Bell YFM-1 Airacuda
E482387
The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda was an experimental American twin‑engine heavy fighter of the late 1930s, notable for its unconventional design featuring forward-firing cannon housed in engine nacelles and a role envisioned as a long-range bomber destroyer.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
experimental heavy fighter aircraft
ⓘ
prototype military aircraft ⓘ twin-engine aircraft ⓘ |
| airframeMaterial | metal construction ⓘ |
| armament |
37 mm cannon
ⓘ
machine guns ⓘ |
| armamentRole | bomber destruction at long range ⓘ |
| category |
United States experimental aircraft
ⓘ
interceptor aircraft ⓘ |
| configuration | twin-engine ⓘ |
| conflictContext | pre–World War II development ⓘ |
| countryOfOrigin |
United States of America
ⓘ
surface form:
United States
|
| crew | 5 ⓘ |
| crewPosition |
engine nacelle gun stations
ⓘ
nose compartment ⓘ |
| designFeature |
crew positions in engine nacelles
ⓘ
forward-firing cannon in engine nacelles ⓘ mid-wing monoplane layout ⓘ tricycle landing gear ⓘ |
| developedFor | United States Army Air Corps bomber defense doctrine ⓘ |
| developmentOutcome | program cancelled ⓘ |
| engineConfiguration | pusher configuration ⓘ |
| era | late 1930s ⓘ |
| firstFlight | 1937 ⓘ |
| intendedUse |
bomber escort
ⓘ
long-range bomber interception ⓘ |
| landingGearType | retractable tricycle landing gear ⓘ |
| manufacturer | Bell Aircraft NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| notableFor |
gunner positions in engine nacelles
ⓘ
unconventional design ⓘ |
| numberBuilt | 13 ⓘ |
| operatorType | experimental evaluation units ⓘ |
| powerplant | Allison V-1710 V-12 engine NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| programType | pre-production test program ⓘ |
| propellerPosition | behind wing (pusher propellers) ⓘ |
| propulsionType | piston engine ⓘ |
| reasonForCancellation |
technical problems
ⓘ
unsatisfactory performance ⓘ |
| role |
bomber destroyer
ⓘ
heavy fighter ⓘ |
| serviceEntry | pre–World War II period ⓘ |
| status |
not mass-produced
ⓘ
prototype only ⓘ |
| tailConfiguration | twin-tail ⓘ |
| usedBy | United States Army Air Corps NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| wingPosition | mid-wing ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.