Kingcobra (USA)

This page is about the American figher Kingcobra (USA). For other versions, see P-63 (Family).

␠Kingcobra

360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/7/74/Cockpit_p-63c-5_kingcobra_animal_version.jpg

␠Kingcobra

USA

III Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
4.0	4.0	4.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Show in game

MARKET

Description

After the Merlin-powered P-63B failed to come to fruition, production moved to the P-63C. It was powered by an improved Allison engine that came equipped with water injection which could boost power up to an impressive 1,800 hp. The wing span was also shortened, but was otherwise largely the same as the P-63A. The C-5 in particular had a ventral fin to help with stability and had more armour. Over 1,000 P-63Cs were produced and delivered well into the war. Many were sent to the Soviets under the lend-lease program but around 100 were also sent to France. This specific Kingcobra isn't based on any historical aircraft but features a unique skin that resembles the scales of a snake.

The ␠Kingcobra was introduced in Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm" as a reward vehicle for the 2018 "Flying Serpent, Crouching Tiger" crafting event. Other than the skin, the ␠Kingcobra is the same as the regular tech tree P-63C-5. It has the same performance, offensive weaponry, and suspended armament. The P-63C-5 received an updated version of the Allison V-1710 that made a lot more power than previous Kingcobras. It also was better suited at higher altitudes thanks to the addition of a supercharger optimized for high-altitude. However, many of its opponents will be able to outperform the Kingcobra at high altitude so players should stick to low altitude for dogfighting. The Kingcobra also suffers from compression so aggressive, high-speed dives at low altitudes are not recommended.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 4 572 m663 km/h

Turn time23 s

Max altitude12 500 m

EngineAllison V-1710-117

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight5 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,572 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	626	610	12500	24.3	25.1	17.1	17.1	289
Upgraded	711	663		22.3	23.0	28.5	21.7

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
887	304	378	359	262	~12	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 410	< 380	< 410	> 420

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear304 km/h

• 15.87 mm Steel - Plates x 2, lower fore cockpit
• 19.05 mm Steel - Plate, upper fore cockpit
• 12.7 mm Steel - Plate behind pilot's seat
• 12.7 mm Steel - Plate protecting oil cooling system
• 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windscreen

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB914

RB3 763

SB3 206

Crew training10 000

Experts210 000

Aces700

Research Aces790 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 70 / 220 / 370 %

2 × 154 / 154 / 154 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Radiator Compressor Wings repair Engine Engine injection	Airframe Cover	bmg50_belt_pack Rocket Launcher M10 bmg50_new_gun FMBC mk.1 m4_belt_pack m10_new_gun

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 137 mm M10 cannon

Ammunition58 rounds

Fire rate165 shots/min

Weapon 24 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun

Ammunition900 rounds

Fire rate750 shots/min

The Kingcobra (USA) is armed with:

• 1 x 37 mm M10 cannon, nose-mounted (58 rpg)
• 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
• 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (5)

Setup 11 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb

Setup 22 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb

Setup 33 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb

Setup 41 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb
6 x M8 rocket

Setup 56 x M8 rocket

The Kingcobra (USA) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,500 lb total)

Usage in battles

Like the regular P-63C-5 aircraft is an improved version of the P-63A-10 carrying the same armament and main gun. The aircraft is still a high altitude interceptor/ Energy fighter, with its turn radius slightly better than before. The quick dive speed and high energy retention allows the player, with the correct altitude, to engage opponents below numerous times using the high yo-yo method. This aircraft should not be used for ground attacking due to its average ammo count.

The 37 mm M10 cannon is ridiculously powerful. Aim carefully when firing, and do not fire too quickly, lest your gun jam and you lose your main weapon. A single shot to a wing or fuselage of an enemy plane will be all that it takes to bring it down.

The M2 Brownings are similar to the guns on the Bf-109 - spotters. Use them to judge the range for your cannon shot. They are almost useless (except for those lucky pilot snipes) offensively.

The C-5 is relatively unchanged to its predecessors. It has the same amount of ammo, but a lower climb rate than the A-10. However, this is relatively trivial as both planes are generally evenly matched. Keep this in mind, though, when selecting your load out of planes.

It is recommended to use the P-63 against large fighters and bombers. It is far easier to hit a bomber with the cannon then a small fighter with it.

Head-on attacks are not advisable- the large cannon combined with the relatively weak M2s make for poor head on accuracy. Only engage in head-ons if you are absolutely confident in your aim.

BnZing is also an effective tactic with this plane. Its large cannon makes getting shots while diving relatively easy, and its high climb rate and energy retention can get it to safety.

Bomber hunting is also extremely effective with the P-63- a large bomber is far easier to hit with a massive cannon. A single shot can take off a bomber's wing. However, don't spam the cannon. Keep the delay between shots at a 1-1.5 seconds. Firing too quickly will result in a jam, which makes your plane almost useless offensively.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent dive speed
• Excellent energy retention
• Better-than-average climb rate
• Good flat out speed
• Good cannon damage

Cons:

• Average turn time
• Worse-than-average performance at low speeds
• Ineffective armament against higher ranked aircraft
• Prone to engine damage when being chased

History

The P-63C-5 was the second production series of the P-63 Kingcobra. The main improvement was the more powerful Allison V-1710-117 engine, capable of producing 1,500 hp on war emergency power and 1,800 hp with water injection. Additionally, the wingspan was reduced by 10 inches. 1,227 P-63C Kingcobras were produced.

Although being produced in the United States, the P-63 Kingcobra was not heavily used by American forces for combat operations. Instead, they were often converted to target aircraft for aerial gunnery training. Most P-63s, though, were exported to the Soviet Union during the war through the Lend-Lease Act.

The P-63 was removed from the Soviet western front in 1943 in order to focus the units on the east for an eventual invasion of Japan. However, both Soviet units and German units reported the presence of P-63 fighters on that front. One Soviet account goes as far as to say that the entire 4th Guards Aviation Regiment (4 GvlAP) was converted to the P-63 in 1944, while they were officially flying the P-39. German accounts also detail the downing of P-63 aircraft by flak guns and fighter aircraft. The official Soviet records still claim that only P-39s were used against Germany.

In the time before the P-63s were transferred to the east, it had been proven as a capable fighter, although there is a widely believed myth that P-63s were used only in the ground attack role. The Kingcobra was able to achieve a number of victories over German aircraft in that time. In the Pacific theatre, P-63s were used during the Soviet invasion of Manchuko and northern Korea. They flew ground attack, close air support, and escort missions in that theatre. The first Soviet air victory with the type in the Pacific was on 15 August 1945, when Lejtenant I. F. Miroshnichenko from 17th IAP/190 IAD, shot down a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa IJAAS fighter off the coast of North Korea.

The Soviet Air Force maintained large quantities of P-63 Kingcobras after the war, with P-63s remaining in service throughout the Korean War in the 1950's.

The French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) received 114 P-63 Kingcobras in 1945. These units were received too late to participate in World War 2, and they were first deployed to Algeria. When the French Indochina War broke out, the P-63s were sent to Indochina immediately. By January 1950, only 60 P-63s remained operational due to a lack of spare parts since the United States refused to provide them. The squadrons equipped with the Kingcobra began to receive the F8F Bearcat in February 1951, and the P-63 was taken out of service soon after. The last flight of a P-63 in Indochina occurred in September 1951.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Kingcobra (USA) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.