This series is dedicated to the gallant service performed by the brave airmen of World War 2 who risked all so that we may enjoy our American way of life. The phrase “Big Brother, Little Brother” refers to the way the heavy bomber and fighter escort aircraft pilots called each other on the radio chatter.
On a personal note, my father “John” served as a flight engineer on a B-25 Mitchell out of Italy in 1944 and 1945. He made it back alive, as did my father-in-law “Danny” who served as a belly gunner on a B-24 Liberator out of Libya. “Danny” was one of the few airmen who flew in both Ploesti oil field raids to Romania (June 1942 and August 1943) and did so without so much as a scratch. He flew his 25 missions and returned to the US as a gunnery instructor (Lead, Dammit, Lead!).
Finding all the caches will display a GeoArt form of the Big Brother, Little Brother relationship on your map. The caches were not meant to be difficult to find. If you can’t find a cache, it’s probably missing. Send me a picture of the location by email, I’ll accept the find and replace the cache.
P-39 Airacobra
The P-39 Airacobra was the first US Army fighter with tricycle landing gear, and was also unique for having its engine placed behind the pilot in the middle of the aircraft. Other interesting features included a 37mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, and access to the cockpit via a door in the fuselage (as opposed to a moveable canopy). While not notable as an air-to-air fighter (in American hands), the P-39 performed well as a ground attack aircraft.
Airacobras first fought Japanese Zeros on April 30, 1942 in a low level action near Lae, New Guinea. From May to August 1942 combat between Airacobras and Zeros took place on a regular basis over New Guinea. Compilation of combat reports indicates the Zero was either equal to or close to the P-39 in speed at the altitudes of the various low level encounters.
While only one U.S. pilot, Lt. Bill Fiedler, became an ace in a P-39, many U.S. aces scored one or two of their victories in the type. The Airacobra's low-altitude performance was good and its firepower was impressive, adding the fact that air battles in the Pacific were fought at intermediate altitudes the P-39 did well against light and agile Japanese A6Ms and Ki-43s.
Bell P-39Q Airacobra Technicals
General Characteristics-
Crew: One
Length: 30 ft 2 in
Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in
Height: 12 ft 5 in
Wing area: 213 sq ft
Empty weight: 5,347 lb
Loaded weight: 7,379 lb
Max. takeoff weight: 8,400 lb
Powerplant: 1 × Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12, 1,200 hp
Performance-
Maximum speed: 376 mph (Redline dive speed was 525 mph)
Range: 525 miles on internal fuel
Service ceiling: 35,000 ft
Rate of climb: 3,750 ft/min
Wing loading: 34.6 lb/sq ft
Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb
Time to climb: 15,000 in 4.5 min at 160 mph
Armament-
Guns:
1 x 37 mm M4 cannon with 30 rounds of HE ammo.
2 x .50 cal machine guns. 200 rounds per nose-gun
4 x .30 cal machine guns, wing mounted. 300 per wing-pod
Bombs: Up to 500 lb of bombs externally
Survivors
Airworthy-
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 42-19597 owned by the Commemorative Air Force in San Marcos, TX.
P-39Q-6-BE Airacobra, s/n 42-19993 owned by Lewis Vintage Collection LCC in San Antonio, TX.
RP-39Q Airacobra, s/n 44-3908 owned by the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in Kalamazoo, MI.
On display-
P-39N Airacobra, s/n 42-4949 at the Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation in Chino, CA.
P-39N Airacobra, s/n 42-19027 at the Planes of Fame in Chino, CA.
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 42-19995 at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, NY.
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 42-20000 at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, CA.
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 42-20007 at the Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton, VA.
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 44-3887 at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH.
Under restoration-
P-39N Airacobra, s/n 42-8740 by Yanks Air Museum in Chino, CA.
P-39N Airacobra, s/n 42-8784 in Chino, California.
P-39N Airacobra, s/n 42-18814 by the Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation in Chino, CA.
P-39Q Airacobra, s/n 44-2485 by Gary R. Larkins of Auburn, CA.