Chinese Bell P-63C Kingcobra

[comrade harps]

Bell P-63C Kingcobra
3rd Fighter Group, Chinese Nationalist Air Force
Nanning Wuxu, China
November, 1945




Like the Socialist Union's use of Bell's P-39 and P-63, China's use of these same types has been little documented in the West. Suffice to say, the Bell fighters were a mainstay of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force from 1943 to 1947, when replaced by P-51Ds and F4Us. According to American sources, they were appreciated for their ruggedness and heavy nose mounted cannon. Although able to carry bombs and (in the case of the P-63C) 5 inch HVARs, the usual load out consisted of underwing machine guns and external fuel.




This P-63C was photographed in November, 1945, at Nanning Wuxu, close to the border with Vietnam. At the time, the Chinese Nationalists were advancing into the north of Japanese occupied Indochina with the support of American, British Commonwealth and French forces.

Preceding the offensive, Kingcobras based at Nanning Wuxu had made daily missions over Tonkin and Annam, providing escort for B-25 bombers and strafing targets of opportunity. Once the invasion started, the Kingcobras also supplied close air support and deployed to forward airstrips in Indochina; they were notably active during the battles in and around Hanoi and Hai Phong. While the Japanese tended to mount major battles, the indigenous Viet Minh Communists (which had declared independence from France in September, 1945) mounted a campaign of guerrilla warfare against the Aallies, forcing the Kingcobras to be used as convoy escorts.

[Father Ennis]

Very Kool !!!

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice. Which kit is this?

[The Wooksta!]

Toko/Eastern Express I'd think.  Looks too clean to be the MPM kit.

[NARSES2]

Nice work

[comrade harps]

Toko/Eastern Express I'd think.

Wooksta, The Incredible Kit Identifier, has it in one once again!

Tip for anyone thinking of building it: measure up and dry fit the main undercarriage before gluing, as it's way long. The kit's somewhat rough.

[The Wooksta!]

That's an understatement.  I've got the MPM one together - I abandoned the Toko one...

[Dizzyfugu]

Thanks a lot for the info. 

[The Wooksta!]

That's not to say the Toko one is unbuildable.  I just lost interest in it after a few difficulties.  I'm sure you'd sail through it!