Kingcobra (USA)

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Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the American figher Kingcobra (USA). For other versions, see P-63 (Family).
␠Kingcobra
p-63c-5_kingcobra_animal_version.png
GarageImage Kingcobra (USA).jpg
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/7/74/Cockpit_p-63c-5_kingcobra_animal_version.jpg
␠Kingcobra
AB RB SB
4.0 4.0 4.7
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 Sl icon.png
RB3 763 Sl icon.png
SB3 206 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts210 000 Sl icon.png
Aces700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces790 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 70 / 220 / 370 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 154 / 154 / 154 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Mods ammo.png
bmg50_belt_pack
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
Rocket Launcher M10
Mods weapon.png
bmg50_new_gun
Mods pilon bomb.png
FMBC mk.1
Mods ammo.png
m4_belt_pack
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
m10_new_gun

Armaments

Offensive armament

Ammunition58 rounds
Fire rate165 shots/min
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
Main article: AN-M64A1 (500 lb)

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

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.


Bell Aircraft Corporation
Aircraft 
Fighters  P-39N-0 · P-39Q-5
  P-400
  P-63A-10 · P-63A-5 · P-63C-5 · ␠Kingcobra
Jet Fighters  P-59A
Export  ▂P-39K-1 · ▂Pokryshkin's P-39N-0 · ▂P-39Q-15 · ▄P-39Q-25
  ▂P-63A-5 · ▂P-63A-10 · ▂P-63C-5 · ▄P-63C-5
Helicopters 
Attack  AH-1F · AH-1G · AH-1Z · AH-1W
  OH-58D
Utility  UH-1B · UH-1C · UH-1C XM-30
Export/Licensed  ▅UH-1B · ◄UH-1D
  Tzefa A · Tzefa B · Tzefa D/E · ▅AH-1S early · ▅AH-1S · ▅AH-1S Kisarazu · ␗AH-1W
  ␗OH-58D
See Also  Fuji Heavy Industries · Agusta

USA fighters
P-26 Peashooter  P-26A-33 · P-26A-34 · P-26A-34 M2 · P-26B-35
P-36 Hawk  P-36A · Rasmussen's P-36A · P-36C · ○P-36C · P-36G
P-39 Airacobra  P-400 · P-39N-0 · P-39Q-5
P-40  P-40C · P-40E-1 · P-40E-1 TD · P-40F-10
P-43 Lancer  P-43A-1
P-47 Thunderbolt  P-47D-22-RE · P-47D-25 · P-47D-28 · P-47M-1-RE · ⋠P-47M-1-RE · P-47N-15
P-51 Mustang  P-51 · P-51A (Thunder League) · P-51C-10 · P-51D-5 · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · P-51D-30 · P-51H-5-NA
P-63 Kingcobra  P-63A-5 · P-63A-10 · P-63C-5 · ␠Kingcobra
Prototypes  XP-55
F2A Buffalo  F2A-1 · Thach's F2A-1 · F2A-3
BF2C  BF2C-1
F3F  F3F-2 · Galer's F3F-2
F4F Wildcat  F4F-3 · F4F-4
F4U Corsair  F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1D · F4U-1C · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214 · F2G-1
F6F Hellcat  F6F-5 · F6F-5N
F8F Bearcat  F8F-1 · F8F-1B
Other countries  ▃Ki-43-II · ▃Ki-61-Ib · ▃A6M2 · ▃Bf 109 F-4 · ▃Fw 190 A-8 · ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc

USA premium aircraft
Fighters  Thach's F2A-1 · Galer's F3F-2 · F2G-1 · F4U-4B VMF-214 · P-26A-34 · Rasmussen's P-36A · P-40C · P-43A-1
  P-47M-1-RE · ⋠P-47M-1-RE · P-51A · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · ␠Kingcobra · XP-55
  ▃A6M2 · ▃Ki-43-II · ▃Ki-61-Ib · ▃Bf 109 F-4 · ▃Fw 190 A-8 · ▃Spitfire LF Mk IXc
Twin-engine fighters  XP-38G · Bong's P-38J-15 · P-38K · YP-38 · P-61A-11 · XF5F · XP-50 · F7F-3
Jet fighters  P-59A · F-86F-35 · F-89B · F-89D · F-4S Phantom II · F-5C · F-20A
Strike aircraft  A-1H · A2D-1 · AU-1 · XA-38 · AV-8A · AV-8B (NA) · A-6E TRAM · A-10A
Bombers  A-26C-45DT · B-10B · BTD-1 · PBM-3 "Mariner" · PBM-5A "Mariner" · PV-2D