Tthe 벨 P-59 에어라코멧 제 2 차 세계 대전 중 Bell Aircraft가 설계하고 제작 한 미국 최초의 쌍둥이 제트 엔진 전투기였습니다. 미 육군 공군은 그 성능에 깊은 인상을 받지 못했고 주문한 항공기의 절반 미만이 생산되었을 때 계약을 취소했습니다. P-59는 전투에 참여하지 않았지만 전투기는 미국 터보 제트 동력 항공기의 또 다른 설계 세대를위한 길을 열었으며 터보 제트 엔진과 공기 흡입구 나셀이 주 동체에 통합 된 최초의 터보 제트 전투기였습니다.
Tthe 벨 P-59A 에어라혜성was the first American jet fighter aircraft to enter service during World War II. It was designed and built by Bell Aircraft Corporation in response to a British request for a jet-powered fighter. The P-59A had a twin-engine design with a single-seat cockpit and a tricycle landing gear. The aircraft was armed with one 37 mm cannon and three 12.7 mm machine guns in the nose.
Tthe P-59Amade its first flight on October 1, 1942, and was delivered to the US Army Air Forces in 1943. However, the performance of the P-59A was disappointing compared to the German and British jet fighters, and it was soon relegated to training and experimental roles. The P-59A was never used in combat, and only 66 units were produced. The P-59A was retired from service in 1949, and most of them were scrapped or donated to museums. The P-59A Airacomet was an important milestone in the development of American jet aviation, but it was also a technological dead end that did not influence the design of later jet fighters.