Home

Museums

Manufacturers

Mission

Airshows

Performers


Bell P-59B 'Airacomet'

Description
  Manufacturer:Bell
  Base model:P-59
  Designation:P-59
  Version:B
  Nickname:Airacomet
  Designation System:U.S. Air Force
  Designation Period:1925-1947
  Basic role:Pursuit
  Crew:1

Specifications
  Length: 38' 10" 11.8 m
  Height:11' 11" 3.6 m
  Wingspan: 45' 6" 13.8 m
  Wingarea: 386.0 sq ft 35.7 sq m
  Empty Weight: 8,165 lb 3,702 kg
  Gross Weight: 13,700 lb 6,213 kg

Propulsion
  No. of Engines: 2
  Powerplant: General Electric J31-GE-5
  Thrust (each): 2,000 lb 907 kg

Performance
  Range: 525 miles 845 km
  Cruise Speed: 375 mph 603 km/h 325 kt
  Max Speed: 413 mph 665 km/h 359 kt
  Ceiling: 46,200 ft 14,081 m

Known serial numbers
44-22629 / 44-22658, 44-22659 / 44-22708, 64100, 64108 / 64109

Examples of this type may be found at
MuseumCityState
Air Force Flight Test Center MuseumEdwards AFBCalifornia
Harold Warp Pioneer VillageMindenNebraska
United States Air Force MuseumWright-PattersonOhio

P-59B on display

Air Force Flight Test Center Museum

United States Air Force Museum
   


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 Richard Winegarden
 Waterloo, IA
Sae the web listing on he P59 listed 1925-1947 and believe (that should be 1945 - 1947.)
Thanks for a fun display and preservation of the old style t=things that many would not otherise know about. I saw my first jet in summer of 1945. I was stationed at Minter Field . AAF and there were 59 s at Kern County field nearer to Bakers field that flew near our base. A flight of 4 P51's were showing off by pulling up through a circle of AT 6's flying just south of Minter. They would come over and make a dive and pull a roll up through the center of the circle of cadets aircraft circle pattern and leave. The P-59 approched with a new soud and speed and did a pull up through the circle but kept going up in slow rolls out of sight. First time we had seen anything with that capabiity. We'd heard there were some new jet type aircfaft over at Kern but had never seen them and did not know the designaton at the time. Anyway a fun reminder seeing the web listing of the old plane. Hope to be able to visit Minden again soon. Have not been there since 1946 0r 7 on our way to Colorado after WWII.
Thanks again,
Dick Winegarden
08/29/2002 @ 05:21 [ref: 5574]

 

Recent photos uploaded by our visitors