            T h e   B e l l   P - 5 9   A i r a c o m e t

The Bell P-59 Airacomet was the first jet warplane to be perfected in the USA.  
This plane never saw active service.  The project was started in 1941 at 
request of the technical service of the USAAF, who had been told of the 
programs of development and construction being carried uot in Britain on 
turbojets.  On September 5th the Bell Aircraft Corporation was requested to 
design a fighter aircraft to be powered by the revolutionary new engine. The
program was carried out in secrecy.  To diguise the opperations, the aircraft
was given the name XP-59A, which had previously been assigned to a piston-
engined fighter which Bell had currently been working on.  The construction of 
the first prototype was constructed in the spring of 1942.  The prototypes 
were performing marvelousley, so larger engines were added.  This led to the  
P-59 B, which had a larger engine and was equipped with speed brakes.  The 
Bell P-59 served as a model for the first true jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting
Star.  This is why the planes are quite similar in appearence and style.  

