P-39 Airocobra Landing Gear Clutch Lever

The Bell P-39 Airacobra was one of the principal American fighter aircraft in service when the United States entered World War II. It was operated by the USAAF, the Soviet Air Force, the Free French and the RAF and it scored the highest number of individual kills attributed to any U.S. fighter type in the Eastern European theatre.

It is rare to find identifiable crash recovered cockpit parts but this is the exception. The landing gear clutch handle was mounted in a horizontal position on the port side of the cockpit and would have been operated by the pilots left hand. Sadly the history of the crash site has been lost but the handle and attached gear remains in remarkably good condition with significant amount of the original paint still in place and with the clear lettering to the top of the handle we had no problems identifying the part. It will display well in a collection but if you happen to be rebuilding a P-39 cockpit in your garage this could prove indispensable! Handle measures 3.3" (9 cm)