'Hells Bell' was originally built as an Airacobra Mk. I for the RAF as Serial # BW 151. With the RAF rejecting Airacobras due to poor performance at altitude, BW 151 remained at the Bell factory until U.S. Army Air Corps requisitioned the undelivered Airacobras after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. These RAF spec aircraft were designated P-400's by the Air Corps to differentiate them from standard P-39's being built to U.S. standards. For example, all P-400's had 20mm cannons whereas most P-39D production blocks had the 37mm cannon instead. There are also other differences in equipment. BW 151 was one of 200 P-400's sent to the South Pacific theater in 1942, and it wound up serving with the 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.
'Hells Bell" retained the RAF spec camouflage pattern in DuPont equivalent colors. Of particular note is the underside color being a light cream color instead of the light green "Sky Type S" common to early war RAF fighters. Original RAF markings were over-painted with OD green with U.S. insignias and U.S. ARMY across the lower wing. The 67th FS emblem, a boxing rooster, was painted on both doors and a large shark mouth wrapped around the lower nose. 'Hells Bell' (commonly mistaken as 'Hells Bells' or 'Hell's Bells') was painted on both sides above the exhaust stacks.
This skin represents a proper P-400 and has details unique to P-400's including navigation lights aft of the cockpit doors lower right wing.
Also of note. I used Oboe's excellent custom U.S. pilot for this skin.
