If a fighter usually works as expected, and can be kept in more optimal condition (let's be honest here; maintenance was a nightmare in the Solomons and New Guinea, regardless of which aircraft you were operating), it is vastly better performing than the aircraft with the better 'book' numbers that cannot reach them and isn't available in the minimum numbers needed because of a thousand and one maintenance problems.
The P-40 was reliable, it was predictable (if demanding) to fly, and it had a much better support system already in place, not only in the US Army Air Forces, but in the Commonwealth air forces as well. It had the confidence of its pilots, comparable (if not better) performance in actual practice to go with better range, and was therefore better suited to the first theater that the Airacobra saw combat in.
With the Soviets, the reverse was true; the P-40s rushed via Lend Lease were not well received or properly maintained by the VVS, and by Soviet standards were enormous ungainly beasts. The Airacobras benefited from the P-40's problems in terms of better care and feeding of the Allison engines because they arrived later, and from Bell's rapid commitment to support their biggest combat customer.
cheers
horseback
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