P-39K or L(serial number is unknown) flown by 1st Lt. William F. Fiedler, Jr. of the 68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group in June 1943. On June 16th, Fiedler downed two D3A Vals over Guadalcanal for his fourth and fifth victories, becoming the first, and only, U.S. ace in a P-39. Sadly, he was killed on June 30th when P-38 suffered an engine failure while attempting to take off. It collided with Fiedler's P-39 on the taxiway and both planes exploded.
This skin represents how Fiedler's Airacobra would have looked after he achieved his 5th victory. The kill marks are my artistic license as the sole reference photo of his plane shows none on the port side, but as pilots enter P-39's through the starboard door, kill marks were usually painted on that side. I felt it was important to illustrate his status as an ace. Fiedler's personal emblem of a skill and crossbones was painted on both sides of the nose along with the side number. The reference photo also shows extensive paint touch-ups on most of the service hatches. The serial number was painted over on the fixed portion of the vertical stabilizer and a lightly colored rudder with no serial was installed, a probable replacement.
