GP042 BELL X5

The Bell X-5 was an American experimental aircraft from the Cold War period that made its first flight in 1951. The plane was 10.16 meters long with a wingspan of 9.3 meters. The propulsion was provided by a single Allison J35-A turbojet engine with a maximum thrust of 22 kN at sea level. The maximum speed was about 0.9 Ma. The maximum ceiling was, in turn, about 13,500 meters. Bell X-5 has been developed and built in the number of 2 copies, in order to carry out various types of tests related to the collection of experience and observations regarding changes in the wing geometry. It is appropriate to point out here that the Bell X-5 was the first aircraft in the history of aviation with variable wing geometry, a change that could take place not only on the ground, but also in the air, during flight! The design of the aircraft was clearly based on the plans of the German Messerschmitt P.1101. Bell X-5 aircraft were operated in the period 1951-1958. One of them was lost in the crash in 1953.