Aircraft Photo of 42-69654 / 269654 | Bell P-63E Kingcobra | USA - Air Force | AirHistory.net #56802
Aircraft
Registration / Serial:"42-69654"
Alternate Serial:269654
Other Marks:IL76
Aircraft Original Type:Bell P-63 Kingcobra
Aircraft Generic Type:Bell P-63 Kingcobra
Aircraft Version:Bell P-63E Kingcobra
C/n (msn):[ 43-11728 ]
Operator Titles:USA - Air Force
Location
City / Airport:Dayton - Wright-Patterson AFB / Wright AFBMap
Region / Country:Ohio, United States
Airport Codes:ICAO: KDWF   IATA: -   Local: DWF   Other: -
Collection:National Museum of the United States Air Force
 
Photo Date:19 August 2013
Photo by:Alastair T. Gardiner
Photo ID: 56802
Photo Comment

This P-63 is in reality 43-11728 but is on display at the National Museum of the USAF painted in the unusual colour scheme of a 'pinball' RP-63A. Aerial gunnery students fired at these manned target aircraft (RP-63A and RP-63C) using .30-cal. lead and plastic frangible machine gun bullets which disintegrated harmlessly against the target's external armor plating. Special instruments sent impulses to red lights in the nose of the 'pinball' aircraft, causing them to blink if a hit was registered.

This photo is copyright © Alastair T. Gardiner, and may not be used or published in any way without permission.

It was added on 14 April 2018, and has since been viewed 525 times.


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