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Bell P-59 Airacomet

History of Bell P-59 Airacomet

In October 1942, the Bell P-59 "Airacobra" became the first viable military jet in the United States. However, its inherent design limitations limited the product to just being an important testbed and training aircraft, teaching future generations of American pilots the nuances of jet-powered flight. In the end, the P-59 was merely a technological stepping stone for more advanced research and operational programs in the future, paving the way for creations like the Lockheed P-80 Meteor America's first production jet fighter .

The development of turbojets arose from several sources before becoming a full-fledged engine for military aircraft. In the UK, Frank Whittle, an RAF officer, was convinced of its benefits in the 1920s and patented his invention in 1930. Little interest from the British military and industry meant his idea lay dormant until a pair of former RAF colleagues funded the venture in 1936. Meanwhile, German engineers were hard at work on their own independent turbojet design, which culminated in the jet's maiden flight on May 27, 1939, and in August 1939attributed to historymanufactured Heinkel He 178 (detailed elsewhere on this website).

The British followed on May 15, 1941, as World War II (1939-1945) was in full swing.

The early performance of the YP-59A was not great, even compared to its piston-powered, propeller-powered contemporaries such as the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, it is clear from these head-to-head tests that the Bell product It will soon reach its technological pinnacle - nothing more than a test and training platform for the US Air Force. As such, the Lockheed P-80 will earn the title of "the first mass-produced jet fighter in American history," as described elsewhere on this site.

To date, the Bell program includes three XP-59A prototype models and six YP-59A development examples - all airworthy - and logged more than 240 hours in the air to provide a wealth of data on jet-powered flight.

An initial order of 300 production-grade P-59A fighter jets was ordered, but program constraints soon reduced the total to 100, due in large part to the all-important I-16 turbojet and limited availability of Bell internals The new P-63 King Cobra fighters were promised during the war, provided to the Soviet Union through a Lend-Lease agreement. Formal P-59 production orders were placed on March 11, 1944, but the development program was still frustrated.

The YP-59A continued for a period of testing and data collection, bringing the original three XP-59A prototypes up to the improved YP-59A standard. Bell engineers made some additional (albeit minor) changes to the design, and the wing fuel tanks led to the "P-59B-1" designation.

Bell issued an order to cease production of the P-59 on October 10, 1944 - which would result in only 39 production aircraft. Bell insisted and won an argument to continue production of the 50th, resulting in 20 batches of the P-59A model and 30 batches of the P-59B model being completed by August 1945.

High quality P-59s ended their days as trainers, while some were stored without power until eventually scrapped. After the disbanding of the training squadron of the 412th Fighter Group in 1946, the P-59 slipped into aviation history -- not flying again until 1950.

Total production of the P-59 aircraft reached 66. One was given to the UK in exchange for their mighty Gloucester Meteor (Mk I) fighter.

When complete, the P-59A has a top speed of 389 mph, a cruising speed of 280 mph, a service ceiling of 40,000 feet, a climb rate of 1,200 feet per minute, and a range of up to 520 miles.