As the skies over Europe were dotted with searing dogfights and devastating aerial raids, US engineers waged their own battle against each other in a fierce competition to build the next great American fighter, one that could shift the tides of the war.

Bell Aircraft was no different, and it aggressively sought to turn its failed P-39 Airacobra design into the basis for a groundbreaking fighter.

Months of excruciating days and sleepless nights ensued, resulting in the Bell P-63 Kingcobra, a fast, agile fighter that improved everything from the rejected P-39.

However, weeks before being completed, North American unveiled its newest P-51 Mustang variation, one with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine inside its hull, shattering the future of Bell’s new creation in its intended role.

Even so, the Kingcobra’s influence in the conflict was far from over. Like its forerunner, it would find a niche under a different air force and flag…

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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.