Placing the Bell P39 Aircobra.

[tcolvin]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

Indeed, and this was their greatest weakness. The P-39 would have been no better, and of poorer performance.

Don't agree. The P-39 was superior to the Typhoon, Spitfire and P51 because although all their engines were liquid cooled, that of the P-39 was protected from ground fire. And protection of the aircraft's vitals from ground fire was the sine qua non of a CAS spec.

And was there any reason why the P-39's 20-mm low-velocity cannon could not have been replaced with a high-velocity cannon to make it suitable for tank-busting? Is there any evidence this role was even considered? Certainly the British Army was never consulted. And when the RAF cancelled the armour that had been ordered for fitment in North Africa to the successful Hurricane IID, which was equipped with a high-velocity 20-mm cannon, there should have been some thought given to its replacement - and not with an RP Typhoon which suffered from vulnerability and inaccuracy.