Bell P-59A Airacomet – Photos & Video

Bell P-59A Airacomet
Country	USA
Role	Fighter
First flight	1 October 1942
Built	66

The Bell P-59 Airacomet was a twin jet-engined fighter aircraft, the first of the United States, designed and built by Bell Aircraft during World War II. The United States Army Air Forces were not impressed by its performance and cancelled the contract when fewer than half of the aircraft ordered had been produced. Although no P-59s entered combat, the fighter paved the way for another design generation of U.S. turbojet-powered aircraft, and was the first turbojet fighter to have its turbojet engine and air inlet nacelles integrated within the main fuselage.

Source: Bell P-59A Airacomet on Wikipedia

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The Bell P-59A Airacomet was 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.
The P-59A made 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.