World War Photos

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American fighter aircraft with the engine installed in the center fuselage, behind the pilot, and driving a tractor propeller via a long shaft.

Design and Structure

• Type: Single-seat Fighter

• Wings:

  • Configuration: Low-wing cantilever monoplane.
  • Wing Section: NACA 0015 at the root and modified NACA 23009 at the tip.
  • Structure: The center-section is integral with the forward fuselage, with tapering outer sections. The wings feature three spars: front, rear, and auxiliary, along with pressed and beaded aluminum ribs, Z-section spanwise stringers, and a flush-riveted smooth aluminum skin. Ailerons are fabric-covered metal frames, differentially controlled with modified Frise type nose balance and a Venturi-shaped slot. Includes controllable trimming-tabs and additional servo tabs.

• Fuselage:

  • Construction: Oval all-metal structure in two sections. The forward section includes main longitudinal beams and a horizontal upper deck, providing easy access to engine, cockpit, armament, and radio equipment. The aft section is a metal monocoque.

• Tail Unit:

  • Type: Cantilever monoplane, with all-metal fixed surfaces and fabric-covered movable surfaces. Trimming-tabs are controllable from the cockpit.

• Landing Gear:

  • Type: Retractable tricycle, with electrical retraction and emergency hand gear. Main wheels retract inwardly into the wings, while the castoring nose wheel retracts aft into the fuselage. Equipped with hydraulic suspension and multiple disc brakes.

Power Plant

• Engine: One 1,200 h.p. Allison V-1710-85 twelve-cylinder Vee liquid-cooled engine, mounted aft of the pilot’s cockpit. It drives a tractor airscrew through an extension shaft and a remote 2.23:1 reduction gearbox.
• Propeller: Aeroproducts three or four-blade hydraulically controlled constant-speed airscrew, 11 ft. 7 in. (3.54 m) in diameter.
• Cooling and Fuel Systems: Coolant radiator and oil coolers are located in the center-section, with air ducts and controllable exits. Fuel tanks, with a total capacity of 120 U.S. gallons, are in the outer wing sections, with provisions for an auxiliary droppable fuel tank.

Accommodation

• Cockpit: Enclosed, located over the leading-edge of the wing. It features two outward-swinging doors with emergency release hinge-pins and roll-down windows. The cockpit is protected with armor and has fume-proof bulkheads. It includes cabin heating, ventilation, and a bullet-proof windshield.

Armament and Equipment

• Guns:
  • One 37 mm cannon firing through the gearbox and airscrew hub.
  • Two .50 cal machine guns in the forward fuselage, synchronized to fire through the airscrew.
  • Two .50 cal guns under the outer wings, firing outside the airscrew disc.
• Bomb: Capable of carrying one 500 lb. bomb under the fuselage.
• Other Equipment: Includes a remotely-controlled two-way radio and an antenna enclosed in the vertical fin’s leading-edge. Full electrical and oxygen systems are provided.

Dimensions

• Span: 34 ft. (10.37 m)
• Length: 30 ft. 2 in. (9.2 m)
• Height: 11 ft. 10 in. (3.63 m) to the top of the airscrew
• Wing Area: 213 sq. ft. (19.8 sq. m)

Weights and Loadings

• Empty Weight: 5,968 lbs. (2,709 kg)
• Loaded Weight: 8,052 lbs. (3,656 kg)
• Wing Loading: 37.76 lbs./sq. ft. (184.26 kg./sq. m)

Performance (P-39Q Variant)

• Maximum Speed: 385 mph (606 km/h) at 11,000 ft. (3,355 m)
• Climb to 15,000 ft. (4,575 m): 4.5 minutes
• Service Ceiling: 35,000 ft. (10,670 m)
• Range:
  • 675 miles (1,080 km) at 240 mph (384 km/h) with external auxiliary tank.
  • 1,475 miles (2,360 km) at 160 mph (256 km/h).