P-39Q-5

P-39Q-5

P-39N-0

P-63A-5

P-39Q-5

P-39N-0

P-63A-5

USA

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.7	2.7	3.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:6 900

Purchase:32 000

Show in game

This page is about the American fighter P-39Q-5. For other uses, see P-39 (Family).

Description

The P-39Q-5 Airacobra is a rank II American fighter with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB), 2.7 (RB), and 3.3 (SB). This fighter has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

The primary purpose of a P-39 is that of a low-level interceptor against low energy aircraft. It lacks the high-altitude performance needed to engage strategic-bombers. The 37 mm M4's dropping trajectory and slow rate of fire make it useless in head-on passes. Therefore, prioritize low altitude objectives, like escorting attackers & low alt bombers, or prey on the ones of the enemy.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 3,048 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
570	556	9,700	19.4	19.9	8.1	10.2	280
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 3,048 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
635	602	9,700	17.7	18.0	24.0	14.4	280

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
886	322	450	~16	~12

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 360	< 380	< 450	> 250

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,724 m	1,125 hp	1,556 hp

Survivability and armour

• 15.87 mm Steel - Propeller hub
• 15.87 mm Steel - Plate in front of the cockpit
• 7 mm Steel - Plate over the instrument cluster
• 6 mm Steel - Upper pilot's seat and headrest encasement
• 6 mm Steel - Rear tail
• 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windscreen
• 64 mm Bulletproof glass - Headrest of pilot's seat

Armaments

Offensive armament

The P-39Q-5 is armed with:

• 1 x 37 mm M4 cannon, nose-mounted (30 rpg)
• 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)
• 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, wing-mounted (150 rpg = 300 total)

Suspended armament

The P-39Q-5 can outfit the following ordinance options:

• Without load
• 6 x 118 mm M8 Bazookas

Usage in battles

Basic dogfighting skills apply. Use energy tactics and only fire the cannon only under optimum conditions. It is advised to utilize separate keys for the main weapons.

Otherwise, utilise the given machine guns at every opportunity. The centre/cowling mounted .50 cals provide great long range accuracy & harassment.

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is the credo of the Airacobra. Thus the basic tactic is to analyse your opponent's weakness and then exploit it. The P-39 will always find an area; it is exceeding the foe. Or at least, is on par to let the skill decide.

Given the P-39s sleek and rather an aerodynamic form, Boom & Zoom is the preferred form of combat. However, this aircraft is capable of turn-fighting as well. Again, the P-39 provides all the options a pilot would want, a "Jack of all trades, master of none".

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not controllable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 12 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Offensive 37 mm	Rocket Launcher M10
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 37 mm Cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Heavy Armament
• Great Dive Speed Acceleration/Pickup
• Good secondary armament of four HMG
• Reasonable Turn Time
• High top-end diving speed, can dive up to +800 kph
• Good climb rate

Cons:

• "Jack of all trades, but master of none"
• Different weapon trajectories make aiming difficult
• 37 mm projectiles have extremely low accuracy and muzzle velocity
• 37 mm projectiles are incapable of defeating tank armour, even at optimal angles with APT rounds
• Long countdown for the 37 mm in both overheating and reload
• Easy to stall with full controls
• Low ammo count for the machine guns

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

In-game description

"The Q series became the most numerous and advanced of all the Airacobra family. It was a direct successor of the N series. The whole propeller-engine group remained unchanged: the Allison V-1710-85 engine, the reduction gear, the elongated shaft and the Aeroprop type propeller. Because of this, the flight characteristics remained virtually unchanged. However, a more efficient four-bladed propeller was fitted to the series from Q-21 to Q-25. As for the alterations, they mainly concerned the armament. The inefficient wing machine guns of rifle caliber were removed and usually replaced by two 12.7 mm Brownings in pods under the wings. But these were not always fitted. Most of the aircraft sent for export to the USSR had no wing machine guns. The suspension tank of 87 gallons was replaced by the standard 120 gallon tank. A tank of 110 gallons (416 l) capacity was used in the Q-5 series.

The differences between the various Q series consisted mainly of the search for the optimum combination of armor protection and internal fuel tank capacity. Takeoff weight, range and load varied from version to version. Altogether, beginning with Q-1 and ending with Q-30, eight series of the fighter were built, to a total number of 4699 aircraft. Of these, 3291 were exported to the USSR. Furthermore, a few reconnaissance versions of this aircraft, fitted with photo-cameras, were built on the basis of the Q series.

This aircraft was not used at all in Great Britain, because the high-altitude speed characteristics of the Cobra were considered unsatisfactory. The US Army Air Corps used the aircraft mainly in the Pacific, in places in which it was impossible to use any aircraft other than the Cobra because of the condition of the airstrips, where the P-39, because of its tricycle landing gear, had no difficulties. Nevertheless, the American pilots feared and disliked the aircraft, calling it “Iron dog” because of its rear-mounted engine and rear centering. Cases were known of the aircraft being deliberately crashed to speed up re-equipment with the more popular P-38."

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

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;
• encyclopedia page on aircraft;
• other literature.