Thank you very much KL,
for the interesting links.
Flavio

[66misos]

Hi,
interesting photo of Pokryshkin was posted at airforce.ru forum:

That aircraft looks like some early Cobra - vents on the side of the front/nose fuselage are missing, a bit of the thin long barrel nose gun is visible. Note black propeller blades with the yellow tips.

IMHO, it looks like some of those P-39D-2, like this one:

Regards,
    66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
will you continue your good work on profiles of P-39?
Regards
Massimo

[Flavio]

Great find!

Thank you 66Misos.

Flavio

[66misos]

Hi,

Massimo, I started to draw 4-view template, mainly for Sukhov's P-39. But I somehow lost internal motivation to finished it. In the meantime I have found colorizing much more interesting (and fun). But some day...

Flavio, nice to hear you again. Could we see also your painting http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1367.msg13852#msg13852 somewhere (here)?

Regards,
    66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
pity for that work. It would have been highly interesting. I hope that you will return on it.
Regards
Massimo

[barneybolac]

There is video footage of Porshkin in this link.

Some colour footage of a King Cobra as well.

The P-39 footage starts at about the 23 minute mark.

http://rutube.ru/video/37b4c08cb64724d8072b6a9aa5219370/

Th clarity of this video is very good the above link is part of four. There is Yak-3's with solid upper camouflage I-16's with interesting patterns just to mention a few in the other films.
They can all be found on the right of the video with the other clips.

[Flavio]

Thank you barneybolac,

yes the quality of the video is very high.

Flavio