REVISED: 4/20/09
Bell, Bell-Boeing1914 = 2pOB modified from a Martin exhibition tractor as a scout-bomber for Pancho Villa by 19-year-old Larry Bell during his spare time while employed by Martin Aircraft Co. 2 - Consolidated XA-11A (A-11 repowered with Allison liquid-cooled engine) never went into production. 3 - Single-engined fighter with supercharged engine; forerunner of XP-39 project. Only mock-ups made. 27 - This appears to have been applied to XP-59A, not necessarily the production version. Bell 30 #1 roll-out [NX41867] (Bell) Bell 30 #1A [NX41867] (Bell) Bell 30 #2 [NX41868] (Bell) Bell 30 #3 frame [NX41860] (Bell) 30 1942 = 1pOH; 150hp Franklin 6V4; ff: 12/29/42 (p: Floyd Carlson). First successful twin-blade system; third helicopter to fly in USA. Arthur Young. POP: 3 prototypes [NX41860, NX41867/41868], tested by Army as XR-12. First ship, #1 [NX41867], crashed in Sep 1943, was rebuilt with modified landing gear and tail rotor as #1A. #2 appeared in May 1944 inside the Buffalo (NY) Natl Guard Armory for its first public flight. Reworked #3 became the basis for 47. I could nowhere find a mention that one of these prototypes was tested as the XR-12. Indeed, this designation applied to the first Model 48. NOTE: Bell helicopters license-built in foreign countries are not included in the production figures below.
Bell 42 (Bell) 47 (TC H-1 H-5, H7SW, 2H1, 2H3) - 2pCH. Arthur Young. The world's first commercially-licensed helicopter, familiar by its fishbowl canopy, open-grid tail boom. Remained in continuous production until 1974; licensed construction also in Japan and Italy. Larger version became model 48. Military versions H-13 and HTL. Sioux AH-1 and HT-2 were built by Westland Ltd for the British Army. Bell 47A (Bell) 48 SEE R-12. 50 Convert-O-Plane - Bell's very first convertible project. None built. 54 SEE H-15. 61 SEE HSL. Bell 65ATV [N1105V] (Bell) 65 ATV 1954 = 1pOhwM VTOL "Air Test Vehicle." Two 1000# Fairchild J44 turbojets, tiltable 90° for lift and propulsion + one Turbomèca Palouste turbo-generator delivering compressed air to the attitude control system; span: 26'0" length: 21'0" v: 125/x/0. Built from wings from a Cessna 170, fuselage from a Schweizer glider, and landing gear from a Bell 47. Hovering and conventional flights were made on 11/16/54 and 12/18/58 respectively (p: David Howe), but no transitions. The test program was terminated in 1955. POP: 2 [N1105V, x], with the second one destroyed in an engine fire on the ground. 68 SEE X-14. 204B 1963 (TC H1SW, H4SW) = 10pCH; 1100hp Lycoming T-53-09A; rotor: 48'0". Commercial and military export version of HU-1. POP: 70+. 205A-1 1963 (TC H1SW, H4SW, H6SW) = 15pCH, commercial variant of HU-1; 1250hp Lycoming T-53. POP: 302. 206 Jet Ranger 1965 (TC H2SW) = 5pCH; rotor: 33'4" length: 31'2" load: 1590#. POP: By Jan 1988 Bell and its licensees had built over 7,000 206s, including military versions. SEE H-57, H-67, and OH-58. 206A 1965 = 317hp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft; v: 138/121/0 range 380. POP: 4170 206A/B. Bell 207 [N73927] (clip via Les McCrae) 207 Sioux Scout 1963 = 2pCH armed scout with two high-mounted stub wings; 260hp Lycoming TVO-435; ff: 6/27/63 (p: Al Averill). Test-bed built from commercial 47J-2 parts. POP: 1 [N73927] to Fort Benning for Army testing. 208 1965 = Repowered UH-1D with 1400hp Continental XT67T-1 coupled twin-turboshaft. 209, 249 SEE AH-1. 211 Huey Tug 1968 = Considered for the Army's prime Artillery Mover. Uprated dynamic system rated at 2000hp and a larger 48'0" rotor with a wide chord and swept tips. Bell 412 [N3893S] (Bell-Textron) 212, 412 1970 (TC H4SW) = Repowered 205, originally developed for Canadian armed forces. 15pCH; 1290hp P&W PT6T-3 Turbo Twin-Pac coupled turboshaft; rotor: 46'0" length: 56'2" load: 5101# v: 143/x/0 range: 356 ceiling: 16,300' (data for 412). 412 had a four-blade rotor. Also license-built by Agusta in Italy as AB-412. 214 (TC H10SW) - 16pCH, developed as an improved version of UH-1H, aka Huey Plus. 214 1970 = 2000hp Avco Lycoming T-53-L-702. POP: 4. 222 (TC H9SW) - 10pCH business and utility helicopter. 222, 222A 1976 = Two 592hp Avco Lycoming LTS101; rotor: 42'0" length: 39'9" load: 3075# v: 150/146/0 range: 450. POP: 90. Bell 230 Special-Mission (Bell-Textron) 230 1991 (H9SW) = 10pCH; two 700hp Allison 250; rotor: 43'0" length: 43'4" load: 3350# v: 162/x/0 range: 485. 249 19?? = AH-1W with four-blade main rotor. 255 SEE D-262. 301 SEE V-15. Bell 309 (Johan Visschedijk coll) 309 Kingcobra 197? = Development of AH-1J. POP: 2; one powered by P&W T400-CP-400 Turbo Twin-Pac coupled turboshaft, the second by Avco Lycoming T55-L-7C turboshaft. Both featured a modified nose which housed a stabilized multi-sensor sight and enlarged ammunition bay, larger span stub wings, a ventral fin for improved longitudinal stability, and extended tail boom to compensate for the larger, wide-chord main rotor unit. Forerunner of AH-1T Bell 407 [N407PH] (Bell-Textron) 407 1994 (TC H2SW) = 7pCH; 814hp Allison 250-C47; rotor: 35'0" length: 42'0" load: 2402# v: 161/139/0 range: 328 ceiling: 17,900'. 409 SEE AH-63. 412 SEE 212. Bell 427 (Bell-Textron) 427 1999 = No data. Bell 430 [N43011] Bell-Textron) 430 (TC H9SW) 1994 = 10pCH; 808hp Allison 250-C40; rotor: 48'0" length: 57'3" load: 3815# v: 173/160/0 range: 434 ceiling: 14,600'. Set helicopter around-the-world speed record in Sep 1996 [N43011]. $4.5 million; POP: ??. 533 1962 = UH-1B with two 920lb Continental J69-T-9 turbojets added and a swept wing. Flown with both two- and three-blade rotors. Reached speeds of 250mph in level flight. A-7 Airacobra 1941 = P-39 as aerial target. AH-1 Cobra (Model 209, 249) - USMC/Army 2p close-support attack helicopter, unofficially nicknamed "Huey" after HU designation. The 2 prototype YAH-1Gs had retractable skid landing gear [66-15246/15247]. AH-1E, -1S(ECAS) 1975 = load: 3400# v: 141/x/0 range: 315. POP: 205; included 7 exports. AH-58 Warrior 1988 = Army modified and armed OH-58D. AH-58D 19?? = Bell YAH-63 [73-22246] (Bell) AH-63 (Model 409) 1975 = Based on King Cobra. 2pCH; two 1500hp GE T700-GE-700 turboshafts; rotor: 51'0" length: 52'5" v: 202/167/0 range: 515 ceiling: 29,000'. Bell's entry in US Army Advanced Attack Helicopter competition, lost out to Hughes AH-64. POP: 2 as YAH-63 [73-22246/22247]. ATV SEE 65. Coaxial Rotor Helicopter 1945 = Little-known research machine with counterrotating blades on a common shaft flew briefly but was reportedly scrapped before any potential could be realized. This could be Model 31 or 46, the only two missing Bell model numbers in that time sequence, or the undocumented Model 36 project. ( Stéphane Beaumort 7/7/07) Design studies of relative importance, not bearing a factory Model number and, except for D-292, none was built: CTR-22A/B/C/D - Tilt-rotor project (1983). CTR-750 - Tilt-rotor project. CTR-800 - Tilt-rotor project. CTR-1900 - Tilt-rotor project. D-182C - Trailrotor T-37 COIN conversion project in 1956. D-188A - The designation XF-109 was requested, but never allocated officiallythree times reserved but never allocated in the end. Bell D-190B (Bell) D-190B - USAF V/STOL concept for SAR, cargo, liaison, ground support (1957). Two tilting ducted props and turboshafe engines. Got only as far as a mock-up for wind tunnel testing, but some technology went into X-22A program. D-223 - Tilt-rotor project (1956). D-230 Flying Jeep - VTOL project with four foldable ducted fans. D-246 - Tilt-rotor project (1959). D-252 - Tilt-rotor project (1961). Bell D-255 (Bell) D-255 Iroquois Warrior - Full-size mock-up of a tandem 2p combat helicopter (1962). D-262 - Smaller version of D-255 (1964) D-266 - Composite prop-rotor VTOL research aircraft pre-design study proposal in response to Army's Composite Aircraft Program (1965). D-267 - Tilt-rotor project (1968). D-292 ACAP 1985 = 2-4pCH; two 680hp Avco-Lycoming LTS101-750C turboshafts; rotor: 42'0" length: 40'5"; ff: 8/x/85. Designation was factory model number. ACAP = Advanced Composite Airframe Program; constructed of Kevlar, plastic/epoxy, and graphite. POP: 2. D-303 - Tilt-rotor project (1980). D-321 - Tilt-rotor project (1980). D-326 Clipper - Commercial tilt-rotor passenger transport (1980). D-327 - Tilt-rotor project (1980). D-329 BAT - Research VTOL developed as a proposal for the Army's 1984 LHX light helicopter program. D-340 Pointer - Design proposal for tilit-rotor UAV. D-2149-1 Carabao - Design proposal for ground-effect machine. Bell F-109 (D-188A) Mock-up (Bell via Paul Matt coll) F-109 1959 = Joint VTOL supersonic bomber project with Convair, based on Bell D-188A design, only made it to the mock-up stage. Eight turbojets, two rotating on the wingtips, two fixed horizontally in the tail, and two vertically through the fuselage aft of the cockpit. F- designation was assigned by USAF, but s/n on the tail was Bell's "blue-sky" number. F2L Airabonita 1944 = Unarmed P-39Q to USN with conventional landing gear and tailhook, used first in carrier evaluations, finally as target drone. POP: 2 as F2L-1K [91102/91103]. Feederliner - Commercial helicopter design project, development of Model 48. Bell XFL-1 [1588] (USN) FL Airabonita 1940 = USN carrier version of P-39 with 1150hp Allison V-1710; conventional gear and tail hook; ff as taildragger: 5/13/40 (p: Homer Barry, who suddenly became airborne during a high-speed taxi test, and as he circled to land, flotation bags in the wings deployed and inflated, cutting lift to almost zero and doubling the drag, but he somehow still managed a credible landing without further incidents). POP: 1 as XFL-1 [1588]; lost out to Vought F4U. FM Airacuda - AAC escort fighter-bomber; designation of FM was for "Fighter, Multi-place." 5pClwM rg; two 1150hp Allison V-1710-13 pushers. Robert Woods. Two pilots sat in tandem, each engine nacelle held a gunner firing his choice of a 37mm Madsen cannon or a .30 machinegun (two .30s in YFM-1a and -1B), and the radio operator manned .50 machineguns in each side blister. Battlewise it was a busy affair, but the blisters caused attritional drag and were replaced with sliding flat panels. However, its small bomb load (600#), low speed, and general lack of maneuverability kept it from performing any of its roles to satisfaction, so the planes were used briefly as flight trainers, finally grounded as training aids before the start of WW2. Bell XFM-1 [36-351] (Bell) H-1 Iroquois, H-40, HU-1, UH-1 (Model 204, 205) (TC H1RM, H1SW, H2NM, H2SW, H3NM, H3SO, H4SW, H5SO, H9SW, H13WE, H15NM, N5NM) - 6-12pCH; 770hp derated Lycoming T53; rotor: 44'0" length: 42'8" load: 4130# v: 142/115/0 range: 210. Originally designated H-40. Bell XH-40 [55-4461] (Bell) H-2 - Redesignation from R-12 in 1948. H-4 Kiowa 1969 = 2pCH redesignated as OH-58A. H-13, R-13 Sioux - Army 2-4pCH utility from civil Model 47, redesignated from initial R-13. Wheel undercarriage replaced by skids from -13C on. H classification redesignated OH in 1953. USN version HUL. XR-13, YR-13 1946 = 2p with 175hp Franklin O-335; rotor: 35'1" length: 27'4" v: 78/62/0 load: 540# range: 150 ceiling: 13,000'. POP: 1 prototype XR-13 [46-227], 27 production as YR-13 [46-228/254], of which 10 transferred to USN as HUL [122452/122461]. Bell XH-15 [46-530] (Bell) H-15, R-15 (Model 54) 1946 = 4pCH; 275hp Continental XO-47; rotor: 37'4" length: 29'4" v: 105 range 200. POP: 3 XR-15 [46-530/532], re-designated XH-15. H-33 SEE V-3. H-40 - Original designation for H-1/HU-1. H-57 Sea Ranger 1968 = 5pCH Army/Navy basic training version of 206 Jet Ranger. POP: 40 TH-57A [157177/157203], 51 -57B [161695/161701, 162803/162810, 163312/163347], and 89 -57C [162013/162067, 162666/162686, 162811/162823]. H-58 Kiowa SEE OH-58. Bell TH-67A [N67409] (Bell-Textron) H-67 Creek (Canada) 19?? = US Army trainer version of 206B-3 with similar specs; Allison 250-C20J; r: 33'4" length: 31'2" v: 140. POP: 154 as TH-67A; prototypes as YTH-67A. All operated with their civil N-registrations. SEE TH-67A registrations. H-70, ARH-70, RAH-70, RH-70 2007 = Armed Recon Helicopter (ARH) derived from Bell 407. ff: 2/x/2007, but crashed on an Arlington TX golf course after loss of power. HO-4, OH-4, H-4 1962 = 4pCH; Allison T63-A turboshaft; rotor: 33'4" length: 30'1" load: 1000#; ff: 12/8/62. Served as prototype for 206 Jet Ranger (Model 206) series. POP: 5 as YHO-4, redesignated YOH-4A, then H-4. HSL (Model 61) 1953 = 4pCH tandem-rotor anti-sub helicopter for USN; 2400hp P&W R-2800-50; rotor: 51'6" length: 36'3" (?>40'0") v: 115/96/0 range: 350. Gross wt: 26,500#. POP: 3 XHSL-1 and 50 HSL-1 [129133/129136, 129154/129168, 129843/12977]. HTL - USN instrument trainer version of civil 47. 2pCH; 220hp Lycoming VO-435; rotor: 37'2" length: 31'8" load: 534# v: 103/90/0 range: 198. Bell HTL-1 (Bell) HU-1 SEE H-1. HUL, UH-13 - USN version of USAF H-13J (civil 47J and 47L). 4pCH; 260hp Lycoming VO-435. Redesignated UH-13 in 1962. HUL-1, UH-13P 1956 = Stock 47J for USN. POP: 28 [142364/142372, 143134/143147, 147578/147581, 148277]. Bell L-39 with test swept wing (USN) L-39 1944 = Swept-wing modification of P-63C for USN/NACA stall and low-speed tests. POP: 2 [90061/90062]. The "L" was a NACA designation, unrelated to the military Liaison prefix. OH-58 Kiowa (TC H22NM, R00006DE) - Light Observation version of 206. 5pCH redesignated from H-4. OH-58A 1969 = 317hp Allison T63; rotor: 35'4" load: 1415# v: 150/117/0 range: 300. POP: 2,383; included 318 exports. P-39 Airacobra (P-45, P-400) - AAF and export fighter. 1pClwM rg; 1150hp Allison V-1710 amidships; span: 35'0" length: 28'8" load: 1555# v: 390/255/80 range: 1150 (data for XP-39). First ordered as P-45. 25mm or 37mm nose cannon in propshaft. British designation originally was Caribou, then Airacobra I and II. While unpopular with US pilots, it was used by USSR and France with notable success. Export totals were 4,773 to USSR, with small lots to Great Britain and Portugal. USN versions FL for carrier tests, and F2L Airabonita, modified from P-39Q.
P-45 SEE P-39C. P-52 (Model 16) 1941 - Projected twin-boom fighter with 1250hp Continental XIV-1430-5 pusher. None was built. P-59 Airacomet - 1pCmwM rg; two 2000# GE J-31 turbojet; span: 45'6" length: 38'10" load: 5535# v: 413/375/85 range: 525 ceiling: 46,200' (data for P-59B). First US operational jet-propelled aircraft. For security reasons, the plane was assigned this designation, originally intended for a twin-boom, piston-engine fighter design XP-59 (which was later cancelled). Stability problems led to service rejection, and most all ended up as 2p target drone directors. SEE The Ape and the Airacomet Bell XP-59A Bell P-63 Civil two-seater mod [NX41954] (clip) P-63 Kingcobra - 1pClwM rg; 1325hp Allison V-1710-93 amidships; span: 38'4" length: 32'8" load: 4125# v: 408/378/100 range: 450 ceiling: 43,000' (data for P-63A). Harlan M Poyer (design patent #141,292). Evolution of P-39 with 37mm nose cannon. Unarmed and unarmored, but recovered with tougher metal skin, RP (later QF) was used as flying targets for frangible bullets, a "flying pinball machine" that registered hits with a red light. Total production was 3,303, of which 2,421 went to USSR. Only a few were in USAAF service, and none were in combat. Bell XP-63 [41-19512] (Bell Co) P-76 1942 - Proposed production of modified XP-39E; order for 4,000 was cancelled. Bell XP-77 [43-34915] (Bell) P-77 (Model 32 aka D-6) 1944 = 1pClwM rg; 520hp Ranger XV-770; span: 27'6" length: 22'11" load: 823# v: 330/270/92 range: 550; ff: 4/1/44 (p: Jack Woollams). Robert J Woods. An experiment in metal conservation when a shortage of aluminum seemed imminent. Laminated wood construction, cantilever wing, manual retracting tri-gear; two .50 wing guns plus a 20mm cannon in the propshaft. POP: 2 as XP-77 [43-34915/34916], the latter destroyed in testing. Metal shortage never developed, nor did the fighter. Projected P-77A (Model 35) not built. Bell XP-83 (Bell) P-83 (Model 40) 1945 = Enlarged P-59 with two J33-GE-5; ff: 2/25 (?>27)/45 (p: Jack Woollams). Unofficial name was "Airarattler." POP: 2 as XP-83 [44-84990/84991]. P-400 SEE P-39. Bell XR-12 [46-215] (Bell) Bell YR-12B [46-217] (Bell) R-12, H-2 (Model 48) 1946 = 5pCH; 550hp P&W R-1340; rotor: 47'6" length: 39'7" (?>41'7") v: 105/90/0 range 300. Gross wt: 6285#. POP: 2 XR-12 [46-214/215], 1 10p XR-12B [46-216], and 10 YR-12B [46-217/226]. Redesignated as H-2 in 1948. R-13 Sioux - Initial designation for H-13 (qv). R-15 SEE H-15. TH-1 SEE H-1. UH-1 SEE HU-1, HUL. Bell XV-3 [54-147] (magazine clip) Bell XV-3 [54-148] (NASA Ames) V-3, H-33 Convertiplane 1955 = 2-5pCmwH, factory model 200, with three-blade tilt rotors at the wingtips. 450hp P&W R-985 mounted amidships driving rotors via geared shafts; span: 25'0" rotors: 33'0" length: 30'4" v: 178/130/0 range: 140 ceiling: 15,000'; ff (hover): 8/11/55 (p: Floyd Carlson). Developed under a contract jointly funded by the Army and USAF in their Convertible Aircraft Program to investigate vertical-to- forward flight technologies, it was the first aircraft to fully tilt its rotors while in flight, although it was initially so underpowered as to be unable to lift more than its test pilot. POP: 2 prototypes as XV-3, originally as XH-33 [54-147/148]. The first was destroyed in a test flight on 10/25/56. The second was modified with two-blade 23' rotors and other modifications, and made the first conversion to airplane mode on 12/18/58. It was destroyed in 1968 wind-tunnel testing, but is being restored for display at the Army museum at Ft Rucker AL. Acquired technology went into XV-15. Thanks to Marty Maisel for intensive research and editing on the Bell VTOLs. Bell XV-15 [N703NA] (NASA Ames Research Center) Bell XV-15 [N703NA] (AIAA) V-15 (Model 301) 1977 = Tilt-rotor proof-of-concept aircraft developed under a contract jointly funded by NASA and the Army. Two 1550hp (maximum 1160hp because of transmission limitations) Avco-Lycoming LTC1K-4K turboshafts with three-blade 25' "proprotors" mounted in tiltable wingtip nacelles; span: 35'2" length: 41'0" load: 5430# v: 382/230/0 range: 512 ceiling: 29,000'; ff (hover): 5/3/77 (p: Dorman Cannon, Ron G Erhart). A helicopter with the proprotor shafts near vertical, it could operate steady-state at any shaft angle down to the airplane mode, with shafts horizontal and proprotors acting as propellers. Design gross weight was 13,000#, normal VTOL take-off weight about 14,000#. Exceeded 300mph in 1980. Shipboard tests on USS Tripoli in Aug 1982. POP: 2 as XV-15 [N702NA/703NA]. Elements and experience went into Bell-Boeing V-22. X-1 - Transonic (X-1) and supersonic (X-1A, -1B, -1D) research aircraft with Reaction Motors four-barrel XLR11 rocket engine. Original designation XS-1. Bell XS-1 [46-062] (NASA Dryden via John K Lewis) Bell X-2 [46-0674] (Edwards FTC) X-2, XS-2 (Model 52) 1952 = Supersonic swept-wing research aircraft with Curtiss-Wright rocket engine, originally designated XS-2-BE. POP: 2. [46-0674]; ff (glide): 8/8/55, ff (powered): 11/11/55 (p: Capt Frank Everest); crashed 9/27/56 due to inertia coupling after 17 flights; [46-0675]; ff: (glide): 6/27/52 (p: Jean "Skip" Ziegler). Only had three unpowered flights before being destroyed in an in-flight explosion 11/10/52 that killed Ziegler, who was in the bomb bay, and observer Frank Wolko, who bailed out but his 'chute failed. The blast also damaged the EB-50A carrier to a considerable extent, but pilots William Leyshon and David Howe were able to get it back safely to the Bell factory field at Wheatfield NY. Unofficial name: "Starbuster." Bell X-5 [50-1838] (NASA Dryden) X-5, XS-5 (Model 60) 1951 = Rocket with variable-sweep wings; two J34-WE-17 (?>J35-A-17) turbojets; ff (X-5): 6/20/51 (p: Jean "Skip" Ziegler), ff (XS-5): 10/20/51 (p: Maj Raymond Popson). Robert Woods. POP: 2 [50-1838/1839]. NACA High-Speed Flight Station operated Bell X-5 #1 [50-1838] from 1952 to late 1955. Following the conclusion of the contractors program in Oct 1951, the ship was grounded for installation of a NACA instrument package. In Dec 1951 USAF completed a brief evaluation program involving six flights because data were taken, these were considered part of the overall NACA effort and were logged as joint USAF-NACA flights. The first all-NACA flight was flight 7. The second X-5 [50-1839] was operated only by USAF and was lost in a spin accident in 1953. Unofficial name: "Interceptor." X-9 Shrike (Models 59, 59A) - Design proposals. Bell X-14 [56-4022] (USAF Museum) X-14 (Model 68) 1957 = Deflected-thrust VTOL research aircraft. Two 2680# J85-GE-5 (originals were 1750# Armstrong-Siddeley Vipers); span: 34'0" length: 25'0" v: 180/x/0; ff (hover): 2/19/57 (p: David Howe), (transitional): 5/24/58 (p: Howe). Flew in test programs for more than 20 years before being retired in May 1981. Wings from Beechraft Bonanza, tail from Beech T-34. POP: 1 [56-4022=N234NA=N704NA], transferred from Bell to USAF, then to NASA as X-14A in Oct 1959; modified with J85-GE-19s as -14B and reregistered in 1971. X-16 - 1955 - High-altitude reconnaissance project canceled in favor of Lockheed U-2. Only a mock-up completed. Bell X-22A-1 [151521] (Bell) X-22 1966 = Tandem ducted-propeller VTOL research aircraft from design D-2127. Four YT58-GE-8D turboshafts; span (across rear ducts): 39'3" length: 39'6" v: 255/x/0 range: 445; ff (hover): 3/17/66 (p: Stanley Kakol, Paul Miller); ff (STOL): 6/30/66 (p: Kakol); ff (transitional): 3/1/67 (p: Kakol). 501 flights to 1971. POP: 2 as X-22A-1, -22A-2 [151520/151521], the first of which was converted as a ground simulator; after USAF use. the second went to Cornell Univ for research experiments. Bell-Boeing 609 (Boeing) -Boeing 609 20?? = Tilt-rotor experiments of a 6-9p civil version of Osprey. In the ground testing stage at the end of 2002. Bell-Boeing XV-22 (Bell) Bell-Boeing XV-22 (Boeing) Bell-Boeing CV-22 (SSgt Mark Woodbury, Edwards FTC) -Boeing V-22 Osprey 1989 = Multi-service tilt-rotor VSTOL. 3-27pChwM; two 6000hp Allison T406-AD-400; span: 84'6" rotors: 38'0" length: 57'4" v: 362/276/0; ff: 3/19/89. Constructed of composite materials, there was only about 1000# of metal in the aircraft, excluding power train. Cross-connected shaft between wingtip motors allowed one-engine emergency operation. Scheduled to replace USMC CH-46E and CH-53D. POP: 5 prototypes as XV-22, of which two crashed in testing. A sixth, planned for USMC testing as MV-22A, was never built. An Army contract for 231 was cancelled, as was a USN contract for 50 as HV-22A. SOURCES: -- Bell Aircraft Since 1935 A J Pelletier [Naval Institute Press 1992] -- John K Lewis |