Soviet Air Force
307 or 308 IAP
Peter Arnold 2003
Aircraft History
Over two thirds of Kingcobra
production, some 2,400 machines, were ferried from Alaska to Russia over the
ALSIB (Alaska-Siberia) route.
Wartime History
Used in
the short Manchurian campaign against the Japanese in August
1945, fighter regiments of the Pacific Fleet maintained them in
service until the early 1950’s. These recovered examples
are almost certainly from the units 307 and 308 IAP.
Wreckage
Abandoned in the Kurile
Islands.
Salvaged
Dismantled and recovered by the Hunt brothers in 2003.
Peter Arnold adds:
"Typically ‘bruised’ by
nearly 60 years of exposure to the elements, passing ‘militia’ and
local peasants salvaging fitments and fittings, the aircraft
however had been parked on their undercarriage, and are not crash
remains. Professionally dismantled in Russia, strategic heavy
components are in remarkably good condition and the structures
bode well for future restoration to quality static or flight
status."
One airframe is earmarked for a proposed local museum and the others will be placed on the Warbird market in due course.
References
Thanks to Daniel Hunt, Peter Arnold for information related to this.
P-63
