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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
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Air Force Flight Test Center Museum | Edwards AFB | California |
| Harold Warp Pioneer Village | Minden | Nebraska |
| United States Air Force Museum | Wright-Patterson | Ohio |
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
