Yfm 1 Airacuda - The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda is a heavy fighter aircraft developed in the 1930s. This aircraft was the first military aircraft produced by Bell and was originally called the "Bell Model 1".
The YFM-1 Airacuda was designed as a "bomber fighter", or long-range interceptor as it is now known. The plane was high-tech for its time, and its aerodynamic shape belied that it wasn't all that great.
Yfm 1 Airacuda
It was ambitious and flawed from the start. The boost stand configuration means that the engine does not receive as much cooling air flow as it would using a tractor propeller. This meant that the planes often had overheating problems. In addition, the gunners, one in each nacelle on either side of the main fuselage, are catapulted immediately aft by the propellers and have difficulty ejecting.
Bell Xfm 1/yfm 1 Airacuda (book) Hi Res Image List
In addition to reliability problems, the Bell YFM-1 Airacuda was slower than expected, difficult to fly, and its bomb load was relatively small. It is worth noting that despite all the shortcomings, the operational squadron of aircraft was integrated.
The first incident occurred when the seventh aircraft to be built (38-492) was making its final test flight. The pilot and co-pilot struggled to recover from the spin as the rudders locked. Co-pilot Brian Sparks killed the engine before ejecting - the tandem seats should have ejected before pilot John Strickler left. When Spark jumped out of the plane, he hit the tail, breaking both legs, but also released the rudders. With the rudders now functioning normally, Strickler was able to regain control of the aircraft, although there was not enough altitude to restart the engines. He decided to make an emergency landing and landed the Airakuda hard on the farmer's field. He walked away from the plane. Spark escaped with only two broken legs. The plane was so unlucky that it aborted.
The second crash involving a Bell YFM-1 Airacuda occurred when it caught fire on a flight from Chanute Field, Illinois to Kessler Field, Mississippi. Unable to extinguish the fire, the pilot and the crew chief decided to save themselves. The crew chief survived, but unfortunately the pilot's parachute failed and he was killed. According to the accident report, the pilot may have hit the tail after exiting the plane.
The Bell Squadron YFM-1 Airacuda operated from 1938 to 1940, but the aircraft never flew in combat. It is mainly used for photo opportunities and promotions. Eventually, the planes were redeployed to various airfields in the United States, allowing Air Force pilots to add the odd aircraft to their logbooks. However, many pilots were not interested and although there were several proposals to upgrade the aircraft, none were accepted. The USAAF eventually withdrew the aircraft from its inventory in 1942. During World War II, there were limits to flight, how fast, how high, but mostly how far played a role. Range is something that has a big impact on some fighters, particularly interceptors. The Bell YFM-1 Airacuda overcame the interceptor's short range problem to a range of 2,600 miles, which was sufficient to intercept enemy bombers and escort enemy bombers on raids.
Mitsubishi A6m5 Zero
Designed by the Bell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range aircraft rather than a single-engine fighter, the Airacuda was a deterrent to large bombers. The YFM-1 was clearly an innovative design and featured three cockpits equipped for an M4 gunner and a forward-facing gun that could engage large bombers with relative ease.
As innovative as the Airacuda was in its design, they couldn't save it from the many flaws that plagued it during flight. His main drawback is that he can't hit more than 277 mph, making his role as a less-than-stellar catcher. Its size limits the Airakuda's maneuverability, making it extremely vulnerable to fighter jet attacks.
"Because there were few pilots interested in flying the alien aircraft, the Airacuda saw limited flight. Despite plans to modify the Airacuda's airframe and install more powerful engines, the FM Airacuda was withdrawn from inventory, something the Airacuda was designed to prevent.
Only 13 Airacudas were built, enough for a full squadron, but they never saw combat. Flaws along with some accidents ensure that it is never used as anything outside of the field of view and so on. In 1942, all remaining Airacuda Bell YFM-1s were written off. You can see archive footage of the now-defunct Airakuda in this clip.
Bell Xfm 1 Airacuda
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