BELL XFM-1

[wacoykc]

Would love to see one of these in person!

[Canso42]

What did they call that thing, Aircuda or something like that? The flight crew would have a nice view but I wouldn't want to be agunner. Choke on gunsmoke and you couldnt get out alive with a prop behind you. Even with a dead engine, there would still be a blade back there. Definitely one of the more 'original' ideas of the era.
Doug

[The Inspector]

Back aft where the small rectangular window is, there was a roof hatch that could be opened for a hand held .30, or if the pilot was incapacitated, a spare set of flight controls could be unstowed to allow the airplane to be landed from 'the back seat'-didn't say it was a sucess, just danged innovative

[JDK]

It's definitely up there with one of the 'packed full of really bad ideas' brigade...

Good reference here.

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/quart ... types.html

One recurring problem experienced by pilots flying the Airacudas was that the auxiliary power unit would all too frequently stall or quit. The reverse current relay would stick and motorized the generator. Since this would drain most of the current from the battery, all electrical systems became inoperative: NO fuel pressure, NO vacuum, NO hydraulic pressure, NO gear, NO flaps and NO ENGINES. The first time I lost both engines, I was in the landing pattern on base leg just about to turn final when the APU quit, then a second later so did both Allison engines.

Fortunately, it occurred right after the gear locked down, and I was able to make the runway without power. Although the airplane had a wobble pump, the handle was only four inches long. It was impossible to supply two Allison engines with the wobble pump, since they consumed over three hundred gallons of fuel per hour at full power. Its only purpose was to start the engines.

[Mgawa]

Few more links:

http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2008 ... -airacuda/

http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2008 ... -airacuda/

Cheers

[tom d. friedman]

definetely cool looking, but feasibilty wise a death trap for the poor blokes in the nacelles.

[Larry Kraus]

Tom,
I checked in the flight manuals for the YFM-1 and YFM-1A.The YFM-1A had tricycle gear rather than a tailwheel.As far as emergency escape from the airplane,the manuals,which were issued in 1940,offer very little guidance compared to manuals for military aircraft from mid-WWII onward.The manuals are very short on illustrations.Below are some pages showing the pilot's station,a diagram showing equipment and exits and some text with some interesting information.This airplane would appear to be a handful to fly,especially if anything went wrong.

[tom d. friedman]

excellent post larry!!! more comprehensive info than what is in the top aviation history magazines!!! how did you find this gold mine of info on the airacuda??

[kenlyco]

Too bad the Airlines could not come up with a idea like that,Put that screaming kid out there that I always seem to get sitting behind me..

[Larry Kraus]

Tom,
I got the manuals in CD form a few years back from eflightmanuals.com.Unfortunately,they no longer sell manuals in a CD format.However,I just checked and they do still sell a large variety of manuals in print form.If you're interested try this link:

http://eflightmanuals.com/

From the left sidebar menu,click on "Product Index"

From the page number menu near the top of the page,click on "Page 57"

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "YFM-1/A/B Flight Manual",which is the 4th from the last choice.You'll have to click on "Available Media" to get the price for the printed (only available)version,which is $29.95

I've recently purchaced a number of manuals in CD format from an outfit in New Zealand with excellent results.They have the YFM manuals via this link:

http://www.flight-manuals-on-cd.com/YFM.html

One other item with quite a lot of information including some pictures on the YFM series is the excellent book "Cobra! The Bell Aircraft Corporation 1934-1946" by Birch Matthews.This book also has very detailed info and a large number of pictures covering the P-39 and P-63 series.I highly recommend it.Unfortunately,my copy is in Oregon and I'm currently in Florida.I just checked to see if "Cobra!" is still available.It is,at least through Amazon via this link.

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-aircraft-co ... 7927SR=1-1

[Neal Nurmi]

I heartily second Larry's recommendation of the Birch Matthews book -- excellent read and essential reference!