Bell D188A and Model 2000 VTOL Fighters (Navy F3L / USAF "XF-109")

[jzichek]

The fifth installment in a series on the Bell D188A VTOL fighter is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces the second portion of a 1957 design data summary report, with the accompanying gallery featuring 65 images that include several nice artist's impressions and illustrations, along with an extensive technical analysis of the design.


-Jared

 

[jzichek]

The sixth installment in a series on the Bell D188A VTOL fighter is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces the final portion of a November 1957 design data summary submitted by Bell to the US Navy. The accompanying gallery features 63 high resolution schematics of the aircraft, its various components, and alternate configurations. Additional installments on the D188A to follow in the weeks ahead, so please stay tuned!

 

[Stargazer]

Amazing. What really strikes me is how far the study of the D-188A had gone before it was turned down by the military.

 

[blackkite]

Many thanks Jared! I can understand the concept of this very complicated and surprising VTOL fighter.

 

[Steve Pace]

What amazes me is that the verticle engines behind the cockpit were to be J83s rather than J85s as previously thought. -SP

 

[Stargazer]

What amazes me is that the verticle engines behind the cockpit were to be J83s rather than J85s as previously thought. -SP

Perhaps both were considered at some point. And don't forget that this is the Navy's F3L, not the later Air Force's "XF-109". Interestingly, the initial Northrop N-156T design (which became the T-38 Talon) was projected to be powered by either two Fairchild J83s or two GE J85s.

 

[jzichek]

The seventh installment in a series on the Bell D188A VTOL fighter is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces a pair of Bell reports from December 1957 along with a Navy Bureau of Aeronautics memorandum critiquing the design. The accompanying gallery features 39 images, including many interesting photos and illustrations.


-Jared

 

[Stargazer]

Fantastic! What I find interesting here is that the final Navy configuration was not that remote from the Air Force version that we know.

 

[jzichek]

[font=verdana, sans-serif]The eighth installment in a series on the Bell D188A is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces Navy correspondence and a report from February-March 1958 describing various possible Sidewinder installations on the aircraft. The accompanying image gallery features several high resolution drawings of the installations and a photo.


-Jared[/font]

 

[jzichek]

The ninth installment in a series on the Bell D188A/Model 2000 is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces Bell Progress Reports from April-August 1958 documenting the ongoing evolution of the aircraft. The accompanying image gallery features numerous large photos and illustrations of this ill-fated supersonic VTOL fighter design.

-Jared

 

[jzichek]

The tenth installment in a series on the Bell D188A/Model 2000 is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces Bell Progress Reports from September-December 1958 documenting the continuing evolution of the aircraft. The accompanying image gallery features numerous large photos of the mock-up under construction and scale test models.


-Jared

 

[jzichek]

[font=verdana, sans-serif]The eleventh installment in a series on the Bell D188A is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces a mock-up summary report from January 1958 and features numerous large photos of the completed mock-up and its major components.


-Jared[/font]

 

[jzichek]

The twelfth installment in a series on the Bell D188A/Model 2000 supersonic VTOL fighter is now up at RetroMechanix.com:

The article reproduces a pair of reports from early 1959 - a Progress Report from January and a report on aerodynamic and propulsion model testing from February. The accompanying gallery features 43 images, including numerous high resolution photos and illustrations of the aircraft.


-Jared

 

[sferrin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II_w0swKBk4&feature=g-u&context=G2ee115fFUAAAAAAACAA

 

[jzichek]

A new post is up at RetroMechanix.com reproducing a mock-up report on the Bell Model 2000 dating from February 1959:

The accompanying image gallery features 165 images, including many schematics of the fighter's major components and several nice artist's impressions.


-Jared

 

[Stargazer]

I have never seen an unbuilt project result in so many detailed brochures and images! Wow!
Thanks for keeping the Bell D-188/D-188A/Model 2000 memory alive...

 

[jzichek]

You're welcome! Yes, there is a lot of material on the project, and I have a few more posts on it to go. I imagine the final cost of the program was pretty substantial by the time it was finally cancelled in 1961; hopefully something useful came out of it that was applied to later projects.

 

[The Artist]

jzichek,
In your research, have you come across anything about the use of one of the mock-ups in the movies such as the 1968 William Castle film Project X? I've been searching but I've yet to find a copy of that movie. I remember seeing that design used both in an animated flight sequence and as a practical prop which the actors climbed into and out of in that film.

 

[jzichek]

No, but I'm now interested in seeing this movie - Bell VTOL fighter mock-up + Castle = 90 minutes of entertaining schlock (one hopes).

 

[jzichek]

A new post is up at RetroMechanix.com presenting a Bell "XF-109" brochure and mock-up inspection program dating from February 1959:

This is the last article in our series on this ill-fated supersonic VTOL fighter; the profusely illustrated color brochure focuses exclusively on the Air Force variant, while the program provides an interesting overview of the mock-up inspection process and the state of Bell facilities in 1959. The article features 72 images reproducing both documents in full.


-Jared

 

[Jemiba]

From Aviation Week December 1960 :

 

[hesham]

Hi,


also from Le FANA No 521,the early Bell D-109.

 

[Pioneer]

From Aviation Week December 1960 :

Some fantastic mockup photos!! Thanks
The photo showing what I assume is a Bullpup ASM is interesting, re the trapez-launcher system! Firstly I never realised the design had an internal weapons bay arrangement. Secondly, I wonder if this trapez launcher influenced the tapez-launcher of the Genie AAM/F-104 Starfighter arrangement?

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Antonio]

Could you post a picture of a Genie armed Starfighter?,
I never heard about that weapon option in the F-104

 

[Arjen]

Probably not as the Genie was a USAF weapon mated to various ADC interceptors. While it was trialled on the F-4C and F-104 I've never heard of it being tested on a USN aircraft.

For years I have been trying to find photos / pics of an F-104 armed with a trial Genie AAM
Can anyone help? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??


Regards
Pioneer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyUcQbsEBrE&feature=player_embedded

 

[Antonio]

Awesome, thanks a lot!

 

[Pioneer]

Could you post a picture of a Genie armed Starfighter?,
I never heard about that weapon option in the F-104

That's the one Arjen!!

Thanks

Regards
Pioneer

 

[The Artist]

Okay, I was wrong. I finally got a copy of Project X and discovered that my memory had replaced a cheap plywood prop having pivoting tubes on the wing tips with the D188. Until I watched it this evening, I'd have sworn that they used the D188 mockup. Still, I'm glad I got a copy of the movie. Bad special effects. Cheap animation. Over acting. In short, everything that made such films fun for a teenager to watch back then and I had a ball watching it now and making MST3K style comments.

I'm going to have to do some digging for the exact title, but I remember seeing either this mock up or a sound stage copy used in a low grade sci-fi film. I want to say that it was called "X - The Man With X-Ray Eyes"

The main character develops the ability to see through things so he is recruited into a government agency then sent behind the iron curtain. While being extracted, his contact led him to a tarp covered shape which was revealed to be this aircraft when they dragged away the tarps. You saw them climb into the thing then they cut to cheesy animation for the flying sequence.

I saw this movie only once or twice back in the late 60s or early 70s.

Mike

Update:
I've checked IMDB and Wikipedia for information on this title and what I've found does not suggest that this is the right film. I'm still fairly sure that the letter X was somewhere in the title and that's how I ended up watching Man With X-Ray Eyes - I thought it was going to be that other movie. I'll keep looking because some additional footage of this mock up would be cool to find.

I believe I've identified the movie but it may take a bit to confirm this as the movie is not currently available.

"Project X" Directed by William Castle and released in 1968. Don't confuse it for the later movie about chimpanzee pilots.

You can find the IMDB page here

www.imdb.com/title/tt0063465/

I knew it had something to do with scientists and an agent going behind enemy lines.

I'll keep looking to see if I can find anything else from this movie.
Mike

 

[sferrin]

http://donaldnijboer.com/bell-xf-109/

Video "Straight Up: The Story of the Bell XF-109"

 

[fightingirish]

The full video used to be watched here at aerocinema.com (Pay per content!).

 

[The Artist]

Here is a larger, cleaner copy of an image seen in one of the clippings in reply #66. This was found in the 1961 edition of the Aviation & Space Dictionary from AERO Publications.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/search?exactphrase=true&QueryTerm=STRIKE+FIGHTER+VTOL&start=40&rows=20&DocType=Article&Sort=&SortOrder=&startdate=1916-08-01&enddate=2016-01-04&LastViewIssueKey=&LastViewPage=

 

[hesham]

Hi,

http://archive.aviationweek.com/search?exactphrase=true&QueryTerm=STRIKE+FIGHTER+VTOL&start=40&rows=20&DocType=Article&Sort=&SortOrder=&startdate=1916-08-01&enddate=2016-01-04&LastViewIssueKey=&LastViewPage=

Again in clearer view;

http://archive.aviationweek.com/image/spread/19590105/12/2

 

[blackkite]

Hi!

 

[cheaptrotte]

(sorry for my english)

Hi all, similar : Sud-Est SE X-115

1955 at Sud-Est Marignane.
Two SNECMA R-105 - 1500 kgp ( but one missile :/ )

 

[hesham]

Welcome aboard Cheaptrotte,

and you're right,the SNCASE X-115 was very close;

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3178.30.html

 

[Orionblamblam]

Hi!

In the new spirit of calling out references, I'll point out that most of those images seem to come from

Article 34: Bell D188A Mach 2 VTOL Strike Fighter – The Unwanted Blog

and

D188A Artwork – The Unwanted Blog

 

[blackkite]

Oh thanks a lot. I find almost pictures from google image seach.
Perhaps the source is your amazing brog.

 

[Stargazer]

Hi!

In the new spirit of calling out references, I'll point out that most of those images seem to come from
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=10357
and
http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=9559

;D ;D ;D

 

[blackkite]

Hi! Large image.

https://jp.pinterest.com/pin/415386765606988533/