Originally posted by humble
My understanding is that the P-39 actually had the best K/D ratio in the ETO/MTO but I 'dont know how you verify that...
just a quick search:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200508/ai_n14825564theres 4 pages, this is page 1.
In May 1942, two squadrons of P-39s from the U.S. 8th Fighter Group flew in to reinforce the RAAF's 75th Fighter Squadron, which flew P-40s. Keen to engage the enemy first, the 8th FG was soon airborne with 13 P-39s headed for the enemy airfields at Lae and Salamaua on New Guinea's north coast.
Riding the turbulent air 100 feet above the ocean's surface, the P-39s pointed their noses towards Lae. Twenty miles out, their radios crackled to life, and four P-39s throttled up and moved ahead of the formation to be ready to engage the Japanese air patrol over its airfield. It worked. The top cover drew the enemy patrol off to the east of Lae and left the remaining Airacobras with nothing but airfield. Surprise was complete. The nine remaining P-39s tore across the Japanese airfield spitting 37mm, .50-caliber and .30-caliber shells into parked aircraft, ammo dumps, a radio station and three floatplanes at anchor.
Ground fire was late and inaccurate, and with the strafing run complete, the Airacobras pulled up hard into a climbing turn. Several Zeros managed to get airborne and catch the four escaping P-39s. They released their drop tanks and turned to engage their attackers. The dogfight attracted more Zeros, and the four Airacobras were soon in a desperate fight. Mike keys were punched and their desperate calls for help were heard. The remaining P-39s turned to race to their rescue. The sky was soon a sea of twisting fighters, their wings alive with fire and lead. This continued for about 30 miles along the coast and then back again; with ammunition and fuel running low, the P-39s broke off and headed for home, leaving behind four downed Zeros and four of their own (three of the pilots eventually returned to Port Moresby). It wasn't a decisive victory, but the attack on Lae airfield showed that at the right height, the P-39 could fight the Mitsubishi Zero on even terms. Often maligned by the men who flew it in the South Pacific, the P-39 Airacobra proved to be a useful fighter and one that deserves more recognition in the USAAF's history.
Brig. Gen. Charles "Chuck" Yeager stated that he thought the P-39 was the best airplane he ever flew, and most pilots remember its flight characteristics with affection. But not all pilots had Yeager's skill and natural abilities. Although the P-39 had some sterling flying qualities below 12,000 feet, at higher altitudes, it was sluggish and uninspired as a single-seat fighter, and many who flew it had nothing good to say about it.
Much has been written about the Spitfire, Mustang, Hellcat, Corsair, Thunderbolt and Lightning as being the truly remarkable fighters of WW II-so much so, in fact, that one could conclude that these fighters won the War! With respect to performance, they were true thoroughbreds, and all except the Spitfire had the benefit of valuable combat information. Combat reports written by the European powers on the performance of their fighters were available, and U.S. manufacturers incorporated those lessons in their fighters. But the Grumman Wildcat, the Curtiss P-40 and the much maligned P-39 (referred to as the "Iron Dog") were forced into combat with what they had. And what the P-39 had was a lot more than history has given it credit for.
Although its contribution to the war in the Pacific and the Mediterranean was not significant in terms of enemy aircraft shot down (300), the P-39 managed to hold its own. But, more important, the P-39 and the P-40 gave the Allies what they needed most: time. Though inexperienced aircrew flew against the formidable Mitsubishi Zero pilots in the Pacific, they eventually managed to achieve a one-to-one kill ratio. This is a remarkable figure because in the first months of the War, the Japanese pilots enjoyed a considerable advantage in terms of combat experience and equipment. The time gained allowed the Allies to build up their forces and introduce newer and faster fighters such as the Hellcat, Corsair and Lightning.
Although the USSR viewed the Allies' fighters with indifference (Hurricane and P-40), the P-39 was highly regarded. At low altitude, its sparkling performance caused problems for the Luftwaffe's top pilots, and many leading Soviet aces scored most or all of their victories while flying it. An informal count has more than 30 Soviet Kobra pilots with at least 20 victories. The P-39's contribution on the Russian front was significant and should not be overlooked. The success of this aircraft in the low-level regime played a major role in the defeat of the German Army.
