The Bell Model 65 Air Test Vehicle (ATV) was an experimental

tiltjet A tiltjet is an aircraft propulsion configuration that was historically tested for proposed VTOL, Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL)-capable fighters. The tiltjet arrangement is, in concept, broadly similar to that of the tiltrotor; whereas a t ...

VTOL A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-win ...

aircraft built by

Bell A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...

using parts from a number of

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

aircraft.Bell ATV (Air Test Vehicle), 1954
the Aviation History Online Museum

Design and development

Bell used the fuselage of a

Schweizer 1-23 The Schweizer SGS 1-23 is a United States Open and Standard Glider competition classes, Class, single-seat, mid-wing Glider (sailplane), glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York. The original "standard" 1-23 was introduced in 1948. ...

glider with the wing of a

Cessna 170 The Cessna 170 is an American light, single-engined, general aviation aircraft produced by the Cessna Aircraft Company between 1948 and 1956. It is the predecessor of the Cessna 172, the most produced aircraft in history, which replaced ...

and the landing gear of a

Bell 47 The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first he ...

helicopter. Two thrust

Fairchild J44 The Fairchild J44 was a small turbojet developed in the 1940s by the Fairchild Engine Division. Design and development The Fairchild Engine Division (previously the Ranger Aircraft Engine Division of the Fairchild Engine & Aircraft Corporati ...

turbojet engines - as used on drones, missiles and for JATO - were mounted one on each side of the aircraft under the wing. These could be tilted from horizontal to vertical. A Turbomeca Palouste turbocompressor powered small thrusters at the tail and wingtips to provide a

reaction control system A reaction control system (RCS) is a spacecraft system that uses thrusters to provide attitude control and translation. Alternatively, reaction wheels are used for attitude control. Use of diverted engine thrust to provide stable attitude contr ...

during hover. The aircraft made its first hover on 16 November 1954. This was performed with the aircraft raised on a platform to avoid the reingestion of its exhaust gases. Wheeled landing gear - from a Cessna - was added to the aircraft, which went on to make horizontal flights in 1955. It proved able to make partial conversions at altitude, however it lacked sufficient engine thrust to complete the transition. The Model 65 programme was ended in 1955 to allow development of the

Bell X-14 The Bell X-14 (Bell Type 68) is an experimental VTOL aircraft flown in the United States in the 1950s. The main objective of the project was to demonstrate vectored thrust horizontal and vertical takeoff, hover, transition to forward flight, ...

, however the tiltjet experience gained was used to develop the U S Air Force

Bell XF-109 The Bell D-188A (unofficial military designations XF-109/XF3L) was a proposed eight-engine Mach 2–capable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) tiltjet fighter that never proceeded past the mock-up stage. Development In 1955, Bell Aircraft ...

V/STOL fighter concept. The Model 65 is currently in storage at the Smithsonian

National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Nat ...

Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility The Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility, also known colloquially as "Silver Hill", is a storage and former conservation and restoration facility of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, located in Suitland, Ma ...

Suitland, Maryland Suitland is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, approximately one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,839. Prio ...

References

{{Bell Aircraft 1950s United States experimental aircraft 065 Tiltjet aircraft Twinjets Parasol-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1954