Bell XFM-1 link from San Diego Air Museum

[P-59A]

   

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[Vahe Demirjian]

The Airacuda in this photo is of the YFM-1B variant, of which two examples were converted from YFM-1s modified to use two 1,090 hp Allison V-1710-41 engines.

 

Although the Airacuda never entered full-scale production, the 1942 book Victory Through Air Power by aircraft designer Alexander de Seversky remarked that the Bell Airacuda "represents a great engineering achievement. But its designation as ′convoy fighter′ is erroneous, since that requires different disposition of armament. With its maximum firepower directed forward, it really offers a preview of an effective long-range interceptor fighter."

[Scott C.]

Bell or the Department of the Army seemed to have pushed this plane a lot for propaganda purposes - pictures, renderings and jewelry of it appeared to be everywhere in the early 1940s (a small sample below from Scott Field, Illinois).

 

P.S. A shout-out to the SD Air & Space Museum - there's a picture of my mom in the Women of Aviation section ☺️

[Scott C.]

Another WWII-era pennant I saw on eBay that includes a YFM-1, this time from Camp Robinson, AR.  Oddly enough, the rifleman and AAA battery appear to be trying to shoot it down.