aircraft/loadouts Bell P-63C-5-BE Kingcobra (Armee de l'Air)

[SubRyan 5,556]

Model: Bell P-63C-5-BE Kingcobra (Armee de l'Air)
 
Technical Description: Fighter

Visual Aspects: 

Spoiler

 

Short History: At the end of the Second World War, the Armee de l'Air began to receive P-63Cs, the first five being taken on charge on 26 July, 1945. In due course, the GC I/5 Vendee fighter group was the first French unit to fly the type (this unit had been created in North Africa on 1 August, 1944). It was followed by GC II/9 Auvergne based in Salonde-Provence, in southern France. Both units were disbanded on 23 March, 1946, for budgetary reasons. When the war started in Indochina, most of the French fighter units stationed in France and North Africa were flying Republic P-47Ds but combat use of this type in Southeast Asia was then forbidden by the United States. Thus, several of the fighter units sent to the Indochina threatre of operations had to be re-equipped with P-63Cs. Additional batches of Kingcobras were then directly delivered in SaIgon by the French navy carrier Dixmude (exBAVG-3 Biter).

 

The 5th Escadre de Chasse (fighter wing) flew P-63Cs from July 1949 until the summer of 1950. This wing was composed of GC I/5 Vendee (which had been recommissioned) stationed in Lang-Son and GC II/5 He de France in Hanoi. The two groups of the 6th Escadre de Chasse arrived in Asia at a later date. The GC II/6 Normandie-Niemen, based in SaIgon-Tan Son Nhut, flew P-63Cs from October 1949 until November 1950 when it began to re-equip with Grumman F6F-5 Hellcats, and GC III/6 Roussillon in Hanoi-Gia Lam (later in Bach Mai) flew Kingcobras from August 1950 until March 1951 when it began to convert to Grumman F8F Bearcats. The aircraft of GC II/6 were transferred to GC I/9 Limousin (stationed in Halphong Cat Bi) which flew them until February 1951 when the fighter group received its first Bearcats.

 

Configuration: Fighter

 

Production Status

First flight: 
Introduction year: July 1945

Status: retired

Number: 114

 

Crew Data
Number of crew: 1
Roles of crew: pilot
 
Engine Data
Manufacturer:  Allison
Name:  V-1710-117 (E21)
Number of engines: 1
Number of cylinders: 12

Configuration: inline

Cooling: liquid cooled
Supercharger / Turbo: two stage, single speed supercharger
Fuel: 100/130 octane
Dry weight: 1660 lb
Prop shaft ratio:  0.448

Impeller ratio: 8.1:1 and 7.23:1

Cylinder compression ratio: 6.65:1

Fuel consumption: 240 gallons per hour (WEP)

 

Fuel Data
Fuel tanks: 132 gallons

 

Oil Data
Oil tank: 11.6 gallons

 

Injection Data

Water tanks: 25 gallons

Injection operation time: ~15 minutes

 

Power Data
Wet War Emergency Power (SL): 1800 hp @ 3000 rpm and 76 inHg [5 min limit]

Dry War Emergency Power (SL):  hp @ 3000 rpm and 61 inHg [5 min limit]
Takeoff / Military Power (SL): 1325 hp @ 3000 rpm and 52 inHg [15 min limit]

Military Power (25000 ft): 1100 hp @ 3000 rpm  [15 min limit]

Normal Rated Power (SL): 1050 hp @ 2600 rpm

Normal Rated Power (21000 ft): 1000 hp @ 2600 rpm

Propeller Data
Manufacturer: Aero Products
Type: 
Number of blades: 4
Blade diameter: 11 ft
 
Basic Geometric Data
Length: 32 ft 8 ³/₈ in
Wing span: 38 ft 4 in
Wing area (including ailerons): 248 ft²
Height: 12 ft 6 ⁷/₈ in
Fin area: 13.47 ft²
Flap area: 12.9 ft²

Stabilizer area: 33.7 ft²
Rudder area: 10.265 ft²
Aileron area (total): 16.286 ft²

 

Weight Data
Empty weight: lbs

Combat weight (full int fuel, full oil, full ammo): 8640 lbs
 
General Performance Data
Maximum speed: 434 mph (698 km/hr)

Minimum speed (8700 lbs): 100 mph (161 km/hr)

Minimum speed (8700 lbs, flaps/gear down): 92 mph (148 km/hr)

Landing speed: 115 mph (185 km/hr)
Cruising speed: 
Service ceiling: 
Range: 

IAS limit: 525 mph (845 km/hr)

+G limit: 8

-G limit: 

Landing gear speed limitation: 180 mph (290 km/hr)

Flaps speed limitation: 180 mph (290 km/hr)

 

Max Speed - 8933 lbs, WEP
.. at SL                                          381 mph (613 km/hr)

.. at 5000 feet                               401 mph (645 km/hr)

.. at 10000 feet                             418 mph (673 km/hr)

.. at 15000 feet                             431 mph (694 km/hr)

.. at 18750 feet                             434 mph (698 km/hr)

.. at 20000 feet                             434 mph (698 km/hr)

.. at 25000 feet                             430 mph (692 km/hr)

.. at 30000 feet                             418 mph (672 km/hr)

.. at 35000 feet                             395 mph (636 km/hr)

Rate of Climb - 8933 lbs, WEP

.. at SL                                          4650 fpm (23.6 m/s)

.. at 5000 feet                               4550 fpm (23.1 m/s)

.. at 10000 feet                             4250 fpm (21.6 m/s)

.. at 15000 feet                             3700 fpm (18.8 m/s)

.. at 20000 feet                             2950 fpm (15 m/s)

.. at 25000 feet                             2200 fpm (11.2 m/s)

.. at 30000 feet                             1500 fpm (7.6 m/s)

.. at 35000 feet                             800 fpm (4 m/s)

 

Time to altitude - 8933 lbs, WEP

.. to 5000 feet                               1 minute 6 seconds

.. to 10000 feet                             2 minutes 12 seconds

.. to 15000 feet                             3 minutes 30 seconds

.. to 20000 feet                             5 minutes

.. to 25000 feet                             7 minutes

.. to 30000 feet                             9 minutes 42 seconds

.. to 35000 feet                             14 minutes 18 seconds

 

 

Armament
Guns:

• 1 × 37 mm cannon in nose (32 rounds)
• 2 × 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns in nose (500 rounds)
• 2 × 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns in wings (400 rounds)

Bombs

• 3 x 500 lb

 
Notes

 

Sources
1. (AN 01-110FQ-1) PIlot's Flight Operating Instructions for Airplane Army Model P-63C, 30 March 1945 revised 25 June 1945

2. (AN 01-110FP-2) Erection and Maintenance Instructions for Army Models P-63A and P-63C Airplanes, 14 May 1945

3. (Putnam) Bell Aircraft since 1935 by A J Pelletier

4. Comparative Performance of P-63 Airplanes

5. (Crowood Aviation Series) Bell P-39 Airacobra by Robert F. Dorr with Jerry C. Scutts

Edited October 8, 2016 by SubRyan

[blakeob 8,086]

Open for discussion. 

[leroyonly 4,311]

As the French recieved the P-63C-5 when their Air Force TT was released, 

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.