| XP-83 | |
|---|---|
 S/n44-84990 in test flight over Wright Field, May 1945 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Escort fighter |
| Manufacturer | Bell Aircraft |
| Status | Project cancelled1947 |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Forces (intended) |
| Number built | 2 |
| History | |
| First flight | 25 February 1945 |
TheBell XP-83 (later redesignatedXF-83)[1] was a United States prototypejetescort fighter designed byBell Aircraft duringWorld War II. It first flew in 1945. As with most earlyfirst generation jet fighters, the design was hampered by a relative lack of power. With the rapid advancements in jet technology post-WWII, the XP-83 was soon eclipsed by more advanced designs and it never entered production.
The earlyjetfighters consumedfuel at a prodigious rate which severely limited theirrange andendurance. In March 1944, theUnited States Army Air Forces requested Bell to design a fighter with increased endurance and formally awarded a contract for two prototypes on 31 July 1944.
Bell had been working on its "Model 40" interceptor design since 1943. It was redesigned as a long-range escort fighter while retaining the general layout of theP-59 Airacomet. The twoGeneral Electric J33-GE-5turbojet engines were located in each wing root which left the large and bulkyfuselage free for fuel tanks and armament. The fuselage was an all-metalsemimonocoque capable of carrying 1,150 gal (4,350 L) of fuel. In addition, two 250 gal (950 L)drop tanks could be carried. The cabin waspressurized and used a small and low bubble style canopy. The armament was to be six0.5 in (12.7 mm)machine guns in the nose.
Early wind tunnel reports had pinpointed directional instability but the "fix" of a largertail would not be ready in time for flight testing.[2]
The first prototype was flown on 25 February 1945, by Bell's chief test pilot,Jack Woolams. He found it to have satisfactory flight characteristics, although it was under-powered. The expected instability was confirmed – spins were avoided (until a larger tail fin was installed). The second prototype did incorporate a modified tail and anaileron boost system.[3] One unusual characteristic was extremely high landing speeds, due to factors including the XP-83's lack of drag brakes – in addition to the sleek aerodynamics and relatively high minimum thrust settings common to early jet aircraft, and necessary to prevent unintended flame-outs. This meant that test pilots were forced to fly "stabilized approaches" (i.e. very long and flat landing approaches).[4]
The first prototype was used in 1946 as aramjet test-bed with an engineer's station located in the fuselage behind the pilot. On 14 September 1946, one of the ramjets caught fire forcing pilot,"Slick" Goodlin and engineerCharles Fay, to bail out. The second prototype flew on 19 October and was later scrapped in 1947. Apart from range, the XP-83 was inferior to theLockheed P-80 Shooting Star and this led to the cancellation of the XP-83 project in 1947.
Data fromWar Planes of the Second World War[5]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Related lists
