World War II fighter plane raised from the bottom of a lake in Kamchatka

Members of an expedition organized by the Russian Geographical Society conducted a unique operation in Kamchatka. They managed to raise an American P-63 Kingcobra fighter from the bottom of Lake Vitaminnoe, which was supplied to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program during World War II.

In 1945, the plane, piloted by Soviet pilot Zinedin Mustafayev, crashed during a training flight. The machine was underwater for a long time, but the cockpit survived thanks to a protective layer of silt. The tail section of the aircraft was severely damaged and broken off.

The raising of the historical combat vehicle is an important event for the preservation of military-historical heritage. Now a unique artifact awaits restoration, after which it will probably take a worthy place in the exposition of one of the Russian museums. This exhibit will serve as a reminder of the alliance and heroism of the pilots of that era, emphasizing their contribution to the overall victory.

Technical characteristics:

• Maximum speed: at an altitude of 7,620 m — 657 km/h, near the ground — 514 km/h.
• Cruising speed: 608 km/h.
• Combat radius: 870 km.
• Ferry range: 4,144 km.
• Practical ceiling: 11,900 m.
• Rate of climb: 12.7 m/s.
• Wing loading: 173.91 kg/m².
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 340 W/kg.
• Takeoff distance: 290 m.
• Armament: 1 × 37 mm M4 cannon, 58 rounds, 2 × 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns with 200 rounds per barrel in the nose, 2 × 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns with 250 rounds per barrel in the wings.
• Bomb load: up to 3 × 227 kg.

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