The Bell XP-83 was a redesigned P-59 Airacomet which was first flown in 1945. It was the first prototype jet made in America which didn’t see production. This was mainly due to its slow development, allowing it to be outpaced by the Lockheed P-80 and other more advanced designs. It was slow, unresponsive, and generally underpowered, making it an unsatisfactory substitute for piston-engined fighters of the WWII era.
This replica is my first contribution to NorthAmericanAviation’s and my new X-plane of the Day series, where we replicate an experimental or prototype jet each day.