P-63 Kingcobra Remains

[Warbirdnerd]

There is a new listing on Barnstormers for one. Seems the Sandbar Mitchell folks found one in Alaska last month while recovering B-25 parts in Nome...

[cooper9411]

There is a new listing on Barnstormers for one. Seems the Sandbar Mitchell folks found one in Alaska last month while recovering B-25 parts in Nome...

Yes they did find one. Patrick told me about it a few weeks ago and asked me to keep it quiet. I'm here to tell you it was in no way an easy thing to do but I did! Now if we could only have a certain P-63 fuselage come on the market.

[Mike]

What's with all this 'a certain' that seems to be used a lot here recently? We have MAPS supposedly acquiring 'a certain' B-17, now 'a certain' P-63 fuselage. Is this an 'I know something you don't' thing? Some sort of code, only to be deciphered by those 'in the know'?

[Taylor Stevenson]

Mike,

Yes. A lot in warbirds is, understandably, kept very much under the radar. Makes things easier.

[cooper9411]

What's with all this 'a certain' that seems to be used a lot here recently? We have MAPS supposedly acquiring 'a certain' B-17, now 'a certain' P-63 fuselage. Is this an 'I know something you don't' thing? Some sort of code, only to be deciphered by those 'in the know'?

Certain P-63 fuselage refers to the one in the Soplata collection. And in regards to the certain B-17, I was just repeating what was told to us when we visited MAPS! When dealing with warbirds it is best to conceal any information if at all possible. And if not, just reveal as little as can be. So that's where the word " certain" comes in.

[george]

I've heard that the Soplata B-36 not only holds a P-63, but is packed with other rare WW2 fighters. Don't know if that's true or not.

[cooper9411]

I've heard that the Soplata B-36 not only holds a P-63, but is packed with other rare WW2 fighters. Don't know if that's true or not.

I've heard that rumor as well. Unfortunately the times that I've been there I've been unable to gain access to the B-36 due to the weather conditions and/or over growth of vegetation and trees.

[marine air]

Back in the 1970's , Sport Aviation magazine had an interesting article about a chap that found some derelict Spitfires in a South African boneyard. He picked the best and rebuilt it using pieces from the others. Then he pretty much lsft the others as they were just junk. Needless to say, those othrs were eventually recovered and went towards airworthy restorations as the values increased. In my view, that is kind of how these P-39 and P-63 hulks should be viewed.
Worth keeping, all will be "long term" restorations one day inching towards completion as bits and pieces are sourced and collected. Many P-51, Spitfire, and Hurricane projects have been accumulated that way. Especially the P-51 A, B, C, and A-36's restored lately. Whatever the Soplata family still have will go to worthy projects although it could be 20 to 50 more years of waiting.

[Chris Brame]

I've heard that the Soplata B-36 not only holds a P-63, but is packed with other rare WW2 fighters. Don't know if that's true or not.

I've heard that rumor as well. Unfortunately the times that I've been there I've been unable to gain access to the B-36 due to the weather conditions and/or over growth of vegetation and trees.

One P-63 and (I think) one-half of the XP-82 here; there was also a P-47.

[george]

Great picture, Chris. I've heard there is even more in there.

[dirtysidedown430]

Look you guys should check the maint books on the 39s and 63s. Stop and think why so many striped hulks are around, big freaken engine small airframe and drive shafts. It says if you can not line up the drive shafts that means the airframe is twisted because of torque from engine and thats the end of the airplane. And there is no way to fix a twisted airframe.

[Yak3]

The condition of these airframes dictates that a full "back to component" rebuild would be required. Using a correctly calibrated jig there shouldn't be an issue in building the fuselage back straight and true.

[Dan Jones]

Look you guys should check the maint books on the 39s and 63s. Stop and think why so many striped hulks are around, big freaken engine small airframe and drive shafts. It says if you can not line up the drive shafts that means the airframe is twisted because of torque from engine and thats the end of the airplane. And there is no way to fix a twisted airframe.

I'd like to see someone like Steve Hinton (who's rebuilt at least one of each) or Tom Reilly or someone field that question. With a straight fuselage to build a jig from or the drawings I can't accept that nowadays something like a twisted fuselage is impossible to fix. I can see it being ridiculously expensive (most things in aviation are) but not impossible.

[dirtysidedown430]

Sorry I was a little curt in my last post. And it is true enough money wood fix the problem. D. Tallichet had a 39 at Air Heritage that had worked on by some trade school and it looked good but they got a video from ww2 on the 39 which showed how to check the drive shafts and David sent another one. In the video it shows the airplane shipped in a wood box. How to open box and put airplane together. Even said that box could be used for a bunch of stuff like a line shack.

[Dan Jones]

Some of those old videos do show some pretty neat stuff.

The lack of specialty spares for the Bells will no doubt keep most of the hulks on the ground but I expect a few more will see the air again. How many -39's came out of New Guinea in '74 with Tallichet's salvage operation? They'd sat in the jungle for thirty years, but they were salvaged over forty years ago!