BELL AIRCRAFT CORPORATION P-63A-6

“KING COBRA”

LENGTH.................................................................... 32’10”

WINGSPAN................................................................. 38’4”

HEIGHT....................................................................... 10’7”

ARMAMENT............... 1X OLDSMOBILE 37MM CANNON

ARMAMENT................. 2X 50-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS

MAXIMUM SPEED............................................... 525 MPH

GROSS WEIGHT................................................... 9650 LBS

RANGE ................................................................. 1470 NM

MANUFACTURER............................. BELL AIRCRAFT

MAKE................................................................ P-63A-6

SERIAL NUMBER............................................ 42-69021

YEAR...................................................................... 1944

ENGINE....................................... ALLISON V-1710-117

PROPELLER..................... AEROPRODUCTS A642S-3D

 

HISTORY

 

20 MAY 1944............................................................................. ACCEPTED BY THE USAAF

31 MAY 1944...................................................................... DELIVERED TO CHICO AAF, CA

ASSIGNED TO 432ND AAF BASE UNIT (FOURTH AIR FORCE)

PORTLAND AAF, OR.

9 OCTOBER 1944................... 264TH AAF BASE UNIT (SECOND AIR FORCE, 72ND WING)

PETERSON AAF, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

1 DECEMBER 1944............................. 264TH AAF BASE UNIT – RELOCATED TO MAJORS

AAF, GREENVILLE, TX

DECEMBER 1944............................................................................. DEPLOYED OVERSEAS

EITHER TO THE CARIBBEAN OR TO PANAMA

APRIL 1945........................................................................................... SIOUX CITY AAF, IA

29 APRIL 1945..................................................... 244TH AAF BASE UNIT (2ND AIR FORCE)

HARVARD AAF, MO FOR MAINTENANCE

19 JULY 1945.............................................................. RETURNED TO SIOUX CITY AAF, IA

14 OCTOBER 1945........................................................ ATLUS AAF, OK FOR DISPOSITION

BY RECONSTRUCTION FINANCE CORP.

9 NOVEMBER 1945........................................................ STRUCK OFF USAAF INVENTORY

NOVEMBER 1945.................................................................... FERRIED TO VAN NUYS, CA

FOR MODIFICATIONS AS A BENDIX TROPHY RACER

AIRCRAFT ABANDONED AND WENT THROUGH SEVERAL OWNERS

JUNE 1996...................................................................... PURCHASED BY FRANK BORMAN

AIRCRAFT TRANSPORTED TO SQUARE ONE AVIATION, INC.

CHINO, CA FOR RESTORATION

FEBRUARY 11, 1998....................................................................................... FIRST FLIGHT

AFTER 15,000 MAN HOUR RESTORATION

MARCH, 2002................................................................ PURCHASED BY JOHN K. BAGLEY

 

THIS AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN AUTHENTICALLY RESTORED, ARMAMENT INSTALLED, AND PAINTED TO REPRESENT THIS AIRCRAFT WHEN ACCEPTED BY THE USAAF IN 1944.