P-63 Kingcobra (oz16447)

About this Plan

P-63 Kingcobra. Radio contol scale model for electric power with 24g brushless motor. Wingspan 30 in.

Note this plan is a free download available from the Model Aviation site at https://www.modelaviation.com/p63-kingcobra where it appears along with the full build text and some great build pics. Also a tiled print version of the plan, and free downloads of printed tissue files to complete the model.

Quote: "Last year, Paul Kohlmann and I built park flyer versions for our 'Fighter Face-Off' series that appeared in the September through November 2021 issues of Model Aviation. The models featured were a Brewster Buffalo (oz16237) and a Nakajima Nate (oz16235), both with 30-inch wingspans. After finalizing the Nate design, I wanted to build another park flyer model. These smaller models are less complex and can be built quicker than larger ones. Their size also allows you to toss them fully assembled into your vehicle, head to a park, install the battery, and fly. Wanting to keep with a less-modeled aircraft, I decided on the Bell P-63 Kingcobra.

The Bell Aircraft Corporation was a company known for its unique designs. From its first military design, the Airacuda, to the early X Plane series, the company’s designs pushed the limits of technology in the day. The forerunner to the Kingcobra was the P-39 Aircobra, an aircraft that was unique in that the engine was mounted behind the pilot, allowing a 37mm cannon to fire through the propeller hub. The aircraft also featured a nose gear, something uncommon for single-engine fighters at the time. However, the promising P-39 did not live up to expectations when armor and armament were added, and it was not long before an improved version was needed.

The result was the P-63 Kingcobra. Although the P-63 resembled a larger version of the P-39, it was an entirely new design. The aircraft featured a supercharger, laminar airfoil cross-section, and an improved engine. The prototype first flew on December 7, 1942. Although the resulting aircraft was a significant improvement over the P-39, the U.S. Army declined larger orders because the P-51 was still considered a better aircraft. However, the Russian Air Force was interested in the P-63 and much of the production run was sold under lend-lease. Of interesting note, while not accepted at first, Bell engineers eventually took a lot of feedback from the Russian pilots to improve later versions of the P-63.

The Kingcobra gained notoriety after the war in the late 1940s in the Reno Air Races, where they were modified and appeared with more clipped wings. The ultimate was the Tucker Special, with nearly 13 feet of wing removed to help reduce drag.

The Model: The model’s construction is straightforward. The fuselage is built in halves (left and right) over a keel and the wing is built in three sections flat on the board. The main material used is 3/32-inch balsa, but there is some 1/18-inch light plywood and 1/4- and 1/16-inch balsa. There is an option to employ 'plug-in' landing gear or a modeler can omit this for an even lighter version.

The prototype model is powered by a 24- to 30-gram motor and features a four-blade propeller. There is also a 3D-printed spinner from Rabid Models. Information about the motor, propeller, and spinner is in the 'Sources' listing. The plans show all of the templates needed to build the model, but if a modeler wants to save time, a short kit is available from Manzano Laser Works..."

Supplementary file notes

Parts.
Templates.

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