Bell XP-52

XP-52

A wind tunnel model of the XP-59
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	Bell Aircraft Corporation
Status	Cancelled 25 November 1941
Number built	None

The Bell XP-52 and subsequent XP-59 were World War II fighter aircraft design projects by the American Bell Aircraft Corporation.

Both projects featured a twin-boom layout with a rear-mounted engine driving pusher contra-rotating propellers.

When the XP-59 project was cancelled the designation XP-59A was used as a cover for a secret jet fighter prototoype, which would enter production as the P-59 Airacomet.

XP-52

The intended engine - the Continental X-1430 in the National Museum of the United States Air Force

The XP-52 design was submitted as part of a United States Army Air Corps competition held in the winter of 1939.

The short fuselage carried a piston engine in the rear, driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers in a pusher configuration. The wings were swept back at an angle of 20 degrees, with a horizontal stabilizer mounted behind the propeller on twin booms running back from the wings. The fuselage was unusually streamlined, being round and barrel-shaped, with the forward-located pilot's cockpit fully faired-in to its lines and the nose ending in a round air intake which was ducted back internally to the engine.^[1]

The undercarriage was a tricycle arrangement, with the main wheels retracting into the tailbooms.

Propulsion was to be provided by a the experimental Continental XIV-1430-3 inverted V-12 engine.

XP-59

The XP-52 was canceled 25 November 1941 in favor of a new design designated the XP-59. Slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor, the XP-59 was a new design although generally similar in layout, and was to be powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-2800-23 engine of 2,000 horsepower (1,500 kW).^[1]

On 3 October 1941 the contract for Bell's first jet fighter was signed. The prototype was designated the XP-59A and it would enter production as the P-59 Airacomet. The original XP-59 was cancelled.^[1]

References

1 2 3 Jones, L.; US Fighters, Aero, 1975.

External links

Bell XP-52

Aircraft produced by Bell Aircraft and Bell Helicopter

Manufacturer designations	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 49 50 52 54 58 59 60 61 65 66 67 68 200 201 204 205 206 207 208 210 211 209 212 214/214ST 222 230 249 301 309 400 407 409 412 417 427 429 430 440 445 449 505 525 533 D-188 D-255 D-292

Fighter aircraft	YFM-1 P-39 XFL P-59 P-63 XP-77 XP-83

Target drones	PQM-56

Attack helicopters	207 AH-1 (singles) AH-1 (twins) 309 YAH-63

Observation and utility helicopters	H-13 UH-1 UH-1N UH-1Y TH-57 OH-58 TH-67 ARH-70

Commercial helicopters	47 204 205 206 210 212 214 214ST 222 230 407 412 427 429 430 505 525

Tiltrotors	V-22 BA609 TR918 QTR

UAVs	MQ-8C

Non-production helicopters	400 417 440

Experimental aircraft	ATV 201 533 D-188 D-255 D-292 L-39 LLRV/LLTV X-1 X-2 X-5 X-14 X-22 XF-109 XP-52 XV-3 XV-15

USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF fighter designations 1924–1962

Pursuit (pre-1948) Fighter (post-1948)	P-1 P-2 P-3 XP-4 P-5 P-6 XP-7 XP-8 XP-9 XP-10 P-11 P-12 XP-13 XP-14 XP-15 P-16 P-17 YP-18 YP-19 YP-20 P-21 XP-22 P-23 YP-24 P-25 P-26 P-27 P-28 P-29 P-30 XP-31 P-32 P-33 XP-34 P-35 P-36 P-37 P-38 P-39 P-40 XP-41 P-42 P-43 P-44 P-45 XP-46 P-47 XP-48 XP-49 XP-50 P-51 XP-52 P-53 XP-54 XP-55 XP-56 XP-57 XP-58 P-59 P-60 P-61/C XP-62 P-63 P-64 P-65 P-66 XP-67 XP-68 P-69 P-70 XP-71 XP-72 P-73 P-74¹ P-75 XP-76 XP-77 P-78 XP-79 P-80 XP-81 P-82 XP-83 P-84 XP-85 P-86/D XP-87 P-88 P-89 XF-90 XF-91 XF-92 YF-93 F-94 F-95 F-96 F-97 F-98 F-99 F-100 F-101 F-102 XF-103 F-104 F-105 F-106 F-107 XF-108 XF-109 F-110 F-111/B

Pursuit, Biplace	PB-1 PB-2 PB-3

Fighter, Multiplace	FM-1 FM-2

¹ Not assigned See also: F-24 • F-117 • P-400 • post-1962 sequence

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Bell XP-52

XP-52

XP-59

References

See also

External links