Bell XFM-1 / YFM-1 Airacuda ( born Bell XFM-1 / YFM-1 Airacuda ) - British fighter-bomber of the 1930s, the first military aircraft manufactured by Bell Aircraft Corporation ; originally designated as “Bell Model 1”. The first flight took place on September 1, 1937 .
| XFM-1 / YFM-1 Airacuda | |
|---|---|
 YFM-1 Airacuda | |
| Type of | interceptor - "Fighter bombers" |
| Developer | Bell aircraft |
| Manufacturer | |
| Chief Designer | Bob woods |
| First flight | September 1, 1937 [1] |
| Start of operation | February 23, 1940 |
| End of operation | January 1942 |
| Status | not in operation |
| Operators | US Air Force |
| Years of production | 1939 - 1940 |
| Units produced | 13 [1] |
| Unit cost | $ 219,000 [1] |
Eiracuda was Bell’s response to a request to create a “bombers fighter.” Eirakuda was distinguished by its bold design and its significant flaws, which ultimately led to the termination of the aircraft. The release of the aircraft was limited to a small number of copies and only one active squadron was formed. In total, 13 cars of three slightly different modifications were produced.
Design
XFM-1 Airacuda
Twin - engine midplane with pushing screws .
Performance Specifications
- Data Source: Pelletier, 1992.
| TTX Airacuda | ||
| XFM-1 | YFM-1B | |
|---|---|---|
| Specifications | ||
| Crew | five | |
| Length m | 13.66 | 14.0 |
| Wing span , m | 21.28 | 21.34 |
| Height , m | 4.14 | 5.94 |
| Wing area , m² | 63.5 | 63.7 |
| Wing Profile , m² | NACA 23018 / NACA 23009 [2] | |
| Empty weight , kg | 6 073 | 6 194 |
| Normal take-off weight , kg | 7 852 | 8 323 |
| Maximum take-off weight , kg | n / a | 9,796 |
| Engine | 2 × Allison | |
| V-1710-13 | V-1710-41 | |
| Horsepower (kW) | 2 × 1150 (846) | 2 × 1090 (802) |
| Flight characteristics | ||
| Maximum speed , km / h | 434 | 431 |
| Cruising speed , km / h | 393 | 322 |
| Practical range , km | 1,285 | 2 687 |
| Ferry range , km | 4 180 | 3 508 |
| Practical ceiling , m | 9 300 | 9 113 |
| Theoretical ceiling , m | n / a | 9 540 |
| Rate of climb , m / s | n / a | 7.6 |
| Armament | ||
| Offensive | 2 × 37 mm Madsen guns 2 × 7.62 mm machine gun | |
| Defensive | 2 × 12.7 mm machine gun | |
| Bomb (inside the fuselage) | 20 × 13.6 kg of bombs | not |
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Pelletier, 1992.
- ↑ Lednicer, 2010.
Literature
- Pelletier, Alain J. Bell Aircraft since 1935. - Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. - P. 19-24. - 255 p. - (Putnam Aeronautical Books). - ISBN 1-55750-056-8 .
- Lednicer, David. The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage . - Champaign, Illinois: UIUC Applied Aerodynamics Group, 2010. Archived April 20, 2010 on the Wayback Machine