US Bell YFM ''Airacuda'' Heavy Bomber

By Crusader1307

The US Army Air Corps. turned to Bell Aircraft for production of a ''Heavy Fighter'' in the mid to late 1930s. Many ''thought'' (and correctly), that open hostilities would soon develop between The United States and The (then) Empire of Japan. Bold designs for what would become The Bell YFM ''Airacuda'' Heavy Fighter, were readily accepted. But despite initial ''good prototype'' reviews, The YFM would suffer greatly from engine pressure issues, failures in landing gear deployment and several other what would be deemed as ''critical'' malfunctions. As such, only (13) ''Airacuda'' were built and (oddly) a Squadron was deployed. The temporary mechanical fixes did nothing to cement a firm Government offer for more Aircraft. By 1940, Bell had abandoned it's further Projects (with the only previously mentioned Squardon being decommissioned shortly before The Attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941). The YFM was 45-feet long with a wingspan of 70-feet. Crewed by (5), The ''Airacuda'' was powered by Twin Allison 9-cylinder ''Turbo Cooled'' Engines, each capable of 1,100-HP. Rated airspeed was 280-mph. The Operational Ceiling was to 31,000-feet, with a combat range of 2,600-miles. As a Heavy Fighter, The ''Airacuda'' was typically armed with: (2) 37mm Cannon, (2) .30 Caliber Machine Guns and (2) .50 Caliber Heavy Machine Guns. The YFM could also deploy with (2) 30-lb. Fragmentation Bombs.