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The Bell P-59 Airacomet was a twin jet-engined fighter aircraft, the first produced in the United States, designed and built by Bell Aircraft during World War II. The United States Army Air Forces were not impressed by its performance and cancelled the contract when fewer than half of the aircraft ordered had been produced. Although no P-59s entered combat, the fighter paved the way for another design generation of U.S. turbojet-powered aircraft, and was the first turbojet fighter to have its turbojet engine and air inlet nacelles integrated within the main fuselage.

• 8/1943: First flight.

• 1944: USAF 445th FS (412th FG)
• 12/5/1944: Crashed near Hope AR due to mechanical failure.

• 9/1943: Traded to England for the first production Gloster Meteor I and assigned RAF serial number RJ362/G
• 11/1943: Sent to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, England
• 6/1945: Returned to the USAF
• NACA laboratory at Cleveland, OH for tests.

• Delivered to the United States Air Force.
• Information Needed

• Delivered to the United States Air Force.
• Assigned to Flight Section-Wright Field, OH, 1944
• Crashed on take-off from Reidsville Aux Field, NC, February 19, 1945.

• 1944: USAF 445th FS (412th FG)
• 1946: USAF 321st Base Unit
• 7/23/1946: Ran out of gas and crashed near Grants, NM.

• Modified with observer's cockpit in nose
• 6/1946: Donated to Caly Poly University, CA
• Was preserved at the Air Museum at Ontario, CA
• Currently preserved at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA
• Being restored to flying condition.

• Construction #: 27-11
• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Accepted at Wright Field, 31 July 1944.
• Arrived on 31 August 1944
• Transferred to the United States Navy, 18 September 1944
• Accepted as Bu. 63960, December 30, 1944.
• Transferred to Flight Test Patuxent River, March 1946.
• Transferred to Service Test Pool, Patuxent River, July 1947
• Cat III, 08 August 1947.
• Pool Norfolk December 1947.
• Stricken, 30 November 1949
• (note: there is no evidence on record card that this aircraft was referred to as “YF2L-1”)

• 12/1943: Transferred to the US Navy for carrier suitability tests, as Bureau Number 63961
• 1943: NATC.

• 6/25/1944: Crash landed at Niagara Falls APT, NY. Still with the Bell factory? Or on 3/23/1945?

• Construction #: 27-14
• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Accepted for Materiel Command, 21 September 1944.
• Class 26 at Bell, Buffalo 24 September 1944

• Information Needed

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force, June 1944
• Assigned to 4020th Base Unit, 1946
• Modified with extra cockpit in nose
• Modified as a drone controller
• Sent to be a gunnery target at Edwards AFB, CA.

• Construction #: 27-1
• First Prototype.
• Arrived at Muroc AAF, CA, September 19, 1942.
• First flight, October 1, 1942.
• Bailed to Bell, Buffalo, NY.
• Modified with second observer’s cockpit and named ‘Superman’.
• Accepted for Materiel Command flight test purposes at Muroc AAF, CA, March 30, 1944.
• Arrived 4144th AAF Base Unit Muroc AAF CA, April 01, 1944.
• Transferred to Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, May 30, 1945.
• Stored Silver Hill, MD, 1958-1976.
• Displayed National Air & Space Museum, Washington DC, 1976 to 2023.

• Construction #: 27-2
• Second Prototype.
• Arrived Muroc AAF, CA, December 27, 1942.
• First flight, February 15, 1943.
• Bailed to Bell, Buffalo, NY.
• Accepted for Materiel Command flight test purposes at Muroc AAF, CA, 30 March 1944.
• Assigned to 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA, 01 April 1944
• Damaged by belly landing, San Bernardino AAF, CA, 14 February 1945
• Damaged in taxiing accident, Pilot: Jordan M Pennoyer, Muroc AAF, CA, 16 March 1945
• Recommended reclamation 15 October 1945,
• Reclamation complete 05 June 1946

• Construction #: 27-3
• Third Prototype.
• Arrived at Muroc AAF, CA, 21 February 1943.
• First flight April 1943.
• Bailed to Bell, Buffalo, NY.
• Accepted for Materiel Command flight test purposes at Muroc AAF, CA, 30 March 1944.
• Arrived at 01 April 1944, modified with second observer’s cockpit.
• Transferred to the 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA 06 March 1945.
• Transferred to the 4144th AAF Base Unit Muroc AAF, CA 02 April 1945.
• Damaged in round accident (engine failure?) Muroc AAF, CA,13 August 1946.
• Recommended reclamation, 20 April 1947.
• Reclamation complete, June 26, 1947
• Used for spare parts but not totally salvaged.
• Currently preserved at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Accepted 31 August 1944.
• Available 05 September 1944 for Materiel Command.
• delivered to Wright Field 06 September 1944 by Materiel Command pilot.
• Written off aty Wright AAF, OH 05 March 1945.
• Lockheed C-60A Lodestar/42-55962 crashed into hangar, killing five; ensuing fire destroyed eight aircraft
• P-59 Airacomet/44-22609
• B-29B Superfortress/42-63598
• B-32 Dominator/42-10873
• C-47A Skytrain/42-23357
• P-38G Lightning/42-12687
• P-47D Thunderbolt/42-8009
• P-51F Mustang/43-43333
• XP-63A King Cobra/42-78835
• Recommended survey 05 March 1945

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Proj 96845-S.
• Accepted 31 August 1944.
• Available 12 September 1944 to be delivered Vandalia, OH.
• delivered to Vandalia 05 October 1944 by Materiel Command pilot for winterization then to Ladd Field, Alaska.
• departed US by air 29 November 1944.
• assigned to the USAAF Cold Weather Test Lab at Ladd AAF, AK.
• ground accident (fire) Edmonton, Canada 04 March 1945, Howard J Markey.
• Transferred to 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA 11 March 1945.
• Transferred to 4143rd AAF Base Unit Clinton AAF OH 06 April 1945.
• Transferred to 4149th AAF Base Unit Fort Dix AAF NJ 08 May 1945.
• Bell, Buffalo 16 July 1945.
• Transferred to 2002nd AAF Base Unit Stewart AAF NY 14 April 1946.
• accident Stewart AAF NY 16 April 1946, Charles W Stark.
• Bell Buffalo 26 May 1946.
• Salvaged by the War Assets Corporation, 13 June 1946

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Proj Dom-1156
• Accepted 19 October 1944
• Available 21 October 1944
• Detached to Wright Field for new wing and tests for (Mergles?), delivered 12 November 1944
• Assigned to the 420th AAF Base Unit March AAF CA 14 November 1944
• Forced landing in field after fuel exhaustion 4 miles north of Port Washington OH 13 November 1944
• Capt William D Horton (29th FS)
• Transferred to Army Service Forces Ordnance Department, Aberdeen MD 22 March 1946
• available 12 April 1946
• Transferred to Luke AAF 24 April 1946 (weather)
• Transferred to Biggs 25 April 1946
• Transferred to Shreveport 29 April 1946
• Transferred to 2621st AAF Base Unit Barksdale AAF LA 29 April 1946
• Transferred to Cincinnati Ferry Div 30 April 1946
• Transferred to 556th AAF Base Unit Long Beach AAF CA 11 June 1946
• Transferred to 613th AAF Base Unit Phillips AAF MD AAF 17 June 1946
• Transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground for airplane vulnerability & overall armament effectiveness test
• (final entry on record card shows loss from 556th AAF Base Unit Long Beach AAF CA (“LR”) prior to 09 July 1946)

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Proj Dom-1156
• Accepted 16 September 1944
• Available 17 September 1944
• Departed Bell Buffalo 05 October 1944
• Arrived at 31st FIS Palmdale 09 October 1944 (record card says 07 October 1944)
• Transferred to 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA 19 December 1944
• Transferred to 445th FS Bakersfield 17 March 1945
• Transferred to 29th FS Oxnard 23 April 1945
• Transferred to 29th FS Santa Maria AAF CA 10 July 1945
• Transferred to 412th FGp Santa Maria AAF CA 22 October 1945
• Transferred to 420th AAF Base Unit March AAF CA 19 November 1945
• Transferred to Army Service Forces Ordnance Department, Aberdeen MD 22 March 1946
• available 12 April 1946
• Transferred to 233rd AAF Base Unit Fort Worth AAF TX 14 April 1946 (maint)
• Transferred to Cincinnati Ferry Div 30 April 1946
• Transferred to 556th AAF Base Unit Long Beach AAF CA 31 May 1946
• “UNIVER ILL” 28 July 1946
• Transferred to 554th Base Unit Memphis AAF TN 25 August 1946
• Transferred to 556th AAF Base Unit Long Beach AAF CA reclassified a/c as Class 01-Z 31 August 1946
• Transferred to 4000th AAF Base Unit Wright AAF OH 24 October 1946, WAA lost to non-USAF 24 October 1946
• (final entry on record card shows loss from 554th AAF Base Unit Memphis AAF TN prior to (“LR”) 05 November 1946)

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Proj Dom-1156
• Accepted 19 September 1944.
• Available 20 September 1944.
• departed Bell Buffalo 05 October 1944.
• Arrived at 31st FIS Palmdale 09 October 1944 (record card says 07 October 1944).
• Transferred to 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA 19 December 1944.
• Transferred to 445th FS Bakersfield 22 February 1945.
• Transferred to 31st FS Palmdale 17 March 1945.
• Transferred to 31st FS Santa Maria AAF CA 10 July 1945.
• Transferred to 440th AAF Base Unit Santa Maria AAF CA 27 July 1945.
• Transferred to 420th AAF Base Unit March AAF CA 19 December 1945.
• Transferred to Army Service Forces Ordnance Department, Aberdeen MD 22 March 1946.
• available 12 April 1946.
• Transferred to 321st AAF Base Unit March AAF CA 07 May 1946.
• Transferred to 613th AAF Base Unit Phillips AAF MD 13 May 1946 for Aberdeen Proving Ground for airplane vulnerability and overall armament effectiveness test.
• (gained and lost by 556th AAF Base Unit, Long Beach AAF CA 31 May 1946, presumably a paperwork exercise)

• Currently preserved at the March Field Museum at March AFB, CA.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Accepted 24 September 1944.
• Available 27 September 1944.
• departed Bell Buffalo 05 October 1944.
• Arrived at 31st FS Palmdale 07 October 1944.
• Transferred to 4126th AAF Base Unit San Bernardino AAF, CA 22 November 1944.
• Transferred to 445th FS Bakersfield 11 February 1945.
• Transferred to 31st FS Palmdale 17 February 1945.
• Transferred to 445th FS Bakersfield 19 March 1945.
• Transferred to 31st FS Palmdale 24 March 1945.
• Transferred to 31st FS Santa Maria AAF CA 10 July 1945.
• Transferred to 440th AAF Base Unit Santa Maria AAF CA 27 July 1945.
• Transferred to 420th AAF Base Unit March AAF CA 12 December 1945.
• Transferred to 321st Base Unit March AAF CA 12 May 1946.
• Transferred to 2530th Base Unit Selman AAF LA 22 May 1946.
• Transferred to 556th AAF Base Unit Long Beach AAF CA 31 May 1946.
• Transferred to 2621st AAF Base Unit Barksdale AAF LA 30 June 1946.
• Declared excess grounded 22 October 1946.
• recommended reclamation 04 December 1946.
• reclamation complete 28 January 1947

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Accepted 16 October 1944.
• Available 20 October 1944.
• Delivered (Bell, Buffalo?) 18 November 1944.
• crashed ¾ mile WNW of Mapleton, NY 05 January 1945.
• civ Jack Woolams bailed out OK, Class 26 with Bell.
• 4104th AAF Base Unit Rome NY.
• recommended survey 19 April 1945.
• reclamation complete 11 April 1945 [sic]

• 3/1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1944: USAF 445th FS (412th FG)
• 12/7/1944: Crashed near Oildale, CA due to a mechanical failure.

• 1944: USAF 31st FS (412th FG)
• 11/14/1944: Ran out of gas and crashed near Dayton, OH. Or on 11/13/1944?

• 1944-45: USAAF 29th FS (412th FG)
• 3/1/1945: Crashed in the Mojave Desert near Grey Butte AAF, CA after a collision with P-59A 44-22626. Pilot was killed.

• 1945: USAF 29th FS (412th FG).

• 1946: USAF 6th Ferrying Group, at Long Beach AAF, CA.

• 1945: USAF 611th Base Unit
• 3/1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Information Needed

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Information Needed

• 1945: USAAF 29th FS (412th FG)
• 3/1/1945: Crashed in the Mojave Desert near Grey Butte AAF, CA after a collision with P-59A 44-22620. Pilot was killed
• 3/1945: Wreck salvaged for spare parts in Bakersfield, CA.

• 1945: USAF 29th FS (412th FG).

• Information Needed

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• Flight Test Division, at Wright Field, OH.

• Information Needed

• Information Needed

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Redesignated ZF-59B
• Written-off at Muroc AAB, CA, October 1948
• Currently preserved at Edwards AFB, CA.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests, 1946
• Salvaged by 1949.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests, 1946
• Salvaged by 1949.

• Delivered to the United States Army Air Force.
• Assigned to the 412th FG.
• Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests, 1946
• Salvaged by 1949.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: USAF 6th Ferrying Group, at Long Beach AAF, CA.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1945: USAF 31st FS (412th FG).

• Information Needed

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• 1945: USAF 412th Base Unit
• 8/27/1945: Crashed at Memphis APT, TN due to engine failure.

• NACA Labratory at Cleveland, OH
• 1947: Kirtland AFB, NM for tests
• Was preserved at Kirtland AFB, NM
• 1953: Assigned to the New Mexico Air National Guard, at Kirtland AFB, NM as a ground trainer
• Currently preserved at the USAF Museum in Dayton, OH.

• 10/1945: Transferred to the US Navy for testing, as Bureau Number 64100
• 1945: NATC.

• 1946: USAF 4120th Base Unit.

• Information Needed

• 1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests
• 1949: Salvaged at least by this date.

• Information Needed

• Donated to Purdue University, IN
• Currently preserved at the Harold Wasp Pioneer Village in Minden, NE.

• 2/1946: Transferred to the US Navy for testing, as Bureau Number 64109
• 1946: NATC
• 12/1947: Salvaged at Norfolk, VA.

• 5/1945: Delivered to the USAAF
• 1/1946: Transferred to the US Navy for testing, as Bureau Number 64108
• 1946-47: NATC
• 12/8/1947: Crashed
• 4/1948: Wreck salvaged at Norfolk, VA.

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