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Additional Information from
Internet Encyclopedia
The Bell XP-77 development was
initiated by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II to produce a
simplified "lightweight" fighter aircraft using non-strategic
materials. Despite being innovative, the diminutive prototype proved tricky to
handle and the project was canceled when the XP-77 did not deliver its
projected performance.
Design and development
The Tri-4 (Company designations,
later changed to D-6) project with the Bell Aircraft Corporation was initiated
in October 1941. Originally a design study to meet the USAAF specifications for
a "very light" interceptor, the XP-77 was intended to be a small,
light fighter much in the mold of the 1930s Thompson Trophy air racers.
On 16 May 1942, the USAAF
recommended the construction and testing of 25 XP-77s. The aircraft featured a
single-engine, low-wing monoplane with mainly wood construction, equipped with
tricycle landing gear, a typical Bell feature that bestowed good ground
handling. A bubble canopy also provided fair visibility except in the
forward-downward direction due to the extended nose.
While originally conceived using
an air-cooled 500 hp Ranger XV-770-9 12-cylinder engine with a supercharger,
the prototypes were delivered with the non-supercharged XV-770-7 engine due to
engine development delays. With the anticipated delivery time of the original
engine delayed for one and a half years, Bell proposed that seven XP-77s be
built using the seven XV-770-7 engines then available.[1] The planned armament
was one Hispano 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub (much like the
larger caliber 37 mm moteur-canon of the SPAD S.XII) and two 0.5 inch Browning
machine guns, with the option of either a 300 lb bomb or 325 lb depth charge
with the deletion of the cannon armament.
The mock-up inspection on 2122
September 1942 produced some concerns from both the manufacturer and the USAAF
inspection team. Weight had crept up beyond the 3,700 lb design limit but
delays in the program were experienced when the company resorted to
sub-contracting the wooden construction while the ongoing production at the
Bell facilities did not allow for the XP-77 to take priority for research and
development. Bell asked and received permission to reduce the production run of
aircraft to two prototypes
Operational history
Testing
The XP-77 project continued to
suffer numerous delays, many related to correction of the excess weight issues.
A change in subcontractor for the wing assembly also caused headaches as the
first subcontractor refused to release necessary parts. Concerns over
structural integrity relating to the glue and its binding properties were also
difficult to resolve. With the anticipation that contract costs would soon be
exceeded, and no hope that the supercharged engine would become available, the
USAAF would only continue the project as an experiment to evaluate the use of
wooden construction and materials in combat aircraft.[4] The first XP-77 flew 1
April 1944 at Wright Field but the flight tests revealed vibration problems due
to directly mounting the engine to the airframe, without vibration isolation.
The long nose and rear-mounted cockpit also inhibited visibility relative to
operational aircraft of the time.
The XP-77 proved to be difficult
to fly and despite flying without guns or armor, it did not come up to the
expected performance estimates mainly because it was woefully underpowered.[5]
Further trials were conducted at the USAAF Proving Ground at Eglin Field with
the second aircraft, which was destroyed on 2 October 1944 when it entered an
inverted spin while attempting an Immelmann, and the pilot bailed out. All
development was terminated in December 1944.