Bell XP-77
| Bell XP-77 | |
|---|---|
 Bell XP-77 |
|
| Type: | Prototype for a light fighter-bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
April 1, 1944 |
| Commissioning: |
Trials ended at the end of 1944 |
| Production time: |
Was never mass-produced |
| Number of pieces: | |
The Bell XP-77 was a prototype light fighter-bomber
history
The aircraft was created in 1942 out of the US government's fear that essential materials could become scarce. On May 16, 1942, 25 aircraft were ordered; However, the order was reduced to six when it became known that no charged version of the drive would be available - the planned use as a high-altitude fighter was omitted.
After a long construction period, the first flight of the prototype S / N 43-34915 took place on April 1, 1944 ; but the aircraft had problematic flight characteristics and insufficient performance data. The second prototype S / N 43-34916 crashed on October 22, 1944. The project was discontinued at the end of the year.
construction
The aircraft (first called the Bell Tri-4 ) was mostly made of wood; an air-cooled V12 engine from the Ranger Aircraft Engine Division was used as the engine.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 274.5 in (7 m) |
| span | 330 in (8.4 m) |
| height | 131 in (3.3 m) |
| Cruising speed | 270 mph (approx. 430 km / h) |
| Top speed | 330 mph (approx. 530 km / h) |
| Service ceiling | 30,100 ft (approx. 9,200 m) |
| Range | 550 mi (approx. 890 km) |
| Engine | an air-cooled V12 cylinder engine Ranger XV-770-7 with 520 HP (approx. 380 kW) |
| Armament | two 12.7 mm MG and one 20 mm MK, optionally a 136 kg bomb or a 147 kg depth charge |
See also
literature
- Leonard Bridgeman: The Bell XP-77, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II . Studio, London 1946, ISBN 1-85170-493-0 .
- William Green: War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters . MacDonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd, London 1961, ISBN 0-356-01448-7 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Bell XP-77. In: US Air Force Fact Sheet. National Museum of the United States Air Force , February 11, 2009, archived from the original on October 2, 2012 ; accessed on July 13, 2019 .