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Description
In the late 1930's, ( in this particular alternate universe) illuminated aircraft scientist, Professor Anton Veeblefitzer, approached his friend, Howard Hughes, with an idea for designing and manufacturing a revolutionary "turbo-jet", that could propel aircraft to speeds far higher than any piston engine'd craft could achieve.
Mr. Hughes agreed, and the two aircraft/engineer' geniuses quickly came up with a powerful jet motor that had the potential of driving an aircraft far faster than had been previously seen.
Rather than spending the time designing an entirely new aircraft, to use the new motors, due to the impending world war, Prof. Veeblifitzer and Mr. Hughes, shopped around for an already existing air frame that could handle the new technology.
They found the perfect mount for the new jet engines: the Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter, then being developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Prof. Veeb' and Mr. Hughes purchased an early production P-39 prototype, and removed the single Allison engine, replaced it with a fuel cell, and mounted two of their new jet motors onto the wing.
The robust construction of the Bell P-39 easily accepted the new power-plant arrangement.
Long-story-short, pictured is a typical production model of the famous P-39J (J for jet).
Two Veeblefitzer-Hughes turbo jet motors were mounted on the wing.
The landing gear was strengthened to handle the new weight load.
The nose weapon's bay copied the armament of the P-38 Lightning: 4 X .50 cal machine guns, with a single 20 mm cannon.
The clumsy cockpit "car doors" of the original P-39 were eliminated, and a conventional sliding canopy was installed to cover the cockpit.
This resulted in a weight reduction, that helped to improve performance.
The new machine proved to be a remarkable success!
The craft could achieve a top speed of 490 mph (Remember, this is in late 1941, in this alt' universe!), and cruise at 350 mph. This speed, even at cruise velocity, was faster than any enemy aircraft at that time!
The War Dept., with President Roosevelt's signed executive order, demanded that the P-39J be put into mass production immediately
The illustration presented, depicts the famous P-39J flown by Capt. James S. Walker, of the 67th Fighter Squadron, United States Army Air Corps., based in New Caledonia, during the Spring , Summer, Fall, of 1942.
He was from Kentucky, and the son of a famous "moon-shiner" whiskey maker, and so Capt. Walker named his aircraft "Jet Jugs" with cartoon whiskey jugs exploding, as his personal insignia.
Capt. Walker was credited with 15 confirmed enemy "kills", during the desperate battles of mid and late 1942, before malaria felled him, and he was forced to rotate home. Upon recovery, now Major Walker, he was instrumental in training new pilots on how to handle the new jet powered aircraft.
The P-39J was not perfect.
Pilots were advised to not try and "dog fight" the enemy "Zeros", as the stress placed upon the wing, from tight turns, could cause a catastrophic structural failure.
"Just use your speed advantage, to keep away from an enemy on your tail. And focus on attacking their big slow bombers!" Advised Major Walker.
The "Cobra Jets", as they were nicknamed, were instrumental in stopping the enemy' efforts to retake Guadalcanal and seize Port Moresby
in New Guinea, during those critical days in 1942!

Description
In the late 1930's, ( in this particular alternate universe) illuminated aircraft scientist, Professor Anton Veeblefitzer, approached his friend, Howard Hughes, with an idea for designing and manufacturing a revolutionary "turbo-jet", that could propel aircraft to speeds far higher than any piston engine'd craft could achieve.
Mr. Hughes agreed, and the two aircraft/engineer' geniuses quickly came up with a powerful jet motor that had the potential of driving an aircraft far faster than had been previously seen.
Rather than spending the time designing an entirely new aircraft, to use the new motors, due to the impending world war, Prof. Veeblifitzer and Mr. Hughes, shopped around for an already existing air frame that could handle the new technology.
They found the perfect mount for the new jet engines: the Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter, then being developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Prof. Veeb' and Mr. Hughes purchased an early production P-39 prototype, and removed the single Allison engine, replaced it with a fuel cell, and mounted two of their new jet motors onto the wing.
The robust construction of the Bell P-39 easily accepted the new power-plant arrangement.
Long-story-short, pictured is a typical production model of the famous P-39J (J for jet).
Two Veeblefitzer-Hughes turbo jet motors were mounted on the wing.
The landing gear was strengthened to handle the new weight load.
The nose weapon's bay copied the armament of the P-38 Lightning: 4 X .50 cal machine guns, with a single 20 mm cannon.
The clumsy cockpit "car doors" of the original P-39 were eliminated, and a conventional sliding canopy was installed to cover the cockpit.
This resulted in a weight reduction, that helped to improve performance.
The new machine proved to be a remarkable success!
The craft could achieve a top speed of 490 mph (Remember, this is in late 1941, in this alt' universe!), and cruise at 350 mph. This speed, even at cruise velocity, was faster than any enemy aircraft at that time!
The War Dept., with President Roosevelt's signed executive order, demanded that the P-39J be put into mass production immediately
The illustration presented, depicts the famous P-39J flown by Capt. James S. Walker, of the 67th Fighter Squadron, United States Army Air Corps., based in New Caledonia, during the Spring , Summer, Fall, of 1942.
He was from Kentucky, and the son of a famous "moon-shiner" whiskey maker, and so Capt. Walker named his aircraft "Jet Jugs" with cartoon whiskey jugs exploding, as his personal insignia.
Capt. Walker was credited with 15 confirmed enemy "kills", during the desperate battles of mid and late 1942, before malaria felled him, and he was forced to rotate home. Upon recovery, now Major Walker, he was instrumental in training new pilots on how to handle the new jet powered aircraft.
The P-39J was not perfect.
Pilots were advised to not try and "dog fight" the enemy "Zeros", as the stress placed upon the wing, from tight turns, could cause a catastrophic structural failure.
"Just use your speed advantage, to keep away from an enemy on your tail. And focus on attacking their big slow bombers!" Advised Major Walker.
The "Cobra Jets", as they were nicknamed, were instrumental in stopping the enemy' efforts to retake Guadalcanal and seize Port Moresby
in New Guinea, during those critical days in 1942!