Placing the Bell P39 Aircobra.

[Graham Boak]

The Hurricane Mk.IV carried armour around the engine, radiator and cockpit. If this was not "meaningful" in comparison with the lack of same on the Mk.IId, then I suggest the difference is semantic not real.

Thanks for the Shores' reference, I shall look it up.

I would agree that the discussion seems to have moved away from its original intention, at least as I saw it. We are not discussing the real P-39 but some imaginary idealised version that might have embarrassed even Larry Bell.

[tcolvin]

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

The Hurricane Mk.IV carried armour around the engine, radiator and cockpit. If this was not "meaningful" in comparison with the lack of same on the Mk.IId, then I suggest the difference is semantic not real.

Thanks for the Shores' reference, I shall look it up.

I would agree that the discussion seems to have moved away from its original intention, at least as I saw it. We are not discussing the real P-39 but some imaginary idealised version that might have embarrassed even Larry Bell.

Janes' gives a weight for the extra armour on the Hurricane IV as 350 lbs. The 8-mm seat back must have been responsible for most of that. Compare the weight of armour on the IL-2 at 2,092 lbs; the Ju87G-1 at 1,540 lbs; and the Hs129B at 2,370 lbs. Shores doesn't think the Hurricane IV's extra armour is even worth a mention, writing only of its 'universal wing'. I wonder if you are pulling my leg.

We are discussing a P-39 design that was inherently superior for CAS than the Typhoon, and given a tiny bit of good will on the part of the RAF could have been made into a good CAS machine.