Scale aviation modeller international

RS Models 1/72 Airacobra I/P-400 by Roman

Schilhart. All finished model photographs by

Wolfgang Rabel

T

he Bell P-39 Airacobra

began leaving the assembly

lines in 1941, and various

versions were built before

production ceased in July 1944.

A total of 9,584 aircraft were

delivered, around 5,000 of which

were sent to the Soviet Union

under the Lend-Lease agreement.

During the war, the Airacobra saw

action with the US Air Force as

well as with the Free French, the

Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force,

the RAF, and the Soviet Air Force.

The Americans used their

Airacobras in the Pacific, North

Africa, and the Mediterranean, but

notably not in the European war

theatre. Similarly, the Royal Air

Force also found them unsuitable

for combat action over European

skies. After a very brief combat

career, their P-400’s (the export

version of the P-39D) were passed

on to the Soviet Air Force. The

Russian pilots liked the Airacobra’s

performance and manoeuvrability,

as well as the cockpit heating

system – a feature that Soviet

fighters did not provide!

The Airacobra perfectly

matched the requirements of the

Soviet Air Force, being sturdy,

reliable, and easy to maintain. It

became the most popular of all

the Lend-Lease aircraft and, in

the end, it served with the Red

Army Air Force in greater numbers

than any other foreign type.

AIRACOBRA

I/P-400

KIT DETAILS

MANUFACTURER: RS MODELS

RELEASED: NEW TOOL

PRODUCT CODE: 92181

SCALE: 1/72

TYPE: INJECTION MOULDED

PARTS: 84 PLASTIC, 5 CLEAR, 3 RESIN

DECAL OPTIONS: 5

QUICKBUILD

28 • JULY 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

BY SACCO DE VRIES

AIRACOBRA I/P-400

BY ROMAN SCHILHART

1/72

028-33-QB-Cobra-0718.indd 28 11/06/2018 13:54