Bell Aircobra

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• Throughout 1941 the growing tension between Japan and the US resulted in the need to strengthen and upgrade Canada's Western Air Command. With all available Hurricanes gone to Europe, orders for the Bell P-39 Aircobra had been placed to fulfill the fighter defence role in this theatre. By October 1941 72 Curtiss Kittyhawk IAs had been delivered, having been diverted from orders made by the RAF, to form squadrons to perform these duties as the Aircobras had not yet arrived. The Aircobra was withdrawn from servive with the RAF after only a few missions, and the undelivered balance of the British contracts were taken over by the US Army when the United States entered the war.

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