Strange P-39.....with under belly jet pod

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 10:28 pm

Strange P-39.....am on a roll tonight....

No info added from http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/KleinBernhard/4859.htm

Searched and found nothing......

fiftycal · **Joined:** Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:20 am **Posts:** 306

notice there is no cannon? thats because the nose has a huge turbo in it and thats the air feed. i believe this is one of my P-39's with the naca

Lon Moer · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2015 11:11 pm

Triplane102 · **Joined:** Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:55 pm **Posts:** 491

What's with the long Shinny Pipe from the pod up to the fuselage ? Just wondering.

dbrown · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 12:46 am

Almost looks like a V-1 ish type ramjet

steve dickey · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 1:23 am

According to Birch Matthews book "Cobra" it was purely a mock up for an external turbo supercharger.
The pipe to the rear was to simulate a feed pipe to deliver compressed air to the engine supercharger.
It was flown in this configuration but the drag caused a 40 MPH drop in top speed. The idea was abandoned. This is P-39D 40-6770

Michel Lemieux · **Posted:** Thu May 28, 2015 8:46 pm

Quote:

it was purely a mock up for an external turbo supercharger

Ram air boost?

Interesting test concept!

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Strange P-39.....with under belly jet pod

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