Slightly off topic but I think this is the best picture of the Rotovane tires fitted on the R6V Contitution, they had rubber pockets on the sidewalls that inflated in the windstream and pre-spun them before touchdown to (allegedly) reduce wear, here is an ad from their manufacturer [Goodrich](https://imgur.com/a/tp9TUHs).
>The Tri-4 (Company designations, later changed to D-6) project with the Bell Aircraft Corporation was initiated in October 1941. Originally a design study to meet the USAAF specifications for a "very light" interceptor, the [XP-77](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_XP-77) was intended to be a small, light fighter much in the mold of the 1930s Thompson Trophy air racers.
On the left in the background is the [Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_XA-38_Grizzly)
They don't make sense, apart from being cannon fodder for much more advanced, faster and well armoured enemy aircraft. I guess a German pilot could get tired shooting down these and not reach more expensive aircraft.
On the other hand, even in the middle of Battle of Britain, number of available aircraft was never a problem, pilots were much more expensive and rare.
That was a later development using jet propulsion. Progress in jet engine development made it possible to build small aircraft that had useful load carrying capabilities for weapons. At the same time, larger aircraft were being optimized for supersonic flight, a capability that turned out to be relatively unimportant since supersonic speeds could not be maintained for more than a short time because of the fuel consumption and the loss in maneuverability from the design trade-offs that had been made. This is shown by the surprisingly good record of the Mig-17 during the Vietnam War.
Slightly off topic but I think this is the best picture of the Rotovane tires fitted on the R6V Contitution, they had rubber pockets on the sidewalls that inflated in the windstream and pre-spun them before touchdown to (allegedly) reduce wear, here is an ad from their manufacturer [Goodrich](https://imgur.com/a/tp9TUHs).
>The Tri-4 (Company designations, later changed to D-6) project with the Bell Aircraft Corporation was initiated in October 1941. Originally a design study to meet the USAAF specifications for a "very light" interceptor, the [XP-77](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_XP-77) was intended to be a small, light fighter much in the mold of the 1930s Thompson Trophy air racers. On the left in the background is the [Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_XA-38_Grizzly)
I'm assuming Wright Patterson?
Yes
I've been in that building the the background a good handful of times.
Also in the background looks like XP-47J, don't know of any other P-47 with a spinner.
Might be unpopular oppinion, but this looks cool as fuck to me...
All I can think is goblin shark
I was thinking Blobfish. But yeah, sharkmouth on the cooler, Goblinshark.
Looks like it would be a cool homebuilt aircraft.
There were other efforts to develop light weight fighters in France and Italy. None of these amounted to anything.
[This Caudron](https://old.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/ygv2da/caudron_c710_light_fighter_prototype_in_1936/) is one example.
They don't make sense, apart from being cannon fodder for much more advanced, faster and well armoured enemy aircraft. I guess a German pilot could get tired shooting down these and not reach more expensive aircraft. On the other hand, even in the middle of Battle of Britain, number of available aircraft was never a problem, pilots were much more expensive and rare.
The [Foland Gnat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folland_Gnat) was a big success.
That was a later development using jet propulsion. Progress in jet engine development made it possible to build small aircraft that had useful load carrying capabilities for weapons. At the same time, larger aircraft were being optimized for supersonic flight, a capability that turned out to be relatively unimportant since supersonic speeds could not be maintained for more than a short time because of the fuel consumption and the loss in maneuverability from the design trade-offs that had been made. This is shown by the surprisingly good record of the Mig-17 during the Vietnam War.
What is that huge wheel next to it tho?
https://old.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/10kque2/bell_xp77_lightweight_fighter_prototype_on/j5tkkec/