The best allied fighter pilots have been the soviets

[mayfair35]

Gentlemen:
If you will check how the Russians modified "their" P-39s, you will be aware that they were different from ours. I posted a reply previously about what our pilots who ran the first shuttle run to Russia saw and what they said about the Russian P-39s but some experts poo pooed the information ... so take your pick. Either we used them incorrectly or we were unwilling to modify them as the Russians did at Piryatin. The Russians were confident they could handle a 109 in a
P-39 up to about 12,000 feet.
Cordially, Art Fiedler

[kurlannaiskos]

WOW!
I guess we can consider this hair to be split mighty fine.

the RAF and USAAF were looking for high-altitude (20,000+) long-range
strategic interceptors (before it ever got that name) for deep penetration missions.
the P-39 is certainly not capable of that so it 'was used incorrectly' in the ETO and PTO.
the VVS used it for what it could do : low to medium altitude tactical fighter in support of the Red Army.
so in this case it 'was used correctly'

[kalender1973]

Originally Posted by mayfair35

Gentlemen:
If you will check how the Russians modified "their" P-39s, you will be aware that they were different from ours. I posted a reply previously about what our pilots who ran the first shuttle run to Russia saw and what they said about the Russian P-39s but some experts poo pooed the information ... so take your pick. Either we used them incorrectly or we were unwilling to modify them as the Russians did at Piryatin. The Russians were confident they could handle a 109 in a
P-39 up to about 12,000 feet.
Cordially, Art Fiedler

Hello Art,

generally, the soviet strengthened the plane tail due it's structural weakness(high acceleration could cause the deformation). Additionally some regiments removed the wing Browning 12,7 for the better climbing and turning performance.
The Soviet AF used for ground troops support and the the soviet pilots must use the planes that soviet engineers and soviet goverment could deliver(inclusive lead-lease). They could not wait for the better models due thousands of soviet soldier died every single day on the ground. Therefore they must depelop the methods and the tactics for bypassing of plane shortcomings. One of this method was the numerically superiority: if you have 10:1 figther and capable leading pilots, it is not more relevant, what the plane you have on the hand. Another was the appropriate using of plane type e.g. Yaks for escort of Il-2 and P-39 for high cover or air patrol over the front.

From the actual point of view, the P-39 was not a good plane with the perfect radio equipment :-). The flying charachteristic of the La-5 and Yaks was better and this confirm also the germans: Rall, Bakhorn; Schuck and IIRC wing man from Bakhorn. The cooling liquid for the motor was easily combustible etc. etc...

Best regards