DW 72005 Bell P63E-1-BE Kingcobra Model Kit

DW 72005 Bell P63E-1-BE Kingcobra Model Kit

Numerous surplus P-63s ended up on the air racing circuit in the immediate post-war era.

Charles Tucker purchased a couple of P-63s from the disposal facility at Kingman, Arizona just after the war. He entered one of them (civil register N62995) in the 1946 Thompson Trophy race. He had clipped off the wing in an attempt to improve the speed, reducing the span to 25 feet 9 inches.  The second one (44-4126 (XN63231) was intended for the 1946 Bendix cross country race. It was initially fitted with two wingtip drop tanks. In 1947, the drop tanks were removed, and the wings were clipped to 28 feet 6 inches.