Bell  XFM-1 Airacuda

                               

                                     This beautiful Bell Aircraft Corporation image is marred somewhat by the fact that the aircraft
                                     carries no serial number whatever.  This twin pusher engined multiplace fighter (the only aircraft
                                     to bear the FM type designation other than a design-only Lockheed XFM-2) was designed to
                                     have a 37mm cannon in each of the nacelle positions.  It first flew on 1 September 1937 and
                                     was certainly a revolutionary concept at that time.   Unfortunately it was plagued with both engine
                                     and general performance problems and, in the event, only nine YFM-1 and three YFM-1A (with
                                     tri-cycle landing gear) pre-production models were ever built.