CAF P-63F King Cobra, Tx

[Triplane102]

A great site at http://www.p63sponsorgroup.com/ , what a great job these guys are doing to put her back in the air so soon ! My 2 Cents, If the Sponsor$ put all that time & money into her, & CAF HQ agrees on the Pin Ball paint job ( Hey Better Than that old Russian paint job with that UGLY Green it had on Many moons ago ! ) Why Not ?, the last time we saw an Red/Orange P-63 flying was the Sandberg Reno racer that was later lost in England. I think it would be Cool to see one with the Orange & Black flying around, ( most people would never know about the rudder, except US! ). Best of luck to them !

[Dan K]

Great to see that fresh Allison installed Sunday!

Like Tony, I'm good with the pinball paint as well...shades of "Tipsy Miss".

[Old Shep]

First, I too am glad to see the P-63 guys making such head way, and I hope they find the money to find and/or fix the gearbox. However....

I wrote the article for the Dispatch that is on their website. That P-63 was NEVER a pinball airplane! The tall tail is the distinctive visual that identifies it as an F model. Only two ever built that way. The other CAF P-63 being restored by the Dixie Wing has the more common tail (I believe it is a P-63 E but I'm not sure) and it is the one that could be marked as a Pinball airplane. The current paint scheme on the Houston P-63F is very accurate and I would hope it would not be changed. So, curb your enthusiasm about the Houston one becoming orange and check out the Dixie Wing for info on the other P-63.

Old Shep

[Dan K]

First, I too am glad to see the P-63 guys making such head way, and I hope they find the money to find and/or fix the gearbox. However....

I wrote the article for the Dispatch that is on their website. That P-63 was NEVER a pinball airplane! The tall tail is the distinctive visual that identifies it as an F model. Only two ever built that way. The other CAF P-63 being restored by the Dixie Wing has the more common tail (I believe it is a P-63 E but I'm not sure) and it is the one that could be marked as a Pinball airplane. The current paint scheme on the Houston P-63F is very accurate and I would hope it would not be changed. So, curb your enthusiasm about the Houston one becoming orange and check out the Dixie Wing for info on the other P-63.

Old Shep

So this...

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/113 ... 13c2127/11

...is incorrect? And the Houston group is NOT securing funds for a pinball paintjob?


FWIW, I think most (if not all) at WIX understand that neither of the two F models served as pinballs.

But--as accurate as its current colors are--I think the P-63F could tell a bigger story to a bigger audience in orange than in silver. I rather surprise myself with that comment, as I usually take a more anal-retentive approach with paint schemes. But it seems the CAF is taking more of a "educate-the-masses" approach in recent years.

My opinion has little value, but perhaps others agree in this situation (No offense taken if you don't)?

[Dan K]

Recent video at the sponsor group's Facebook page seems to suggest that it is indeed the P-63F that will be resprayed in pinball orange:

https://www.facebook.com/Houstonp63spon ... p/?fref=ts

Not that our opinion holds sway on the decision, but how do WIXers sit concerning this Kingcobra going orange? Can this P-63 tell a bigger historical story as a pinball vs her most-recent colors?

[Warbird Kid]

While it doesn't fall into the CAF's overall plan since it's a civilian scheme, it would be cool to see this P-63F returned to her Cleveland racing scheme:

[sandiego89]

......but how do WIXers sit concerning this Kingcobra going orange? Can this P-63 tell a bigger historical story as a pinball vs her most-recent colors?

I vote Orange would be great, and would generate much interest in both the enthusiast and casual observers domains. A few purists might gripe, but there is such a thing as being "too" purist.

As long as no-one is purposely misrepresenting something I say no foul. Education is great. There is room for both "close enough" and 99% acuarate airframes in the movement.

We can carry the purist thing too far: complaining about the wrong model B-25 being painted as a Dollittle Raider, the dreaded P-40 with a sharkmouth debate, an airframe that never left the states being armed and painted like a wartime model, an Axis fighter with...GASP...an Allison or a P&W engine.....

Paint it Orange!!!!

[Warbird Kid]

I say keep it as is. Paint the other P-63 as the Orange Pinball.

[Triplane102]

THANK YOU Everyone, for your input ( or is that in-put , sorry, I couldn't help myself!)
I'll guess that the Dixie People MIGHT want their K.Cobra painted O.D (?) instead of Silver or Orange (?)
I'm also going to take a Guess, & think that the "F" MIGHT be test flown in Silver, it looks like they touched up the repairs in silver. (Orange, the New Silver ? , again, sorry.....)
Either way, they're doing a GREAT job wrenching on her !

[Triplane102]

Looking Great, All together again ! Great Job P-63 Sponsor Group !!! Thanks For ALL the Work !!

[mike furline]

[Triplane102]

Thanks Mike! GREAT PIC!!!

[Dan K]

Looking Great, All together again ! Great Job P-63 Sponsor Group !!! Thanks For ALL the Work !!

She does look good.




https://www.facebook.com/Houstonp63spon ... =3&theater


And now for the finishing touch!

[marine air]

Ok, whoever is paying for it's restoration and paint job, gets my support, whatever paint scheme. Second, my suggestion is that since it is one of only two F models built would be to keep it silver prototype markings but add some NACA markings and yellow band on the tail. In Bud Anderson's book he mentions them using the P-63's and there is a picture of a couple of them in the experiment where they tried to hook a couple PQ-14's onto the wingtips of a C-47.
I believe there are more airshow attendees that would like to see an airplane representing the birth of NASA and Edwards AFB (formerly NACA and Muroc Dry Lake) than there will ever be the pinball mission. It would get more paid appearances as a NACA/NASA bird. Isn't the aerospace industry kind of a big deal in Texas and elsewhere?

[Mark Allen M]

If your going to paint it orange, might as well add stripes.