P-39 UNVEILING NEW LIVERY HONORING WWII ACE BUD ANDERSON

SAN MARCOS, TX (July 11, 2022) - The P-39 Airacobra, assigned to the Central Texas Wing, recently underwent a wheels and brakes rebuild this year and returned to flying status in May. Bell Aviation manufactured about 9,600 Airacobras, but today less than five remain airworthy in the U.S. The P-39 was the principal combat fighter when the U.S. entered combat, but soon the P-51 Mustang took the lead in that role as more became available.

Many combat fighter pilots began the War flying the P-39, including one of the most well-known Mustang pilots, Bud Anderson. Anderson’s Mustang during WWII was named OLD CROW. Many don’t know that the original and first OLD CROW was a P-39. Central Texas Wing members reached out to Bud Anderson with a request to re-do the livery on their P-39 to to match the P-39 that Bud flew during World War II.

Anderson and his family enthusiastically agreed and have been working with the Wing to get the markings just right. The P-39’s new look will be unveiled to the public at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at the end of July. Bud Anderson himself will be side-by-side with the P-39 during a special program at Warbirds In Review, along with a P-51B and a P-51D.

You can contribute to this aircraft at https://fnd.us/airacobra?ref=sh_99f4Xe.