Jim Bede (Bede Corp) Aircraft

[Cy-27]

With the recent death of Jim Bede I thought it might be a good time to finish off an on going list of designs.

James R. "Jim" Bede (b.April 17, 1933 d.July 9, 2015) was an American aircraft designer. He designed well over a dozen aircraft from the 1960s. A string of business failures kept most of these designs out of widespread use. Many kits were produced over the years as he became best know as a plans provider for home builders.

Some of his designs had unusual features (BD-5 and XDB-2) and brought him to attention, although not to the extent of contemporary designers such as Bert Rutan.

BD-1
Low-wing side-by-side two-seat aircraft which was developed into the American Aviation AA-1 Yankee. Low cost all-metal design. Powered by Continental A65-8 (65 hp) engine. Prototype was N624BD, c/n of 02, and first flight was 11th July 1963.

BD-2
Long-range record chasing aircraft based on the Schweizer 232 airframe. Named 'Love One' (Low Orbit Very Effecient). Powered by Continental IO-360 (210 hp) engine. Prototype registered N1982A and first flight was in April 1966. (see also http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6189.msg51096.html#msg51096)

BD-3
Project only. Was to be the production six-seat based on the XBD-2 design. Retractable undercarriage.

BD-4
High-wing two-seat kit built aircraft with tail or nose wheel undercarriage options which first flew in 1968. It had a slab-sided fuselage. Powered initially by a Lycoming O-235 (108 hp). Over 700 built by self-build owners. Prototype registered N624BD.

BD-4B
Redesigned wing with tubular main spar.

BD-4C
Four seat development of the BD-4 design. Later kits had an avionic option to buy. At least one fitted with a diesel engine.

BD-5
Single-seat many fitted with a Xenoah (70 hp) pusher engine with propeller after the original Hirth engine ceased production. Named 'Bede Micro'. Prototype had a small V-tail, soon replaced by a conventional vertical fin and tail plane. It had retractable undercarriage. Prototype registered N500BD and the maiden flight was on 12th September 1971.

BD-5A
Short wing variant with HKS-700 (60 hp) engine or Liekhaefer Aeromarine 40hp engine.

BD-5B
Longer wing variant with HKS-700 (60 hp) or Hirth (70 hp) engine.

BD-5C
Aerobatic version with short wing span.

BD-5D
Factory-built version of the BD-5B. The certified production model, many kits sold but no record found of any actually being completed to flying status.

BD-5G
Fitted with a Rotax 912 S (100 hp) or Xenoah 3 cylinder (70 hp) engine. Two built in Austria as OE-VCF and OE-CBD.

BD-5J
Jet powered version with Microturbo TRS-18 turbojet and a 17 ft wingspan.

BD-5S
Sailplane version from 1975 with increased span, not successful.

BD-5T
Proposed turboprop version (fitted with a Solar T-62 APU?)

BD-6
Single-seat high-wing version of the BD-4 design. Available as a kit in 2013, first example N6BD.

BD-7 (1)
Powered by two 290 hp engines, similar to the XDB-2. Not completed and designation reused.

BD-7 (2)
Development of the BD-5 with four seats. Only one example, N7BD (first flew December 1976), built with a 100 hp engine. FAA records show c/n 7-0001, but license marked as "revoked" (no date). Certificate issue date of 3/13/75 was a pre-registration, so it is entirely possible the aircraft was not completed despite reports that it had flown.

BD-8
Single-seat low-wing aerobatic and sports aeroplane. Only two built in the mid-1970's by homebuilders who finished of work initially began by Bede before bankruptcy. It was a tail-dragger.

BD-9
Prototype only from 1983. A high-wing, single-seat ultra light, named 'Super Demoiselle'. Single-seat aircraft with a Cuyuna 430-2UL two-stroke (35hp) engine.

BD-10
Side-by-side two-seat jet with a delta wing and General Electric J-85 powerplant. Distinctive twin tail fins. Prototype was N2BD and first flew July 1992. Five kits flown, three crashed. In December 1993 the entire BD-10 project was taken over by the Fox-10 Corp., intending to produce completed versions of the design under the name Fox-10 (Peregrine Falcon).

BD-10J
Project proposal to compete in the 1991-93 JPATS competition. It was similar to the Northrop T-38, but much smaller and used only a single engine. The Williams FJ44 and Pratt & Whitney JT12 engines were also offered as options.(see http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,733.msg118860.html#msg118860)

BD-11
An unbuilt project for a six-seat version of the BD-5 design. A light aircraft project, a derivative of the BD-10, but powered by one Williams FJ-44-1turbofan engine.

BD-12
Project from 1995 for a side-by-side seat version of the BD-5 design. Registration N112BD allocated but only prototype built. Crashed during maiden flight which was undertaken with lead in the nose to rectify a tail heavy centre of gravity.

BD-12A
An unbuilt twin seat variant with 80 hp engine.

BD-12B
An nbuilt twin seat variant with 100 hp engine.

BD-12C
Unbuilt twin seat variant with 150 hp engine with a maximum speed of 215 mph.

BD-13
Designation not used.

BD-14
Another unbuilt project based on the uncompleted BD-12 project with four seats and good panoramic views from inside. Also some sources indication that this design may have been proposed as a light fighter (?).

BD-14A
Unbuilt variant with 150 hp engine.

BD-14B
Unbuilt variant with 260 hp engine.

BD-14C
Unbuilt variant with 350 hp turbocharged engine with a top speed of 305 mph.

BD-15
Project only.

BD-16
A 1998 Project developed from the earlier BD-4 with six seats.

BD-17
Low-wing, single-seat design with a HKS 700E (60 hp) engine. Named 'Nugget'. Jabiru (120 hp) engine also an option. Metal high-performance aircraft with claimed unmatched range and speed. First example was N624BD and the maiden flight was on 11th February 2001.

BD-17L
Light sport aircraft (LSA) variant from 2014.

BD-18
Twin-seat development of the BD-17. Low-wing, single-engine tourer with fixed, spatted, undercarriage. Could be fitted with various 120 hp to 180 hp engines by homebuilders.

BD-19
Project only. More details required.
BD-20

Project only. More details required.

BD-21
Project only. More details required.

BD-22
The first BD-22 example built was N224BD which first flew in March 2015. Two-seat development of the BD-17 with a 47 inch wide cockpit. Fatal crash 1st April 2015.

BD-22L
Two-seat light sport version of the BD-17 first shown publically in January 2015 as N224BD. Powered by Lycoming O-235 (118 hp) engine. Composite fuselage, metal wings and tricycle undercarriage.

XBD-2
Experimental STOL laminar flow research aircraft registered N327BD. Installed with two Continental O-300 (145 hp) pusher engines. Maiden flight 26th July 1961.

HB-1
Registered N590AS, first flew in July 1966, named 'Demoiselle'. It had a Continental A65 engine and originally had an open cockpit.

Bede-Wing
Hang glider from 1974 made up of an aerial wing of inflatable material (Patent issued 1974). Partly inflated by lighter than air gas and the rest inflated by air during flight. Shroud lines used to suspend a person beneath the aerofoil during flight. At least one completed.

Litestar
Flying car hybrid project which emerged as a motor cycle.

Source:

Aerofiles website (http://www.aerofiles.com/_ba.html)
Air Britain Digest (September 2015)
Bede Corp website (http://www.bedecorp.com & https://www.facebook.com/bedecorp)
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2324.msg247831.html#msg247831

 

[Stargazer]

Here's the Bede page from my upcoming website — incidentally, the very first public display of the site ever.

I haven't taken the time yet to cross check Cy-27's list with mine but I will in due time. Thanks for sharing!

 

[hesham]

Great work my dear Cy-27.

 

[Stargazer]

Here is a more convenient display of the above image:

 

[Stargazer]

Nice work, Cy-27. You missed out a few entries such as the BD-4BP and BD-4LSA (see my list for details). The Bede site also announced the BD-25 and BD-25J circa 2009, but they were never revealed and probably canceled at an early stage.

Some of his designs had unusual features (BD-5 and XDB-2) and brought him to attention, although not to the extent of contemporary designers such as Bert Rutan.

It was XBD-2, not XDB-2. Also, although it is actually Elbert in full, Rutan's first name has always been spelt as Burt, not Bert.

BD-1
Low-wing side-by-side two-seat aircraft which was developed into the American Aviation AA-1 Yankee. Low cost all-metal design. Powered by Continental A65-8 (65 hp) engine. Prototype was N624BD, c/n of 02, and first flight was 11th July 1963.

I found an earlier date for first flight myself. Will have to check my source.

BD-5A
Short wing variant with HKS-700 (60 hp) engine or Liekhaefer Aeromarine 40hp engine.

It's Kiekhaefer.

BD-8
Single-seat low-wing aerobatic and sports aeroplane. Only two built in the mid-1970's by homebuilders who finished of work initially began by Bede before bankruptcy. It was a tail-dragger.

One of these was registered as N88DH.

BD-9
Prototype only from 1983. A high-wing, single-seat ultra light, named 'Super Demoiselle'. Single-seat aircraft with a Cuyuna 430-2UL two-stroke (35hp) engine.

NO. This is an oft-repeated mistake. It was called the Dream. The Super Demoiselle was the HB-1.

BD-10
Side-by-side two-seat jet with a delta wing and General Electric J-85 powerplant. Distinctive twin tail fins. Prototype was N2BD and first flew July 1992. Five kits flown, three crashed. In December 1993 the entire BD-10 project was taken over by the Fox-10 Corp., intending to produce completed versions of the design under the name Fox-10 (Peregrine Falcon).

Yes, but the story hardly stopped there. One Fox 10 was indeed completed by Fox 10 Corp. in 1994 [N9WZ] but it crashed fatally. The company was reformed as Peregrine Flight International (part of Fox Aircraft), also in Minden, Nevada, and a second example, now designated PJ-2 Peregrine Falcon, was produced in 1995 [N62PJ]. However this also crashed fatally. The program was cancelled and Jim Bede passed the design on to Monitor Jet in Canada, who built a third example in 1996 as the MJ-7 [N700JP], now at the Toronto Aerospace Museum. Oddly, Monitor also purchased the original BD-10 prototype [N2BD] at a 1997 auction, and had it re-registered as N98MJ (it also was N7FF at some point), but the company never moved it and it also ended up in a museum. The last incarnation of the BD-10 came when the Vortex Aircraft Co. was formed in 1997 in San Diego, Calif., by a group of investors in Jim Bede's company on acquisition of Bede assets to produce completed versions of the BD-10. The project evolved into the 1998 PhoenixJet, a redesign with a subsonic wing as a military primary trainer, but neither this nor any more BD-10 types were built.

BD-10J
Project proposal to compete in the 1991-93 JPATS competition. It was similar to the Northrop T-38, but much smaller and used only a single engine. The Williams FJ44 and Pratt & Whitney JT12 engines were also offered as options.(see http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,733.msg118860.html#msg118860)

Indeed. I completely overlooked that version in my research.

BD-14
Another unbuilt project based on the uncompleted BD-12 project with four seats and good panoramic views from inside. Also some sources indication that this design may have been proposed as a light fighter (?).

Interesting. I'd be curious to read more about that.

BD-12A An unbuilt twin seat variant with 80 hp engine.
BD-12B An nbuilt twin seat variant with 100 hp engine.
BD-12C Unbuilt twin seat variant with 150 hp engine with a maximum speed of 215 mph.
BD-14A Unbuilt variant with 150 hp engine.
BD-14B Unbuilt variant with 260 hp engine.
BD-14C Unbuilt variant with 350 hp turbocharged engine with a top speed of 305 mph.

Never read about these projected variants. Interesting stuff.

BD-17
Low-wing, single-seat design with a HKS 700E (60 hp) engine. Named 'Nugget'. Jabiru (120 hp) engine also an option. Metal high-performance aircraft with claimed unmatched range and speed. First example was N624BD and the maiden flight was on 11th February 2001.

Thanks for the engine details and first flight date. By the way, it would seem the BD-18 was also called Nugget. Do you have proof that the BD-17 received the same registration as the BD-1 and first BD-4? I have found only one BD-17/BD-17L and this was registered as N170BD.

BD-22
The first BD-22 example built was N224BD which first flew in March 2015. Two-seat development of the BD-17 with a 47 inch wide cockpit. Fatal crash 1st April 2015.

BD-22L
Two-seat light sport version of the BD-17 first shown publically in January 2015 as N224BD. Powered by Lycoming O-235 (118 hp) engine. Composite fuselage, metal wings and tricycle undercarriage.

There was only one BD-22, and that was the BD-22L. It is possible that it was initially planned in a non-LSA compliant form as BD-22 but I have no details about that.

HB-1
Registered N590AS, first flew in July 1966, named 'Demoiselle'. It had a Continental A65 engine and originally had an open cockpit.

Photos show it to be N590A, not AS. Also, it was called the Super Demoiselle (or was this a later name after the cockpit was enclosed?)

Bede-Wing
Hang glider from 1974 made up of an aerial wing of inflatable material (Patent issued 1974). Partly inflated by lighter than air gas and the rest inflated by air during flight. Shroud lines used to suspend a person beneath the aerofoil during flight. At least one completed.

I only had the name "Flying Wing" but of course Bede-Wing sounds legit. What is your source for it?

 

[hesham]

Hi Skyblazer,


the BD-1 was flown in 11th July 1963,no doubt in this.


Airlife's General Aviation

 

[Stargazer]

Airlife's General Aviation

That book was great and had a lot of information, but like all books it wasn't deprived of mistakes, especially on certain less documented companies.

As a rule I never trust just one single source. You have to dig deeper, especially in this age of shallow journalism when most authors feel content with repeating information found elsewhere instead of truly investigating.

Great work my dear Cy-27.

Thanks a lot for implying that my work is a piece of shit.

 

[hesham]

No my friend Skyblazer,


you work is greater and clear,many thanks for you,and for anther source to the
date of flying for BD-1,there is also Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1965-1966.

 

[Stargazer]

for anther source to the date of flying for BD-1,there is also Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1965-1966.

Fair enough. I believe Jane's was STILL a trustworthy source at that time.

 

[Cy-27]

Great stuff, Skyblazer, can't wait to see your website!

I'm away from base at the moment but the name Bede-Wing was picked up from http://www.bd5.com and the BD-14 fighter reference, I think, came from the SP site.

Sorry about the typos in the original post!

 

[Schneiderman]

Skyblazer, your website looks like it will be a valuable resource. Which other companies products/projects do you intend to cover?

 

[Stargazer]

Skyblazer, your website looks like it will be a valuable resource. Which other companies products/projects do you intend to cover?

Would you believe me if I told you... ALL of them? Every U.S. company or builder known. Actually almost finished. An expanded and improved upon Aerofiles is what it is, WITHOUT specs and precise dates BUT with plenty of inner links, thousands of pics, a lot of proofreading and quite a few additions. Just a quick reference database for easy identification containing the info you can see on my screen capture: name/year/number built/registrations/details. The prominent manufacturers get their own page, the rest are organized alphabetically. As many types get illustrated as possible. Projects and patents are included, as well as gliders and UAVs. Several years in the making. 870 HTML pages... and probably a lot of stuff still missing!!

 

[Schneiderman]

Oh, so just a small project then ;D ;D

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

I thought I remembered seeing something about an armed variant of the BD-10 in a magazine somewhere but I can't find it at the moment. Was this a real thing or am I imagining something? If it is real, is there any information about it?

 

[dan_inbox]

I thought I remembered seeing something about an armed variant of the BD-10 in a magazine somewhere but I can't find it at the moment. Was this a real thing or am I imagining something? If it is real, is there any information about it?

Canadian Aerospace Group's Monitor Jet Corp once advertised a military trainer version as the MJ-7, FWIW.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

I presume any weapons fit would have been pretty light due to the aircraft's size and layout. Was there any official list of armaments, or was it up to the user?

 

[hesham]

That's still mystery,what I found;

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/bede-designs.2324/page-2#post-247809

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

I would assume armament options would be basic at best due to design, size and weight limitations. I wouldn't say anything bigger than a .50 M3, maybe a 20mm Colt at a very big stretch. I would also assume it would have had a bombload of some sort, though I cannot see it carrying anything bigger than a couple of 500lb bombs, or rocket pods. Missiles would probably be limited to a couple of Sidewinders.

Again this is all speculation, and it's beginning to seem that it is unlikely that there were never any proposals which were set in stone in regards to armament.