With the rundown of the P-38 Lightning project, some of the troops were getting a bit antsy because they wanted work on an aircraft, not stand around waiting for something to happen.

The recent trade of the museum's very significant P-40 wreck for a P-39 Airacobra with precision Aerospace saw the collection and storage of good mainplanes and tail feathers, but no fuselage assembly. Eventually, a damaged fuselage and other parts became available at Precision Aerospace and their collection was organised. Along with other Cobra fuselages on hand from PNG, a new fuselage is being built, which will result in a composite P-39 Airacobra for display in the Classic Jets museum.

Current plans call for the cobra to be painted in 24 Sqn. RAAF colours, and marked as 24 Sqn's first Airacobra A53-1 that flew in the defence of Sydney after the Japanese submarine attack in Sydney harbour in May 1942.

Cobra A53-1 was destroyed on the 19th February 1943 after an engine failure in flight. Pilot Officer A F Tutt bailed out of the aircraft, which subsequently crashed at South Luddenham near Sydney.