Bell XP-76
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| Bell XP-76 | |
|---|---|
 The Bell XP-76 was an improved variant of the P-39 Airacobra, shown here. |
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| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Bell Aircraft Corporation |
| Maiden flight | 1942 |
| Introduced | n/a |
| Status | Did not enter mass-production |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 3 |
Bell XP-76 was a single-engine United States fighter aircraft prototype of World War II.
[edit] Background
The Bell XP-76 was proposed to address the poor high-altitude performance of the P-39 Airacobra by adding a laminar flow wing and a more powerful engine. Its origins lie in the 1941 project to equip three P-39D (41-19501, 41-19502 and 42-7164) with the Continental I-1430-1 liquid-cooled supercharged engine. The resultant XP-39E had a laminar flow wing with square wingtips, an elongated fuselage to accommodate the larger engine, and revised air intakes and radiators. The three prototypes each had a different tailfin. Since the Continental engine was not available at rollout, the prototypes flew with Allison V-1710-47 engines. In 1942, the XP-39E was redesignated XP-76. Although 4,000 aircraft were initially ordered, the order was canceled to permit the Bell factory to manufacture B-29 Superfortress bomber aircraft under license from Boeing. Many of the lessons learned in the XP-76 were implemented in the subsequent Bell P-63 Kingcobra.
[edit] Specifications (XP-76)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 31 ft 11 in (9.7 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.9 m)
- Height: ft in (m)
- Wing area: 236 ft² (21.9 m²)
- Empty weight: 6,936 lb (3,150 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 8,918 lb (4,050 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Continental I-1430-1, 2,100 hp (1,600 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 386 mph (335 knots, 620 km/h) at 21,680 ft (6,600 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,150 ft/min (11 m/s)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1× 37 mm (1.46 in) Oldsmobile T9 cannon, 30 rounds
- 2× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, 200 rounds per gun
- 4× 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 machine guns, 1,000 rounds per gun
- Bombs: 500 lb (227 kg) externally
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
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