Bell Aircraft / Bell Aerospace "D-" designations

Bell Model 2410 - Tactical Air Command (TAC) VTOL could be related to the XF-109?.... -SP
 
Steve Pace said:
Bell Model 2410 on Page 39 is noteworthy - XF-109? -SP

Steve Pace said:
Bell Model 2410 - Tactical Air Command (TAC) VTOL could be related to the XF-109?.... -SP

No need to ask the question twice, Steve! Give us time to think about it...

Well, my answer is DEFINITELY NOT. The number 2410 suggests a 1967 or 1968 design proposal, which is years after the XF-109.

Considering the designation is in the middle of several X-22-related ones, I'd go for an X-22 transport derivative proposal myself. Just my two cents.
 
hesham said:
Hi,

The Bell displayed a full-scale concept mock-up,designated
D-306,at the annual convention of the Helicopter Association
of America in San Diego in 1974,later the company made
some improvements to be Model 222.


Hi,


D-306 was twin turboshaft engined helicopter,could accommodate two pilots
and eight passenger,only a full-scale mock-up was built in January 1974,and
in April 1974,the company made some improvements and became Model-222.
 
Are the Model 2340 (Two Man Rocket Pogo, company sponsored), Model 2369 (Platform Double Pogo, NASA), and Model 2377 (Lunar Pogo Simulator, company?) directly related, I wonder? Seems likely to me.

On a side note, the Model 2382 contract for testing the Jet/Rocket belt's suitability for police work sounds interesting. U.S. police forces could have certainly used something like it during the 60s and 70s what with all the Soviet inspired riots and protests, etc. going on.

Here's a clip from a certain Sci-Fi movie that you may remember:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta1HBizg0Yk
 
Hi Bomiwriter,


that's a very good discussing with my dear Stargazer,but you are right
about the D-143 was not twin boom fighter project,but it was MX-2276;


http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,213.msg165155.html#msg165155


And for D-7000 series,not all of them was a spacecraft,but many of them are not,such
as D-7605,which was an air cushion aircraft;
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6983.msg171448.html#msg171448


and D-7233 was C-119 with air cushion;
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6983.msg171448.html#msg171448
 
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hesham, I never said the D-7000 series was only about space, I said that most of the space programs were in that series and the D-8000 series. That is quite different!
 
Stargazer,


I spoke to Bomiwriter,who said that,I know you didn't say this.
 
Greetings;
Finally have a break from writing and research projects. Looking at the fascinating Bell lists above I see one listed as Bell D-143 supposedly a Twin-Boom Fighter.
It does not appear correct when looking at the list in a chronological manner.
Bell's Study Contract for the RS-459L Brass Bell (classified name) or "Hi-Fi Recce (unclassified name) continued past August, 1957 when it was supposed to...repeat supposed to be absorbed into the Dyna Soar Abbreviated Development Plan...it was NOT. Brass Bell apparently continued with USAF funding nearly into Fall of 1958 for whatever reasons, and was quite advanced for a 1950s (mid) boost glider.
One of the 1958 Reports has typed on the inner cover this information;
Bell Model D-143, Brass Bell Reconnaissance Aircraft Weapon System.
The wierd thing is this; the Brass Bell Report series are thus...D-143, the same series as the "Model number." The above list says D-143 a twin-boom fighter. Boy, this is Twilight Zonish cause, a twin-boom fighter was used as cover for the Bell YP-59A jet fighter project to keep it secret. This is like a hiccup or repeat of same for Brass Bell glider. It makes we wonder if one or two were possibly constructed as Black Projects before the term became a common usage term. As a note for those interested, I find that Bell engineers actually designed, built and even patented a number of special machines (no such machines were available from ANY source back then), used in constructing "boost-glider" skins, wing segments, even a section of a boost-glider fuselage and wing. They built their own ovens to test the segments, and even have drawings of a special room in which they were placed for testing. Some of the in-house designed and constructed were actually sold on the commercial market and were the first of their kind...as patents not constructed machinery for sale.
That adds to my wondering if indeed, one or two may have been constructed. A B-36 was shown in drawings to perform drop-air tests. I do have drawings and photos of skins, double-wall cooling parts and that cross-section of a fuselage-wing segment under construction! Also...really wild is the Book by Igor Ufanasov (Space Wings) who has a photo of aRussian boost-glider cross-section, nearly identical to the Bell cross-section, in color in an open oven! That cross-section, while nearly identical, is the same cross-section Bell constructed under USAF Contract to test the cooling systems...gee, one wonders if perhaps there were "Soviet" eyes inside the Bell factory in the 1950s??
That's it. Maybe someone can clear up this little twist in the Bell numbering system, but the twin-boom fighter does not fit in the D-143 area that I know of although there was an ARTIST drawing only of wierd twin-boom type VTOL craft for sea-rescue, but don't know of any Model number.
Bomiwriter
 
From, US Army AH-1 Cobra Units in Vietnam,

he author speaks about D207 and D209,I think he means Models rather than D series ?.
 

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... author speaks about D207 and D209,I think he means Models rather than D series ?.

But they were, originally, referred to as Models D207 and D209.

Maybe that designation transition was a matter of project maturation? I don't recall the also-mentioned D255 and D262 'Iroquois Warrior' projects ever being referred to simply as 'Model 255' or 'Model 262'.
 
But they were, originally, referred to as Models D207 and D209.

Maybe that designation transition was a matter of project maturation? I don't recall the also-mentioned D255 and D262 'Iroquois Warrior' projects ever being referred to simply as 'Model 255' or 'Model 262'.
It's a fact that some "D" designations become plain models, why others don't, and often without apparent logic...
 
Hi,

I will speak about Bell D series,with designations which we have,
and I will make a lsit for my speculations,and to not upset anyone,
it'll be in a Microsoft Word file.

D-1 to D-3 ------?
D-4 was proposed helicopter (1942)
D-5 ------?
D-6 was a design name of Model 32 / XP-77 fighter,1942
D-7 to D-12 ------?
D-13 was a competitor project of XP-55 (same as Model 16?),1942
D-14 to D-17 ------?
D-18 was a medium military transport helicopter project,1943
D-19 to D-21 ------?
D-22 was a "Bell Design 22" appears in the Sara Clark collection at the US National Archives (could also be a confusion with the unbuilt Model 22)
D-23 to D-30 ------?
D-31 was a side-by-side two-seat shoulder-wing night fighter project,
powered by mixed two turboprops and one turbojet engines,intended to
compete Douglas XF3D-1,1945
D-32 & D-33 -------?
D-34 was a single-engined two-bladed helicopter proposal for US Navy
D-35 was a delta-wing single-seat jet fighter project,1945
D-36 was a all-weather mixed powered fighter project of 1945,intended
to compete Curtiss-Wright XP-87 & Northrop XP-89
D-37 was a swept-wing version of X-1
D-37D said to have been the X-2
D-38 ------?
D-39 was the same as P-63 interceptor (or just the L-39 derivative?)
D-40 ------?
D-41 was a helicopter project, no detail (possibly a competitor of the Sikorsky S-51/R-5D)
D-42 & D-43 ------?
D-44 was a shoulder-high-wing assault transport glider monoplane project
of 1946,with twin boom,intended to a competitionof that year
D-45 was a larger version of above,with also shoulder-high-wing and twin
boom configuration,to the same contest,1946
D-46 to D-66 ------?
D-67 was a tanden two-seat basic trainer low-wing monoplane project, intended to compete North American XT-28
D-68 to D-75 ------?
D-76 was a rotor plane, for a single occupant (pre-convertiplane design)
D-77 & D-78 ------?
D-79 was a single-place rotor plane
D-80 was a KD-VI target airplane for US Navy
D-81 ------?
D-82A was a transport rotor plane; gross weight: 23,000 lbs.
D-82B was a rotor plane for rescue; gross weight: 23,000 lbs.
D-83 to D-88 ------?
D-89 was XS-5 or X-5 sonic research aircraft [MX-1095] (Model 60)
D-90 was a fixed-wing, supersonic derivative of the X-5, itself a derivative of the wartime German Messerschmit P.1101
D-91 & D-92 ------?
D-93 was a rocket powered version of Bell X-5 experimental aircraft project
D-94 to D-97 ------?
D-98 was a XB-63 Rascal Design Proposal [MX-776B] (Model 56)
D-99 ------?
D-100 was a single-engine research rotor plane (developed D79)
D-101 to D-103 ------?
D-104 was "XHPL" proposal for ASW helicopter for US Navy (also projected civil version of Model 61 twin anti-sub helicopter?)
D-105 to D-108 ------?
D-109 Convert-O-Plane was a VTOL fighter project (related to Model 50?)
D-110 was possibly a development of D-109
D-111 to D-115 ------?
D-116 was a projected civil version of Model 61
D-117 was an assault helicopter proposal for USMC
D-118 Convertiplane was a project submitted to US Navy; two-place single engine aircraft for observation and reconnaissance
D-119 to D-132 ------?
D-133 was another fixed-wing supersonic derivative of the X-5,as a fighter
project
D-134 to D-136 ------?
D-137 was possible a fighter project,no details
D-138 ------?
D-139 was a VTOL day fighter weapon system (preliminary design was larger and more conventional)
D-140 to D-142 ------?
D-143 was the early concept to MX-2276
D-144 to D-146 ------?
D-147 was high-altitude VTOL aircraft project
D-148 to D-158 ------?
D-159 was a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft project, also called X-16
D-160 to D-162
------?
D-163 was a air-to-surface guided missile weapon system
D-164 to D-170 ------?
D-171 was an experimental hypersonic aircraft; design submitted for the
X-15 competition
D-172 & D-173 ------?
D-174 was a Horizontal Attitude Test Airplane (HTTA), VTOL two-place mid-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear that immediately preceded the X-14 (also appears by mistake as D-147)
D-175 to D-178 ------?
D-179 was a small two-place reconnaissance and observation aircraft design study proposal developed in parallel with D-174
D-180 ------?
D-181 was a four-duct ducted propeller assault transport study (led to
the X-22)
D-182A was a twin duct testbed for VTOL ducted propeller assault transport project
D-182C was a twin duct testbed; trailrotor T-37 COIN conversion project
D-183 was a Specialized High-Altitude Reconnaissance Weapon System Study: Photography Reconnaissance Subsystem
D-184 to D-187 ------?
D-188 was an early tilt-rotor fighter project developed from D139 project but with conventional-type thrust (Navy Type Specification TS-140)
D-188A was an experimental tilt-jet fighter project (USAF "XF-109" for
WS-318A) (Navy "F3L") (same as Model 2000)
D-189 ------?
D-190 was a VTOL study, Sea Air Rescue (SAR) utility concept with tilt-ducted propellers on each wing, based on D181/182 research
D-190/C-130 was an Air Rescue System VTOL with wing-tip ducted fans, was to be fitted under a specially modified C-130 launch aircraft
D-190A was a D190 development
D-190B was a V/STOL Interim Transport Aircraft Weapons System; D190 development, Multi SVVP with two propellers turning in the ring canals
D-191 was a tilt-jet VTOL fighter project
D-192 to D-195 ------?
D-196 was a D182C development, VO class observation proposal for US Navy (Type Specification TS-145)
D-197 to D-199 ------?
D-200 was a gas turbine-powered helicopter project (or the design number for the XV-3 Convertiplane?)
D-201 to D-204 ------?
D-205 was a Cargo Transport Helicopter, turbine-powered (Allison T-38)
D-206 ------?
D-207 was a cargo convertiplane
D-208 ------?
D-209 was the prototype of Bell Copra attack helicopter
D-210 & D-211 ------?
D-212 was a convertiplane project ?
D-213 & D-214 ------?
D-215 was an attack helicopter proposal
D-216 was a multi-purpose derivative of HSL-1 as 25-seat US Army (attack?) helicopter (also commercial?)
D-217G was unknown,but may be a rotor only or a turboshaft engine
D-218 was a cargo helicopter of twin side-by-side rotor scheme, would have been powered by two R-1820-34 engines
D-219 ------?
D-220 was an observation-reconnaissance version of XV-3 with two General Electric T58 turbine engines
D-221 ------?
D-222 was a SAR convertiplane with multi-engines
D-223 was a VTO transport convertiplane for internal and external cargo, with 4 GE XT58 turbines
D-224 was a SAR convertiplane with 3 General Electric ST-112 turbines
D-225 was a SAR convertiplane with 2 Allison T56 turbines
D-226 was a ship-based amphibious observation helicopter (HO) proposal for US Navy
D-227 was a ship-based amphibious observation helicopter (HO) proposal for US Navy
D-228 ------?
D-229D was a Flying Crane Helicopter
D-230 Aerial Jeep was a VTOL aircraft project with four foldable rotors. Not built. (also found as Flying Jeep)
D-231 ------?
D-232 was a Tilt-Wing Type Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft proposal
D-233 to D-237 ------?
D-238 was a derivative of HSL-1
D-239 ------?
D-240 was a convertiplane project?
D-241 -------?
D-242 was a target activation convertiplane
D-243 was an one- to two-ton cargo convertiplane
D-244 was an utility command convertiplane
D-245 was a forerunner of Cobra
D-246/A was a medium V/STOL transport convertiplane aircraft study, powered by 4 Lycoming T55-L-5 turbines
D-247 to D-249 ------?
D-250 was a four-seat light observation helicopter (LOH), became the Model 206 or Army YHO-4 (also to Navy Type Specification TS-152)
D-251 was an alternative design to LOH competition
D-252: Tri-Service military VTOL transport aircraft: squared fuselage section, 2x T64 turbines; entered into Tri-Service competition
D-252A was a NATO version of D252
D-253 was a related to the Cobra helicopter
D-254 ------?
D-255 was a full-size mock-up of Iroquois Warrior
D-256 to D-260
------?
D-261 was an attack two-seater helicopter for AAFSS contest
D-262 Iroquois Warrior was an attack two-seater for AAFSS contest; the project originated the AH-1 Cobra
D-263 to D-265
------?
D-266 was a proprotor VTOL research aircraft composite pre-design study proposal; light tactical transport developed in response to Army's Composite Aircraft Program; , funded in 1966 & 1967 via US Army Composite Aircraft Program; requirement w/ 2x 2850shp T64-GE / 30-seat short-haul civil aircraft; project ended early 1969 due to lack of funding
D-267 was a first design study for a full-scale tilt-rotor demonstrator; significantly smaller than the D266, and oriented toward commercial rather than military operation
D-268 & D-269 ------?
D-270A was a design study of Folding-Proprotor VTOL Aircraft: 60,000-lbs. 4-jet (proprotor) heavy transport with wing-tip tilt-rotors
D-271 was a proprotor proof of concept aircraft design
D-272 was a Folding Tilt Rotor / NASA Folding Proprotor Program (proof of concept aircraft design)
D-273 to D-275 ------?
D-276 Light Twin was a helicopter project
D-277 to D-279 ------?
D-280 was a project of a wide-bodied Cobra (also found as the Model 280)
D-281 to D-291 ------?
D-292 was a light composite materials version of 222 (ACAP program)
D-293 ------?
D-294 was an alternate design name of X-16 'Bald Eagle' proposal
(Model 67)
D-295 to D-299 ------?
D-300 was a CARA (Combat Aircrew Rescue Aircraft) civilian tilt-rotor transport with conventional tail, forerunner of Model 301/XV-15A
D-301 was a military VTOL tilt rotor operational transport with conventional tail, forerunner of Model 301/XV-15A
D-302 was a NASA conceptual design study tilt rotor
D-303 was a "Tri-Engine Tilt Rotor" civilian VTOL transport with H-tail, extended fuselage and jet mounted on top
D-304 ------?
D-305 was a COD/VOD tilt rotor proposal
D-306 was a business helicopter, 6 to 10 passengers; mock-up built (became the Model 222)
D-307 to D-309 ------?
D-310 was a HX study for Navy tilt rotor aircraft
D-311 was a HX study for Marine tilt rotor
D-312 was a large civilian tiltrotor VTOL commercial (passenger) transport with H-tail and square fuselage section (-100, -45, -21 corresponding to the number of passengers)
D-313 was a tiltrotor STOL commercial transport (-100, -45)
D-314A: was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study; attack VTOL designed for ground support and FAC duties; AH-1 type ****pit on XV-15 general arrangement
D-314B was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study
D-314C was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study. A light military troop transport VTOL
D-314D was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study. observation VTOL designed for duties similar to OV-1 Mohawk; OV-1 type ****pit on XV-15 general arrangement
D-314E was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study. An uprated military cargo transport version of the D314C and which is technically a medium lift transport
D-314F was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study. Heavily armed attack VTOL with armored ****pit designed for ground attack duties (2 different designs)
D-314G was a Tiltrotor Army Spectrum study. military VTOL which carries an onboard side looking airborne radar and other sensor units for OV-1-type operations
D-315A/B was a Tilt rotor HXM aircraft conceptual design study
D-316 was a Air Force combat rescue (C-SAR) mission tilt rotor aircraft
D-317 was a ASH tilt rotor aircraft
D-318 was a LAMPS tilt rotor aircraft
D-319 was a Tilt rotor conceptual designs for RFQ II (resulting from Navy R.F.Q./I.) [D319A, A-1, A(P), B, B(Q), C, D]
D-320 was a Tilt rotor conceptual designs for the U.S.A.F. rescue mission analysis
D-321 was a Tilt-rotor conceptual VTOL design for US Navy V/STOL-A (pre-R.F.Q. activity)
D-322 was a Heavy lift quad tilt-rotor (answering NASA inquiry)
D-323 was a V-tailed assault transport VTOL for US Marines with folding wing and tail
D-324 was a Navy Type A V/STOL
D-325 was a convertiplane project for Navy
D-326 Clipper was a commercial tiltrotor (passenger transport)
D-327 was a VTOL aircraft with 10.5 m rotors (diameter) and a capacity for 24 paratroopers > served as a basis for the USMC's V/HXM proposal
D-328 ------?
D-329 BAT was a research VTOL, proposal for Army's 1984 LHX light helicopter program ; could not meet the weight requirements. Rotor diameter: 4.87 meters
D-330 to D-339 ------?
D-340 Pointer: was a tilt-rotor UAV (1/5th scale flying model of V-22 configuration)
D-341 to D-399 ------?
D-400 was a more refined development of X-14 with retractable gear
D-400A was a development of the above
D-600 were a several tilt-rotor projects; final one was six- to nine-passenger commercial tilt-rotor aircraft (Model 609)
D-604 was a tilt rotor aircraft project?
D-


- To be continued
 
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I complete it,of course I used the material from here,and I will
start to make a list in a file to all my speculations for unknown
designs.
 
I almost complete my speculation list to unknown Bell "D"
designations.
 
Hi,

here's my speculation about some missing Bell "D" list,
I put it in a file to not upset anyone,and it's only my duess,
and of course there's no confirm from the company or
any reliable sources about it.
 

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I think that,in Bell Museum we can find this early Bell "D" series,
which supposed to be from D-1.
 
Hi,

here's my speculation about some missing Bell "D" list,
I put it in a file to not upset anyone,and it's only my duess,
and of course there's no confirm from the company or
any reliable sources about it.

I make some small changes and add two projects.
 

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