If HTC decides to model P-39s...

[LLv34_Dictonius]

We have one P39 down at our Tikkakoski Aviation Museum in Finland - only 20km for me to go and take a close look - and let me tell ya, its not as cool as Brewster

[eskimo2]

Originally posted by Bronk
Did he comment on handling qualities/ maneuverability?  

Bronk

He loved them both.  He said that they were easy to fly but had some dangerous characteristics.  A friend of his bailed out of a P-39 while in a flat unrecoverable spin.  His P-39 pancaked onto the desert and he landed right on top of it (in his chute)!  Bill stalled on a low turning landing approach once and barely pulled out in time; he always approached hot and high after that.  He said that once the P-39 was trimmed out he could actually fly it by leaning, like flying a hang glider.

The P-39, P-63 & RP-63 were the only real fighters he flew.  He has 850 hours in AT-6s and some time in SBDs, AT-11s, B-25s and B-17s; not much to compare against.  I think that most pilots loved their planes once they got used to them and thought they had the best planes ever.

[IronDog]

My good friend Vern Ford,God rest his soul,flew for the R.A.F. early on,the U.S.A.A.F. later on, mostly in North Africa.After the war he test piloted,and was friends with Yeager,and that bunch.He flew in the cross country races..popular at that time.In the fifties he worked for Allison.
Vern flew just about every plane of that era,and I recall his opinion of the P39 as being a little tricky to fly,but overall a pretty good plane.His main ride in WWII was the P40,which he said wasn't that bad.Vern said that taking the blower off the P39 was a shame,and that if they'd have left it alone,the old Iron Dog would have been way more successful.
I still cherish are chats over a few drinks,and fondley recall going thru his scrapebooks.
Oh,Vern's favorite plane to fly....I had to ask!...P38;)
IronDog 475/432 Fighter squadron
Public Relations Officer
Proud Member of S.A.P.P.

[Ball]

Originally posted by eskimo2
He loved them both.  He said that they were easy to fly but had some dangerous characteristics.  

doesnt matter in AH anyway, check out the Corsair and P-51!

[hubsonfire]

While I would like to finally silence all the Finn's with their damned Buffalo fixation , I would like to see the P-39 at the top of the list, then the B-25, then on down the line. It's an interesting aircraft with a lot of history, and a fairly unique appearance. It's purty.

[eskimo2]

A year or so ago I compared the production numbers of AH planes to the most produced planes in WWII.  I’m pretty sure the P-39 was the most produced US fighter not already in the AH arsenal.  It might have even been the most produced of all planes not already in the AH arsenal.  

I’d like to see someone back this up.

[hubsonfire]

Originally posted by eskimo2
A year or so ago I compared the production numbers of AH planes to the most produced planes in WWII.  I’m pretty sure the P-39 was the most produced US fighter not already in the AH arsenal.  It might have even been the most produced of all planes not already in the AH arsenal.  

I’d like to see someone back this up.

Fair enough. Brooke seems to know what he's talking about. This is from Furball's missing A/C thread, I think

Originally posted by Brooke
I compiled production numbers for all the higher-production-number aircraft.

Here's the list.

Aircraft production in WWII

---- US ----

For the US, here are the production fighters, with numbers produced listed (from America's Hundred Thousand):

P-47, 15683
P-51, 15486
P-40, 13143
F6F, 12275
F4U, 11514
P-38, 10037
P-39, 9529 <--- not in AH yet
F4F/FM, 7905

snip

[Bingolong]

Most lacked plane in the game, fits all theaters P-39!