Hobby Master HA1712 1:72 P-39Q Airacobra "Quanto Costa"

Hobby Master HA1712 1:72 P-39Q Airacobra 100th FS, Capodichino, Italy 1944 "Quanto Costa"

The Bell P-39 Airacobra originally flew with excellent performance but by the time the aircraft reached the front lines the Army Air Corp had changed so many features that the plane was far from what Bell had originally designed. They added weight, removed the supercharger from the Allison engine that didn’t have the power it claimed. What could have been and should have been one of the best aircraft of WWII turned out to be much less. Even with all its flaws they still produced 9,584 P-39s. The 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group was a Tuskegee Airmen squadron during WWII. They arrived in Italy in February 1944 and assigned to the 12th Air Force. The 100th was equipped with P-39s and P-47s and tasked with less demanding roles such as harbor patrol. In May 1944 they were re-assigned to the 15th Air Force and flew escort for bombers targeting oil and industrial sites. P-39 “Quanto Costa” (How much is it?) was flown by 1st Lt. Samuel Curtis. In June 1944 the 100th received P-51s.