Surviving P-63s - questions

[tom d. friedman]

where did astronaut frank borman's p -63 go??

[Speedy]

where did astronaut frank borman's p -63 go??

Last I heard, it was with John Bagley in Rexburg, Idaho.

[PeterA]

One I took at 'Transpo 72' in Washington.

At the time this was billed as the first time the CAF had ventured out of Texas in force.

PeterA

[Rauhbatz]

Hi all...just curious if anyone knows of good online references for P-63 paint schemes.

Yesterday we talked about USAAC, Free French as well as Russian paint schemes for the Dixie Wing P-63.

In particular Im looking for a special Russian winter white paint scheme used during 1943/1944; Ive only seen this a few times and was seeking an example....

[StangStung]

I think the majority of the "white" schemes you see on VVS aircraft were actually washes applied over the standard camo. You should ask about the paint references over on one of the modelling boards, especially this one: http://www.hyperscale.com/

One of those guys is likely to have been to Moscow to look for paint chips!

On another note, do you know the history of your particular airframe? I assume it would have been a stateside training aircraft, right?

[Rauhbatz]

Stangstung...thanks for the reference...

Its my understanding that our P-63 was a stateside training a/c...here are more details and an original pic of the aircraft...

http://dw.squawk1200.net/p-63-kingcobra.html

[Mike]

I'm not sure that P-63s would ever have had winter white schemes in WWII, as they only served briefly in the Kuril Islnds in the summer of 1945

[StangStung]

Thanks for the link to the Dixie Wing's site, but I've read that and it really doesn't go into the history of the airframe, more the history of the CAF's experiences with P-63s post war. What's this plane's story during the war? Or is it uncertain (which we all know wouldn't be unusual).

And after looking at pics online (granted, not the most scientific sampling), it looks like the most common scheme was standard USAAF olive drab over gray, with the substitution of a Soviet start.

Mike, I've heard that the P-63 wasn't "permitted" to be used by the USSR against the Germans by agreement. Still, given the times (though not desperate, the Soviet's were looking to drive home their "win"), and the USSR's track history for breaking agreements, wouldn't one suspect that the P-63 made its way to the active front? Wiki (once again, not the best source ever) seems to suggest as much. I'd like to see the pics to be certain of course. Surely they're out there.

[Rauhbatz]

Good inquiries...will forward this link to my Dixie Wing friends for more details on the airframe history.

What got me thinking about a white finish was a proposed Aurora model that was featured in the Aurora Model history book that showed at P-63 in white winter colors...this P-63 used to be white back in the early CAF days so its a color scheme it knows well....

Look for a response shortly...

[cooper9411]

I looked through all of my books and pictures and have not seen a "white one" anywhere. I'll keep searching to see if I can dig anything up.

[John Kerr]

Here is the white one in early CAF markings.. From my collection.

[Rauhbatz]

Thanks all for the pics and research...we talked about the "tumbleweed" finish at our meeting yesterday...good fun!

I have not seen any pics of P-39/P-63 in white finish...but Im sure they painted them white just like the Luftwaffe painted their 190/109 a/c for the winter.

Maybe it was a spurious color scheme that was dreamed of by Aurora Modelling Co...would not be the first time to sell kits!

[Speedy]

Here is the white one in early CAF markings.. From my collection.

Two different CAF P-63's there, John. The top one is Tumbleweed...which is the one with the Dixie Wing, just before it was given the green FFAF paint scheme. The bottom one was the E model N9004R which was destroyed in a 1968 inflight fire/crash. Both had similar, but not identical, paint jobs.

[jdvoss]

Attached is a photo of the Lackland AFB P-63G S/N 557295. Photo taken in April 1990

[Speedy]

Yeah, um....I'm gonna need that prop off of the Lackland P-63 for my (lottery win dependant) Cobra II rebuild project.