No matter how experimental an aircraft is, if it’s even remotely successful – or if it even looks like it might be successful someday – the company behind it will try to sell it as an operational vehicle. Such was the case with the Bell X-14, which actually was a successful experimental VTOL aircraft. Bell Aircraft proposed several derivative designs for a number of roles, including trainer, anti-ship and ground attack. The latter role was to be supported by the three-engined X-14C.
The X-14C would be an all-new vehicle, but based on the systems and layout pioneered by the X-14. As shown by the artwork above, the X-14C would be able to lay something of a beatdown upon ground targets. however, as is common with aerospace promotional artwork, what’s shown is the whole range of stores that the X-14C could carry… just not all at once. Bombs, missiles, rockets, gun pods, fuel tanks… perhaps even a few cranked up Marines.
More on the X-14C (and other X-14 derivatives) can be found in Aerospace Projects Review issue V1N3.
2 Responses to “Bell X-14C”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Yeah, right… it could barely get off the ground under its own thrust, let’s start hanging bombs under it.
This SOB could have been as big of a terror as the the Yak-36 “Freehand”; …you know, something that would be lucky to vertically lift-off with a pair of Sidewinders under its wings.
And until 2007 the concept used up over $63 000 000 as the Dupont Aerospace DP-2. government programs never die, they just get a lobbyist.