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The Bell XP-77, an all-wood light-weight fighter made from Sitka spruce, patterned after racers of the 1930s, and intended to operate from grass runways, was an astonishingly attractive machine. Yet when the first of two XP-77s flew on 1 April 1944 at Niagara Falls, New York, it was not unfitting that the date was April Fools' Day.
Initially, the idea of a small, cheap, all-wood fighter built with few strategic materials had held high appeal. In early 1941, Larry Bell's upstate New York fighter team had begun work on a plane at first called the 'Tri-4', shorthand for an informal USAAF requirement for '400hp, 4,000lbs, 400mph'. On 16 May 1942, the USAAF ordered 25 'Tri-4' aircraft. Delays, technical problems with subcontracting on plywood construction, and disappointing wind-tunnel tests caused the manufacturer to suggest by early 1943 that the number of machines on order be reduced to six. In May 1943, the USAAF pared this figure to two, seeing the XP-77 as
having no operational utility but as useful in lightweight fighter research.
Beginning in July 1944, the second XP-77 was tested at Eglin Field, Florida. Spin problems led to a crash of this aircraft on 2 October 1944, which the pilot survived.
The programme did not. Plagued by noise and vibration, an unexpectedly long take-off run, and general performance 'inferior to the present fighter aircraft employed by the USAAF' (according to a report of the time), the XP-77 was killed by administrative fiat on 2 December 1944. The prototype went to Wright Field, then back to Eglin, then to Wright again. It was seen at post-war displays wearing spurious markings and its final disposition is
unknown. Described in a wartime promotional release as 'an engine with a saddle on it', this effort ended up being another of the many 1941-5 programmes which failed to produce an operational aircraft.
 | A three-view drawing (1663 x 1220) |
| MODEL | XP-77 |
| CREW | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 x Ranger XV-770-7, 388kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 1827 kg | 4028 lb |
| Empty weight | 1295 kg | 2855 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 8.38 m | 28 ft 6 in |
| Length | 6.97 m | 23 ft 10 in |
| Height | 2.50 m | 8 ft 2 in |
| Wing area | 9.29 m2 | 100.00 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 531 km/h | 330 mph |
| Ceiling | 9175 m | 30100 ft |
| Range | 885 km | 550 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 2 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 136kg bombs |
| Ron, toolkeeper123(@)roadrunner.com, 18.03.2010 At least this shows Bell knew how to cut the weight.
Something between this and any other 1944 Bell fighter design,
would be more viable. Maybe even a jet. Pilot and engine swap places and you have a single engined F-49 with no flab.
Or L-39... etc. | | Steve, steveg(@)abkj.com, 17.07.2009 There was nothing inherently wrong with building WWII aircraft out of wood - consider the success of the De Havilland Mosquito and numerous Russian aircraft. But all those aircraft were otherwise-conventional combat types built around full-sized engines. In choosing the Ranger engine for the XP-77, Bell guaranteed an airplane that would be too small to be useful. Compare to the very successful Swedish FFVS J22 - a light fighter with twice the horsepower. | | john wonch, Jwwonch(@)hotmail.com, 14.06.2008 do you know the name of the pilots of the BELL XP-77 |
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Do you have any comments about this aircraft ?
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COMPANY
PROFILE
FACTS AND FIGURES© The XP-77 pilot had good
visibility in all directions except
forward, where it was largely
blocked by the long nose. © Although the structure was
very light, the XP-77 only had
a 520hp engine,
which gave only half the power
of even the fighters of 1940. © The tricycle undercarriage gave
good ground handling but in the
air the stability proved inadequate.
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