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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Bell 12/13/15/23/26/24/33/43 / P-39 Airacobra / P-63 Kingcobra
    Latest Model:P-63C-5-BE Kingcobra
    Last Military Serial:44-4425 USAAF
    Construction Number:33-1010
    Last Civil Registration:N62995
    Latest Owner or Location:Hosler Aircraft Corp/Russ Hosler, Cleveland, OH

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a P-63C-5-BE.

    Circa 1944

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 44-4425.

    Circa 1946

    Certificate of airworthiness for NX62995 (331010) issued.

    From 1946 to 1948

    To Charles Tucker with new c/r N62995.

    Modified as a racer with the wing span shortened to 25 ft 9 inches. The engine was a l,325hp Allison V-1710-117.

    From 30 August 1946 to 2 September 1946

    Raced as #28, named Flying Red Horse.
    Competed at the National Air Races Cleveland in the Thompson Trophy Reciprocating Division race. The primary pilot was Charles Tucker. Qualified in 4th place with an average speed of 392.157 mph. Started the B Feature race, but did not finish. Out on first lap with stuck gear.

    30 August 1946


    Photographer: Unknown
    Notes: Photographed at the National Air Races in Cleveland, OH.

    30 August 1946


    Photographer: Martin and Kelman Aviation Photographers
    Notes: Photographed at the National Air Races in Cleveland, OH.

    1946


    Photographer: Harold G. Martin
    Notes: One of a series of photos of the ultimate clipped wing P-63 Kingcobra of Chuck Tucker by Harold G. Martin at the 1946 Cleveland Air Races.

    Markings Applied: Tucker Special

    Circa 1947


    Photographer: Charles M. Daniels / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive

    From 4 September 1948 to 6 September 1948

    Raced as #28, named Tucker SPECIAL.
    Appeared at the National Air Races Cleveland to compete in the Thompson class, but did not qualify. The primary pilot was Charles Tucker.

    1948


    Photographer: Tom Cooney, Al Chute Collection
    Notes: Chuck Tuckers severely clipped wing P-63 at the 1948 Cleveland Air Races. Chuck did not qualify for competition that year as he had piston troubles with the Allison engine. Prior to Cleveland Chuck had run flight tests with alcohol as a fuel. In an interview with Air Race Historian Oliver Aldrich Chuck would comment that he believed that the piston damage occurred to the Allison during these flight tests as he could never get enough flow of alcohol into the engine because the jets available to him were not large enough and he suspected that he burned a piston during these flight tests. Chuck intentions to run methyl triptane were frustrated. The airplane was sold to Russ Hosler who did could not get it prepared in time for 1949.

    1948


    Photographer: Phil Krause Collection
    Notes: Chuck Tucker poses for the photographer on the wing of Number 28 at the 1948 Cleveland Air Races. His 1948 run for the Thompson Trophy was thwarted by a burned piston in the Allison engine. He had purchased a load of Shell Methyl Triptane fuel that year but it was an a pre-race trial with alcohol as the fuel that actually caused the piston damage according to Chuck himself in an interview with the late, great Air Racing historian Oliver Ollie Aldrich.

    9 April 1948

    To Hosler Aircraft Corp/Russ Hosler, Cleveland, OH keeping c/r N62995.

    From 3 September 1949 to 5 September 1949

    Unknown Race #.
    The race number is not known. Appeared at the National Air Races Cleveland to compete in the SOHIO class, but did not qualify. The primary pilot was Hosier.

    1949


    Photographer: Stephen J. Hudek Collection
    Notes: Russ Hosler purchased Number 28 from Chuck Tucker in 1949. He intended to have it participate that year but ran out of time. This photo is from the collection of Steve Hudek. No date when it was taken or who was the photographer.

    15 February 1956

    Civil registration, N62995, cancelled.


    Credits
    Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...

    Print Sources
    Air Racing Results by Gary Williams
    Historys Most Important Racing Aircraft by Don Berliner
    Unlimited Air Racers (1992 Motorbooks International) by Don Berliner

    Internet Sources
    Aviation History Site by Geoff Goodall
    Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    Warbirds Directory, 6th Edition (2013) by Geoff Goodall

    Individual Contributors
    Terry Fletcher

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