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Bell P-63A King
Cobra by Kazunori Ito
This aircraft was
designed to address the shortcomings of the P-39 Airacobra.
The P-63 was a fast airplane - its performance approaching that of the P-51
- but since the P-51 and P-47 were in full production, about 2,400 of the
3,303 P-63s produced were sent to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease act.
France used some in Indo-China after the end of World War II.
The U.S. used it as a test plane and, in a unique version, as live gunnery
target training for bomber crews.
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North American
P-82B Twin Mustang by Kazunori Ito
The North American
F-82 Twin Mustang was the last piston-powered fighter ordered into
production by the U.S. Air Force.
Initially intended as a long-range escort fighter, the F-82 was designed to
escort B-29 bombers on long missions over Japan during a planned U.S.
invasion of the Japanese home islands that never materialized. It consisted
of a two fuselage design. Although based on the P-51H Mustang, it was
actually an entirely new design incorporating two lengthened P-51H Mustang
fuselages mounted to a newly-designed center wing, tail and propellers, as
well as having a unique four wheel landing gear. Prototype YP-82s, P-82Bs
and P-82Es retained both cockpits so that both pilots could fly the
aircraft, alternating control on long flights, while later night fighter
versions kept the cockpit on the left side only, placing the radar operator
in the right position.
Although some P-82B airframes were completed before the end of World War II,
most remained at the North American factory in California waiting for
engines until 1946. As a result, none saw service during WWII.
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