Dual Cabin P-63
Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:33 am
P-63 Folks:
Good day!
Seen on the E. coast sometimes during airshows c. 1948 is this interesting Bell P-63E sample. Poss AAF 43-11734. Reg NX41964. It was used according to the Cobra book as a chase aircraft during the early days of the Bell X-1 program.
p.s It is currently under restoration /storage in the W. Coast. Other angles of this bird are welcome, specially a shot of the back seat area instruments/cabin. Tks in advance. Photo Via AEC/Wix
Good day!
Seen on the E. coast sometimes during airshows c. 1948 is this interesting Bell P-63E sample. Poss AAF 43-11734. Reg NX41964. It was used according to the Cobra book as a chase aircraft during the early days of the Bell X-1 program.
p.s It is currently under restoration /storage in the W. Coast. Other angles of this bird are welcome, specially a shot of the back seat area instruments/cabin. Tks in advance. Photo Via AEC/Wix
Last edited by zorro9 on Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:27 am
The 2 aircraft that Bell used as chase have been converted back to single seat. The sister ship to 43-11734 is at thAF Museum as a Pin Ball model. And 42-11734 is also a single seat now.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:07 pm
How would have that second cockpit affected the CG? I imagine they had to put some additional weight in the nose?
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:32 am
WB51:
Good day!
Tks for the info & data on 43-11734! Included is a pic of "NX41964" somewhere N.Y c. June, 1946 during a poss Airshow. The aft cabin seems to have some type of instruments & appears to be a clam-shell type canopy. No idea where the air scoop was moved. 43-11734 was at one time of the priced collections of Mr. Dan Chvatal of MN c. 1970s. Pic via Flypast Forum.
SMan: I'm sure the modification/conversion took into consideration the C.G factor.
p.s What is the current status of this bird? Do you have any idea if P-63E 43-11728 arrived/was delivered at the AF Museum as a dual canopy??
Good day!
Tks for the info & data on 43-11734! Included is a pic of "NX41964" somewhere N.Y c. June, 1946 during a poss Airshow. The aft cabin seems to have some type of instruments & appears to be a clam-shell type canopy. No idea where the air scoop was moved. 43-11734 was at one time of the priced collections of Mr. Dan Chvatal of MN c. 1970s. Pic via Flypast Forum.
SMan: I'm sure the modification/conversion took into consideration the C.G factor.
p.s What is the current status of this bird? Do you have any idea if P-63E 43-11728 arrived/was delivered at the AF Museum as a dual canopy??
Last edited by zorro9 on Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:39 am
43-11734 was up for sale by Courtesy a year or so back for $650k as a part-restored project.
https://www.courtesyaircraft.com/Curren ... roject.htm
The last time I saw it, about 18 months ago, it was in storage at an airport in Northern California.
https://www.courtesyaircraft.com/Curren ... roject.htm
The last time I saw it, about 18 months ago, it was in storage at an airport in Northern California.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Thu Apr 10, 2014 2:45 pm
P-63 Folks:
Bell P-63E AAF 43-11734 in better times. Poss N.Y area c 1947-48. Photo via AEC.
Bell P-63E AAF 43-11734 in better times. Poss N.Y area c 1947-48. Photo via AEC.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:04 pm
As far as the CG, it looks like the normal distance from spinner tip to the cockpit has been shortened, and the rear fuselage extended, and the weight on either side of the cg would eliminate the need for any weight up front, that's my guess. cool photo
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:25 am
P-63 Folks:
The dual cabin Bell 43-11734 while in storage at Jordan, MN c. 1970s. Photo Ed Furler.
The dual cabin Bell 43-11734 while in storage at Jordan, MN c. 1970s. Photo Ed Furler.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Fri Apr 11, 2014 8:57 pm
PbyCat-Guy wrote:As far as the CG, it looks like the normal distance from spinner tip to the cockpit has been shortened, and the rear fuselage extended, and the weight on either side of the cg would eliminate the need for any weight up front, that's my guess. cool photo
The fuselage was of stock length. The oil tank was relocated from aft of the engine to the nose for balance.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Fri Apr 11, 2014 9:51 pm
Kinda wish they had restored it back to its two seat configuration - It's not as if we didn't have any single seat P-63's out there.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:24 pm
Just two at the moment (assuming John Bagley is still flying his, I've not seen photos of it for a few years now)
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Sat Apr 12, 2014 12:07 am
zorro9 wrote:P-63 Folks:
Bell P-63E AAF 43-11734 in better times. Poss N.Y area c 1947-48. Photo via AEC.
Any info on the F-6D? 44-13131 drops into a hole on Baugher; 13130 and many before it went to the RAAF; the next one after it, 13138, was another F-6D. What's behind the pilot?
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Sat Apr 12, 2014 11:28 am
P-63 Folks:
Good Day!
Found this unique B/W angle of a poss Bell P-63 aircraft showing some mods aft of the canopy/engine area. Could this sample be one of the Bell conversions to a two-seater type P-63?? The article id the Bell chase pilot as Jack Frost c. 1945. Photo via AEC.
Good Day!
Found this unique B/W angle of a poss Bell P-63 aircraft showing some mods aft of the canopy/engine area. Could this sample be one of the Bell conversions to a two-seater type P-63?? The article id the Bell chase pilot as Jack Frost c. 1945. Photo via AEC.
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Sat Apr 12, 2014 4:26 pm
As far as the CG, it looks like the normal distance from spinner tip to the cockpit has been shortened, and the rear fuselage extended
That would make the aircraft severely tail-heavy. You'd want to extend the nose and shorten the tail (though apparently they took care of the CG probem by relocating the oil tank, according to one post above).
Re: Dual Cabin P-63
Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:07 am
P-63 Folks:
Good day!
Another P-51 ( F6D) poss the same airshow in N.Y c. June 1946. AAF 44-84955. 3PD letters shown at the L/front side of nose.
According to the X-1 program folks, there were 2 high-speed chase camera P-51s (F6Ds) and 2 slow chase P-63s. Later on Bob Hoover joined in with a Lockheed P-80. You may see 'em in the background of the X-1 files & books. Photo via AEC.
Good day!
Another P-51 ( F6D) poss the same airshow in N.Y c. June 1946. AAF 44-84955. 3PD letters shown at the L/front side of nose.
According to the X-1 program folks, there were 2 high-speed chase camera P-51s (F6Ds) and 2 slow chase P-63s. Later on Bob Hoover joined in with a Lockheed P-80. You may see 'em in the background of the X-1 files & books. Photo via AEC.
Last edited by zorro9 on Mon Apr 14, 2014 6:18 am, edited 1 time in total.