Bell P-59 Airacomet series






Last updated on: April 12, 2013

A total of 66 Airacomets were produced of all models, and all are listed below in order of Serial Numbers.

This is a work in progress and any help would be appreciated. Information on these planes is rather difficult to locate online and this work will remain incomplete unless you the readers offer to help me. Please feel free to pass along any information that you might have.

At the end of this page is a list of people who have graciously offered their help. Thank you all very much!

YP-59A 42-108771
*8/1943: First flight.

YP-59A 42-108772
*USAF 445th FS (412th FG), at Palmdale AAF, CA.
*12/5/1944: Crashed after a mechanical failure northwest of Hope, AR.

YP-59A 42-108773
*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.

YP-59A 42-108774
*USAF.
Pic of YP-59A 42-108774

YP-59A 42-108775
*2/19/1945: Crashed on take-off from Reidsville Aux Field, NC.
Pic of YP-59A 42-108775

YP-59A 42-108776
*USAF 445th FS (412th FG), at Palmdale AAF, CA.
*USAF 321st Base Unit, at March Field, CA.
*7/23/1946: Crashed after running out of gas 40 miles south of Grants, NM.

YP-59A 42-108777
*Modified with observer's cockpit in nose.
*6/1946: Donated to Caly Poly University, CA.
*Was displayed at the Air Museum at Ontario, CA.
*Currently at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA.
*Being restored to flying condition.
Pic of YP-59A 42-108777

YP-59A 42-108778
*11/1943: Transferred to the US Navy for carrier suitability tests as Bureau Number 63960.
*11/1943: NAS Patuxent River, MD for tests.
Pic of YP-59A 42-108778

YP-59A 42-108779
*12/1943: Transferred to the US Navy for carrier suitability tests as Bureau Number 63961.
*12/1943: NAS Patuxent River, MD for tests.

YP-59A 42-108780
*6/25/1944: Crashed at Niagara Falls APT, NY?

YP-59A 42-108781
*--info needed.--

YP-59A 42-108782
*--info needed.--

YP-59A 42-108783
*6/1944: Delivered to the USAAF.
*USAF 4020th Base Unit, at Wright Field, OH.
*Modified with extra cockpit in nose.
*Served as a drone controller.
*Ended her days as a gunnery target at Edwards AFB, CA.
Pic of YP-59A 42-108783

XP-59A prototype 42-108784
*10/2/1942: First flight.
*Currently displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, since 4/1945.
Pic of XP-59A 42-108784

XP-59A prototype 42-108785
*2/15/1943: First flight.
*USAF 4126th Base Unit, at San Bernardino AAF, CA.
*USAF 4144th Base Unit, at Muroc Field, CA.
*10/1945: Salvaged for spare parts.

XP-59A prototype 42-108786
*4/1943: First flight.
*USAF 4144th Base Unit, at Muroc Field, CA.
*4/1947: Used for spare parts but not totally scrapped.
*Currently displayed at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA.
Pic of XP-59A 42-108786

P-59A 44-22609
*USAAF Air Material Command at Wright Field, OH.
*3/5/1945: Destroyed after crashing into a parked aircraft at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH? Help?
Pic of P-59A 44-22609

P-59A 44-22610
*12/1944: USAAF Cold Weather Test Lab at Ladd AAB, AK.
*6/1946: Sent to the War Assets Corporation for reclamation.
Pic of P-59A 44-22610

P-59A 44-22611
*--info needed.--

P-59A 44-22612
*USAF.
Pic of P-59A 44-22612

P-59A 44-22613
*USAF.
Pic of P-59A 44-22614

P-59A 44-22614
*Currently displayed at the March Field Museum at March AFB, CA.
Pic of P-59A 44-22614

P-59A 44-22615
*USAF.
Pic of P-59A 44-22615

P-59A 44-22616
*1/5/1945: Crashed near Mapleton, NY.

P-59A 44-22617
*3/1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59A 44-22618
*12/1944: USAF 445th FS (412th FG), at Muroc AAB, CA.
*12/7/1944: Crashed after a mechanical failure northeast of Oildale, CA.
*1/1945: Wreck salvaged for spare parts?

P-59A 44-22619
*USAF 31st FS (412th FG), at Bakersfield AFB, CA.
*11/13/1944: Crashed west of Dayton, OH.

P-59A 44-22620
*12/1944: USAAF 29th FS (412th FG), at Muroc AAB, CA.
*3/1/1945: Crashed after a midair collision with 44-22626 over the Mojave Desert near Grey Butte AAF, CA. Pilot was killed.
*3/1945: Wreck salvaged for spare parts?

P-59A 44-22621
*USAF 29th FS (412th FG), at Oxnard Flight Strip, CA.

P-59A 44-22622
*USAF 6th Ferrying Group, at Long Beach AAF, CA.

P-59A 44-22623
*USAF 611th Base Unit, at Eglin AFB, FL.
*3/1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59A 44-22624
*--info needed.--

P-59A 44-22625
*USAAF.
Pic of P-59A 44-22625

P-59A 44-22626
*USAAF 29th FS (412th FG), at Muroc AAB, CA.
*3/1/1945: Crashed after a midair collision with 44-22620 over the Mojave Desert near Grey Butte AAF, CA. Pilot was killed.

P-59A 44-22627
*USAF 29th FS (412th FG), at Santa Cruz APT, CA.

P-59A 44-22628
*--info needed.--

P-59B 44-22629
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22630
*Flight Test Division, at Wright Field, OH.

P-59B 44-22631
*--info needed.--

P-59B 44-22632
*--info needed.--

P-59B 44-22633
*Nicknamed “Reluctant Robot”.
*Redesignated ZF-59B.
*10/1948: Written-off at Muroc AAB, CA.
*Currently displayed at Edwards AFB, CA.
Pic of P-59B 44-22633

P-59B 44-22634
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.
Pic of P-59B 44-22634

P-59B 44-22635
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.
Pic of P-59B 44-22635

P-59B 44-22636
*USAAF 412th FG, at Ontario AAB, CA.
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22637
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22638
*USAF 6th Ferrying Group, at Long Beach AAF, CA.

P-59B 44-22639
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22640
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22641
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22642
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22643
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22644
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22645
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22646
*USAF 31st FS (412th FG), at Santa Maria AAF, CA.

P-59B 44-22647
*--info needed.--

P-59B 44-22648
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22649
*USAF 412th Base Unit, at Santa Maria AAF, CA.
*8/27/1945: Crashed at Memphis APT, TN.

P-59B 44-22650
*NACA Labratory at Cleveland, OH.
*1947: Kirtland AFB, NM for tests.
*1951: Displayed in front of the base HQ at Kirtland AFB, NM.
*1953: Transferred to the New Mexico Air National Guard, at Kirtland AFB, NM.
*Currently displayed at the USAF Museum in Dayton, OH, since 12/1955.
Pic of P-59B 44-22650

P-59B 44-22651
*10/1945: Transferred to the US Navy for testing as Bureau Number 64100.
*10/1945: NATC at NAS Patuxent River, MD for tests.

P-59B 44-22652
*USAF 4120th Base Unit, at Freeman Field, IN.

P-59B 44-22653
*--info needed.--

P-59B 44-22654
*1946: Sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD for vulnerability tests.
*1949: Scrapped at least by this date.

P-59B 44-22655
*USAF.
Pic of P-59B 44-22655

P-59B 44-22656
*Donated to Purdue University, IN.
*Currently displayed at the Harold Wasp Pioneer Village in Minden, NE, since 1956.
Pic of P-59A 44-22656

P-59B 44-22657
*2/1946: Transferred to the US Navy for testing as Bureau Number 64109.
*2/1946: NATC at NAS Patuxent River, MD for tests.
*12/1947: Scrapped at Norfolk, VA.

P-59B 44-22658
*5/1945: Delivered to the USAAF.
*1/1946: Transferred to the US Navy for testing as Bureau Number 64108.
*1/1946: NATC at NAS Patuxent River, MD for tests.
*12/8/1947: Crashed.
*4/1948: Wreck salvaged at Norfolk, VA.

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For their assistance in various parts of this project, I would like to give thanks to the following individual people...

Joseph F. Baugher for the serial number list.
Bill Clark
John Szalay
Tjalling Boelman
Johan Visschedijk