Bell Aircraft Books - History, Construction and Deployment

Cobra! - The Bell Aircraft Corporation 1934-1946

A comprehensive, meticulously researched and fully documented history of Bell Aircraft Corporation and their piston engine fighters built during the Great Depression and through World War II.

While the story centers on techincal aspects of the various fighters, significant attention is also devoted to those key individuals who conceived, built and flew these innovative designs.
In addition to aircraft development, Cobra! surveys the combat use of the P-39 and P-63 fighters in the hands of American, French, Italian, and Soviet pilots.

The story continues after World War II when a number of Bell surplus fighters were successfully modified for air racing.

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P-39 / P-400 Airacobras vs A6M2/3 Zero-sen : New Guinea 1942 (Osprey)

After the huge advances made in the early months of the Pacific war, it was in remote New Guinea where the advance of Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force (IJNAF) A6M Zero-sen fighters was first halted due to a series of offensive and defensive aerial battles ranging from treetop height up to 30,000 ft.

Initially, the IJNAF fought Australian Kittyhawks, but by May 1942 they had fought themselves into oblivion, and were relieved by USAAF P-39 and P-400 Airacobras. The battles unfolded over mountainous terrain with treacherous tropical weather.
Neither IJNAF or USAAF pilots had been trained for such extreme conditions, incurring many additional losses aside from those that fell in combat.

Using specially commissioned artwork and contemporary photographs and testimony, this fascinating study explains how, despite their initial deficit in experience and equipment, the Airacobras managed to square the ledger and defend New Guinea.

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Bell P-39 Aircobra in Italian Service

The author explains clearly and precisely the chronological operational history of the Bell P-39, describing the pilots' missions during World War II.
The text is both in English and Italian and suits the aviation history lovers as well as modellers, to whom a whole chapter about a detailed build article of the Eduard Kit in 1/48th scale is dedicated. The final section deals with camouflage and markings and technical data on the type.

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Bell X-1 (Osprey)

In 1947, no one knew if it was possible to break the 'sound barrier'. The Bell X-1 was the tiny, rocket-powered craft that finally broke it. It was the result of innovative designers and engineers turning their attention from the pioneering jets of World War II to a new task - an aircraft designed purely to fly faster than sound. Legendary pilots rallied to the cause, with World War II ace Chuck Yeager piloting the X-1 when it finally achieved supersonic flight in 1947, the first manned craft to reach such speeds.

With historical photographs and meticulously researched digital art, Peter Davies traces the whole career of the pioneering Bell X-1, from its early development through to the influence it had on military and civilian jets in the second half of the 20th century.

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Bell X-2 (Osprey)

Even before the spectacular success of its X-1 rocket-powered aircraft in breaking the `sound barrier', the adventurous Bell Aircraft Corporation was already pushing ahead with a parallel project to build a second aircraft capable of far higher speeds.
The X-2 (or Model 52) explored the equally uncertain technology of swept-back wings. Now common in modern conventional fighter aircraft, the Bell X-2 was revolutionary in using this type of airframe to probe Mach 3 and research the effects of extreme aerodynamic friction heat on airframes.

Although both X-2s were destroyed in crashes after only 20 flights, killing two test pilots, the knowledge gained from the programme was invaluable in developing aircraft that could safely fly at such speeds. Using stunning artwork and historical photographs, this is the story of the plane that ultimately made the Lockheed Blackbird and Concorde possible.

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P-39 Airacobra - Bell Fighter in World War II (Legends of Warfare)

The Bell P-39 Airacobra featured a mid-engine layout, sturdy tricycle landing gear, and a nose-mounted 37 mm cannon. Though innovative, it lacked the high-altitude performance of fighters like the Spitfire, Hellcat, and Mustang. As a result, it was largely rejected by British and American squadrons.
However, the Soviet Union widely adopted the P-39, using it effectively against the Luftwaffe.
This book provides a detailed photographic history of all Airacobra variants, including prototypes, trainer versions, production models C through Q, and the P-400.

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