Bell Aircobra Video

[Daubie]

A buddy sent me this:

http://www.aircraftowner.com/%20videos/view/americas-first-%20jet-flight-october-1942_1617.%20html

The date quoted in the text e-mail was October 1942 this was filmed.


My father-in-law worked at Bell in Buffalo, NY ,  during and a bit after WWII to avoid the draft, he was 32 years old.  He had seen this plane in the hangar, but it having no prop, he said he didn't know how it would fly having no prop, need-to-know and a classified project.  Pop worked as a machinist and foreman building wings for the P-39, all through the war, all painted up with Russian stars on them.

I wonder how much Bell's jet engine differed from England's Whittle's 1st jet design?  I'm not sure of Whittle's spelling, but something similar.

[SmokinLoon]

I thought that was interesting how they installed a dummy prop to help keep the project hidden.   

[MiloMorai]

I wonder how much Bell's jet engine differed from England's Whittle's 1st jet design?  I'm not sure of Whittle's spelling, but something similar.

Some of the changes were an automatic control system and forged Hastelloy B turbine blades. Partitions, on Whittle's suggestion, in the blower casing to separate the flow to each chamber.