And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Friday, April 29, 2022
Bell XFM-1 Airacuda. Heavy fighter. First flew in 1937. Designed to have a canon in each nacelle. Only 12 built
Historically, Bell has been a leader in aviation-aerospace development. Bell successfully built the WWII Airacobra line of fighter/ground support aircraft that used a 37mm cannon. Bell also built Airacomet, first US jet fighter. Bell's X-1 successfully broke the sound barrier in 1947. Bell's UH-1 series of "Huey" & Cobra helicopters continues to the present with V-280 tilt-rotor development.
most fighters are pretty defenseless from behind - that's one reason why they are made to be very maneuverable . But this one was heavy and not so agile, quickly making it irrelevant
Almost a little Flash Gordonesque…
ReplyDeleteI pity the nacelle gunners if they ever needed to bail out , with that pusher prop right behind them !
ReplyDeleteMust have been slow.
ReplyDeleteHistorically, Bell has been a leader in aviation-aerospace development. Bell successfully built the WWII Airacobra line of fighter/ground support aircraft that used a 37mm cannon. Bell also built Airacomet, first US jet fighter. Bell's X-1 successfully broke the sound barrier in 1947. Bell's UH-1 series of "Huey" & Cobra helicopters continues to the present with V-280 tilt-rotor development.
ReplyDeleteThe P-39 will always be one of my favorites !!!
DeleteI guess everyone had to pack their own lunch.....
ReplyDeleteDefenseless from behind. It's probably a good thing only 12 were built.
ReplyDeletemost fighters are pretty defenseless from behind - that's one reason why they are made to be very maneuverable . But this one was heavy and not so agile, quickly making it irrelevant
DeleteOld Testament, New Testament, or one of each?
ReplyDelete