Bell XP-59A
The Bell XP-59 was actually two planes: one was a failed early-1940s twin-boom pusher prototype and the other was America’s first jet warplane. After seeing Britain’s first jet fighter, Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold wanted an American jet. To maintain project secrecy, the military designated the prototype the XP-59A and attached a propeller to the nose when it wasn’t in the air. Although it never entered production as a fighter, a few dozen “Airacomets” were built and American military aviators used the XP-59 to learn how to fly military jets.
