Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Mon May 12, 2025 1:11 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 10:39 pm 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:13 pm
Posts: 5663
Location: Minnesota, USA
[quote="zorro7"]

Does anyone have any pictures or close-ups of the Bell P-63E dual seaters?? quote]


NX41964

http://www.aerofiles.com/P63-2seat.jpg

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:41 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 04, 2005 2:38 am
Posts: 108
Location: Atl, GA
Dixie Wing P-63 Update.
The 63 is progressing nicely. Here is a quick list of competed parts:
Empennage
Flaps
Ailerons
Fuel bay doors
Gear
Radiators
Oil cooler

In work:
Right wing reqs a few more rivets and fuel cell.
Left wing needs closure and fuel cell.
Main fuselage, this is where our team is working now.

The project is not on hold. On our “work” days there are 5-7 people working the aircraft. I will try and get some pics this weekend. Warbird51 did get one thing right, we always need $. :D

_________________
Philip Beegle
Dixie Wing CAF


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:46 am 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:13 pm
Posts: 5663
Location: Minnesota, USA
pbeegle1 wrote:
The project is not on hold. On our “work” days there are 5-7 people working the aircraft. I will try and get some pics this weekend. Warbird51 did get one thing right, we always need $. :D



pbeegle, I believe the Dixie Wing is rebuilding #42-68941.

Warbird51 was describing the status of #43-11734.

There certainly is a family resemblance, but it is kinda' sad when you can't recognize your own kid anymore. :wink:

http://www.dixiewing.org/aircraft/p63/p63other.html

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:08 am 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:13 pm
Posts: 5663
Location: Minnesota, USA
And an action pic of NX41964:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii12 ... seater.jpg

_________________
It was a good idea, it just didn't work.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:41 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:07 pm
Posts: 483
P-63 Folks:

The one and only P-63 S.of the border is now getting a facelift!! Bell P-63E, AAF 43-11732 an X FAH 403 will be displayed in bare metal scheme in the near future. Toncontin, Honduras. Photo E.H Apr-2011.

p.s For quite some time its true FAH id was hidden below many layers of paint!!! :wink:

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:19 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:44 pm
Posts: 966
Location: Seattle, WA
pbeegle1 wrote:
Dixie Wing P-63 Update.
The 63 is progressing nicely. Here is a quick list of competed parts:
Empennage
Flaps
Ailerons
Fuel bay doors
Gear
Radiators
Oil cooler

In work:
Right wing reqs a few more rivets and fuel cell.
Left wing needs closure and fuel cell.
Main fuselage, this is where our team is working now.

The project is not on hold. On our “work” days there are 5-7 people working the aircraft. I will try and get some pics this weekend. Warbird51 did get one thing right, we always need $. :D


I know it's not right...but can I have any hope that it will be 'restored' back in the pseudo Free-French markings that it wore in the early '70's? Wildly inaccurate, but that was from my young and impressionalbe years, and that was kind of an iconic CAF plane back then.

_________________
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline......


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:17 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
P-63 Folks:

Good Day!

Pictured below is Bell P-63E AAF 43-11732 X FAH 403 showing its NMF scheme prior to a facelift during late 2011.

It has a partial L/strut on the L/wing assy area. It also appears to be a composite aircraft with the wings of the X FAH 401. One of the ID plates at the tail section shows AAF 43-11736 which is a sample that never went into production. Photo via E.H/AEC

Image


p.s If you live near Falcon Field, AZ where other P-63 parts are in storage plz send us a pm. We are interested to know the S/N of those airframes & the extra wings. Tks


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 8:58 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
P-63F Folks:

Good day!

Some folks say there was only one sample of a P-63F (tall tail) & some other books mention 2 samples. We found the 1st sample in the NMF of c. 1945-46. Bell AAF 43-11719. Now with CAF in TX. Photo AEC.


Image


p.s We'll begin some digging on the poss 2nd sample P-63F 43-11722! C/N ??


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
TP-63?

There were prob 2 samples. One made at Bell c. 1944-45 & another in the former USSR. (Factory kit) Some Flypast folks mention some issues with the CG & structural problems on these training birds. Photo via Flypast Forum.



Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:35 pm 
Offline
Been here a long time
Been here a long time

Joined: Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am
Posts: 11319
That big forward canopy sure looks like it would impair stability. I would expect the vertical stabilizer would need to be enlarged.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:12 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
BDK:

Good day!

I agree.. the sample will fly one way & then the original P-63 will be another training time! Some of the main landing gears were also known to collapse on hard landings.

p.s back to the NMF of the USAF Museum c. 1960s. AAF-43-11728.. clean cut & simple in design. We are finding out what happened to the aft canopy & aft seat. Do you know any data/pics of the late Bill Ross dual canopy AAF -43-11734?? c. 1960s?


Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
P-63 Folks:

Good day!

Does anyone know where this stash of P-63 parts came from? poss location? Photo via John Kerr.

Tks in advance!

Image


Last edited by zorro9 on Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:43 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:15 pm
Posts: 1399
Location: San Diego CA
I think that pic is from Chino and taken a while ago


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 9:28 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:43 pm
Posts: 528
Location: Fort Walton Beach FL
Malstrom AFB, MT I have seen a series of 3 photos of these parts. including this one. Date unknown. Will try to find.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Mystery Bell P-63
PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:55 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:11 pm
Posts: 671
John:

Good day!

Tks for the info & data!

Maybe you have additional data/pics on the below sample. Bell P-63E N41964, poss 43-11734. At Palmdale Int airport of all places c. 1950s. Photo via AEC.

This sample used to belong to a guy in S. Florida named David Robinson & then went to Bill Ross c. 1970s of Chicago. (fuselage only)IL. Maybe you captured it in some airshow in your area.

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 289 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group