The Bell D-188A (unofficial military designations XF-109 / XF3L) was a proposed eight-engine Mach 2–capable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) tiltjet fighter that never proceeded past the mock-up stage.

Aug 21, 2020 · Six-hundred-thousand engineering man-hours and 3,500 wind tunnel hours went in to the project. The design was bold and the proposal called for a high wing aircraft, powered by eight General Electric J-85-GE-5 turbojets.

The Bell XF-109 was a supersonic vertical takeoff fighter that was cancelled in 1961. Perhaps Bell Aircraft's most important contribution to the history of fixed-wing aircraft development would be the design and building of the experimental Bell X-1 rocket plane, the world's first airplane to break the sound barrier, and its follow-on, the Bell ...

Dec 9, 2024 · Concept drawing for what the Bell D-188, unofficially known as the “XF-109,” would have looked like if it had entered production. (Photo Credit: Bell Aircraft Corporation / National Archives / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) The Bell D-188A was intended to be a new generation of fighter aircraft.

Jun 14, 2018 · Page details technical specifications, development, and operational history of the Bell D-188 (XF3L / XF-109) Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Supersonic Multirole Aircraft Proposal including pictures.

Jul 7, 2011 · F-109 / XF3L-1 / D-188A. The F-109 designation was initially assigned to what was to become the McDonnell F-101B.

Jun 13, 2023 · The aircraft’s company name was Model 2000, while the USAF variant would be designated XF-109, and the USN one XF3L-1. The aircraft designed by Bell was to be powered by eight General Electric J-85-GE-5 turbojets.

Aug 2, 2011 · The second report, dating from February 1957, describes a revised version of the D188A powered by six J85 engines. The gallery features 72 images reproducing the reports and includes several high resolution drawings.

Jul 6, 2011 · Check out this article at RetroMechanix.com on the Bell D188, a VTOL fighter proposal for the USN that preceded the D188A/XF-109: The article is accompanied by an image gallery featuring 160 images reproducing the original proposal brochure and color photos of …

Jun 3, 2011 · Check out the latest article on RetroMechanix.com presenting some early reports on the Bell D188A VTOL fighter (also known as the XF-109/XF3L, both designations invented by Bell):