P-39Q Airacobra "Brooklyn Bum 2nd"

Bell P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra 42-19993 "brooklyn Bum 2nd" has an interesting history. Serving in New Guinea with the 87st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group as the mount of Lt. Peter McDermott, the squadron left their P-39s to rot in the jungle when they received P-40s (if that isn't a testament to how little pilots respected the P-39, I don't know what is!) Left in the bushes for thirty years, it was reclaimed in 1974 and moved to New Zealand. Stored there and in Australia until 1988, whern it was refurbished for a static display in Victoria, Australia. then it was shipped to the United States, where the Museum of Flying displayed it from 1992-1994. In 1994 it was bought by Duxford and over ten years, Fighter Rebuilders of Chino, CA, restored it to airworthy condition. It flew again in 2004. Right-click and choose "view image" to enlarge.

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