Escaping the P-39 Airacobra

The Air Zoo is a world-class, Smithsonian-affiliated aerospace and science museum, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with over 100 air and space artifacts, inspiring interactive exhibits, full-motion flight simulators, indoor amusement park rides, a theater and over 100 education programs!

[nickb]

Imagine a random door landing on you out of the middle of nowhere 😂

[alucardvigilatedismas]

"Bail out safely"
Surely this is %100 OSHA compliant

[Anlushac]

Bailing out of the P-39 was never safe. A number of pilots claimed that when bailing out their legs would hit the rear horizontal stabilizers and break one or both legs. The Soviets discovered it was safer to ride the plane down and crash land. The smooth underside made the aircraft easy to land despite well founded fears of getting smashed by the engine, the engine mounts proved to be very sturdy.

[Aditya-wglp]

That looks really comfy compared to canopy planes

[jaytgaming]

Thanks for the information. You learn something new everyday.

[EdgyShooter]

"Hey Steve could you pass me my sandwich it's just by that handle"
"No problem.... Whoops"

[legit_potato]

I always love the P-39. Such an underrated yet cool airplane.

[fishmandaman]

I love how you and Scott Manley sound the exact same

[member]

My grandfather ferried these. Lots of stories.

[mateusz_]

The cockpit looks really spacious and comfortable

[shadetreemech]

It didn't deserve the bad reputation that it had. The Russians loved it.

[shaunolinger]

Actually... the fastest way to bail out was not to "climb out on the wing". That took FAR too long. Rather... the pilot would jettison both doors, unhook his seat harness, then stomp a rudder peddle. The airflow through the cockpit would spit the pilot out the other side like a spitball through a straw. It also got them away from the horizontal stabilizer because that was a very real hazard to a traditional bailout.

The AiraCobra was a good enough fighter, but it was so different from most other fighters of the era that it was not well understood.

[adamtruong]

As one of my favorite aircraft in WW2, this is definitely one of the less appealing features of the P-39 Airacobra. I'd much prefer a traditional canopy.

[Sergeant_Crecker]

I always loved that kind of useful things. Small, simple, ideal.

[tinyprince]

That is a way simpler method of ditching the door than I expected. Cool!

[OO_BLK]

That "pop" sound imitation is sublime

[Avionicx]

"oh my god, the plane is on fire"

[basilreid]

Thanks for another faction one of my favourite aircraft.

[PhD]

About 25 years ago heard an interview with a WW2 Soviet Ace that he and the other Soviets that had the plane loved the P-39. He said their mechanics would wire all the guns into one button allowing a one-second burst to achieve a kill. They loved that and the armored cockpit! Whereas the Americans had a love-hate relationship due to the door and multi-trigger system.

[mindblownwatcher]

Really a great aircraft, it’s just that they locked in certain parameters of the airframe during pre-war development with NACA and therefore couldn’t upgrade the airframe to meet the needs of WW2. Hence the P-63 program.