AIRACOBRA GETTING CLOSE

Air Classics, Jul 2004

Rare bird to fly in near future

Fighter Rebuilders is getting close to completed the ultra-rare Bell P-39Q-6-BE Airacobra for Stephen Grey's The Fighter Collection. The Allison engine is installed and final detail work is being carried out on the airframe. Test flights will be undertaken by Steve Hinton.

The aircraft is an actual combat veteran and we will be printing a complete history of the machine in a future issue. Currently, only the Commemorative Air Force's Airacobra is airworthy. The airworthy example held by the Kalamazoo Air Zoo has not flown in many years. Yanks Air Museum also has recently completed a multi-year Airacobra restoration but the craft has yet to fly.