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This. The jug was a flying tank.
Fun fact about the P-40 the original design lead engineer wanted a supercharger but he got switched off the project and they left it off. If it had the supercharger it would have been the best early fighter of the war instead of just mediocre.
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While the P-40 is my favorite fighter of all time, if I had to actually fight for my life I'm in a Jug.
This. The jug was a flying tank.
Fun fact about the P-40 the original design lead engineer wanted a supercharger but he got switched off the project and they left it off. If it had the supercharger it would have been the best early fighter of the war instead of just mediocre.
Not Exactly Right, but Very CLOSE - The XP-39 was originally designed to have a Turbo Supercharged Allison V-12 V-1710 (like the two in the P-38 Lightning).
However the engineering officer (Fighter Projects Officer Lieutenant Benjamin S. Kelsey) supervising the "Light Interceptor" (The P-38 Lightning twin engine being the 'Heavy interceptor') was sent to Europe in 1940 to study what was actually happening with the air war. While he was away, the decision was made to remove the Turbo Supercharger from the P-39 and retain only the simple single stage mechanical supercharger of the Allison (just like in the P-40 and the early P-51 / A-36 Mustang)...
The Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 of fame for the Spitfire & Later "B" model onward p-51 Mustangs had a TWO speed mechanical supercharger which continued to provide maximum power at much higher altitudes than the simple single speed blower of the Allison...
Had the Production P-39 been completed using the specified Turbo Supercharger of the original design which could maintain full power from the ground to above 30,000 ft ... Well it would have been a much better performing aircraft...
The Russians loved the P-39 for their air war, which was mid to low altitude where the lack of high altitude performance was not missed. The P-39 was very agile at low altitude and the weapons one 37mm auto cannon and two .50 cal browning M-2s fired straight and true from the nose for more accurate and dense firepower like the P-38 (not having to deal with gun convergence required on wing mounted guns). The Russians took the extra wing pod mounted guns off their P-39s to maintain the very quick roll rate in exchange for those two added on .30 cal machine guns.
Several of the Top Soviet Aces flew the majority of their kills (against very skilled and experienced Luftwaffe pilots in bf109 & FW-190s) in the P-39... Just saying...
I have some great pictures of the remaining flying P-39 from down in Texas I'll try to find...
But if it was my butt in any seat flying and fighting for my life. P-47 because... 'Merica!!