Airacobra N 40 A

Mgawa · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 1:37 pm

Greetings all,

I have seen an image of P-39 from 1972, look all white with green rear part. On the nose lower side is text Mr. Mennen. Any more info about this plane?

Cheers

Speedy · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 1:53 pm

Mgawa wrote:

Greetings all,

I have seen an image of P-39 from 1972, look all white with green rear part. On the nose lower side is text Mr. Mennen. Any more info about this plane?

Cheers

That was Mira Slovak's "Mr. Mennen". Mira bought N40A from E.D. Weiner's estate, if I remember correctly. They restored it, with financial help from George Mennen (Mennen Speed Stick?), with the intent of racing it at Reno, but due to some circumstances, they arrived late and were not allowed to run. So Mira never came back. The plane was sold to Ed Messick and flown with the CAF for many years, until it was purchased by the Kalamazoo Air Zoo--where it is still on static display today.

Dan K · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 2:51 pm

She started life as 44-3908, one of the super-rare TP-39Q. What a beauty! :wink:

Mgawa · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 3:19 pm

Thank you both for this answer! So during the war time that was trainer?

Thank you again

Mgawa · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 3:20 pm

Thank you both for this answer! So during the war time that was trainer?

Thank you again

Dan K · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 3:39 pm

Mgawa wrote:

So during the war time that was trainer?

Yes. Try this:

http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/lendlea ... erp-39.htm

old iron · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 4:10 pm

Wouldn't it be interesting to have this returned to its original configuration, making it the sole survivor of its type?

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1471

old iron wrote:

Wouldn't it be interesting to have this returned to its original configuration, making it the sole survivor of its type?

In almost any other case I would say yes but, good Lord, that thing is ugly! I much prefer it in the single seat configuration. I would cast my vote to change the current paint scheme however.

Dan K · **Posted:** Sat May 22, 2010 9:18 pm

C VEICH wrote:

I would cast my vote to change the current paint scheme however.

The Cactus paint is actually one of my favorites. Wadja have in mind?

Mgawa · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2010 10:44 am

Thank you very much

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1471

Dan K wrote:

C VEICH wrote:

I would cast my vote to change the current paint scheme however.

The Cactus paint is actually one of my favorites. Wadja have in mind?

Actually it's not the scheme I don't like, it's the colors chosen and the way they are applied. Looks like a big, shiney, plastic model to me. Could just be me though! The painting you posted looks much nicer to me than the Kalamazoo airplane.

Dan K · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2010 1:07 pm

C VEICH wrote:

Actually it's not the scheme I don't like, it's the colors chosen and the way they are applied. Looks like a big, shiney, plastic model to me. Could just be me though! The painting you posted looks much nicer to me than the Kalamazoo airplane.

I understand completely. I always wondered if the indoor lighting wasn't treating pics of it very kindly.

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sun May 23, 2010 4:44 pm

The only real problem I have with the current paint job is the camouflage. While the unit markings are reasonably accurate and the colors are OK, whoever mapped out the camo had no idea what they were doing. The wings are especially bad, bearing no resemblance to the correct pattern. It would have only taken ten minutes of research in the museum library to do the job right. Considering the quality of the Air Zoo's other restorations, this one was a real letdown. I know..I'm just a model builder, so I have no business commenting on full-size restorations...

SN

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Airacobra N 40 A

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