Bell X-9 Shrike

Experimental missile to test guidance and propulsion technology

Bell X-9 on its trailer

The Bell X-9 Shrike was a prototype surface-to-air, liquid-fueled guided missile designed by Bell Aircraft as a testbed for the nuclear-armed GAM-63 RASCAL. It is named after the shrike, a family of birds.

## Testing[edit]

Thirty-one X-9 rockets were delivered, flying from April 1949 to January 1953. The program was used to gather aerodynamic and stability data, and to test guidance and propulsion systems for the RASCAL.[1]

None of the missiles survived testing. The only known remaining fragment of an X-9 is part of a vertical stabilizer, at the Larry Bell Museum in Mentone, Indiana.[2]

## Specifications (X-9)[edit]

General characteristics:

* Length: 22 ft 9 in (6.9 m)
* Wingspan: 7 ft 10 in (2.4 m)
* Diameter: 1 ft 10 in (0.56 m)
* Wing area: 70 ft2 (6.5 m2)
* Weight (empty): 2,125 lb (964 kg)
* Weight (loaded): 3,500 lb (1,588 kg)
* Propulsion: Bell XLR65-BA-1 liquid-fuel rocket engine, 3,000 lbf (13.3 kN) thrust

Performance:

* Maximum speed: Mach 2.0
* Range: 50 mi (80 km)
* Service ceiling: 12.3 mi (19.8 km)
* Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
* Wing loading: kg/m2 ( lb/ft2)
* Thrust/weight:

## See also[edit]

* Bell GAM-63, a related development
* List of experimental aircraft

## References[edit]

1. ^ Yenne, Bill (2018). A Complete History of U.S. Cruise Missiles. Forest Lake, MN: Specialty Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-58007-256-4.
2. ^ Jenkins, Dennis R.; Landis, Tony; Miller, Jay. "AMERICAN X-VEHICLES Centennial of Flight Edition SP-2003-4531 An Inventory—X-1 to X-50" (PDF). p. 15\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-04-25. Retrieved 5 December 2021.

* American X-Vehicles (PDF)

## External links[edit]

* Media related to Bell X-9 at Wikimedia Commons

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Bell Aircraft and Bell Helicopter/Bell Textron aircraft

Manufacturer
designations|

* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 17
* 18
* 19
* 20
* 21
* 22
* 23
* 24
* 25
* 26
* 27
* 28
* 29
* 30
* 311
* 32
* 33
* 34
* 35
* 36
* 37
* 38
* 39 (I)
* 39 (II)
* 40
* 41
* 42
* 43
* 44
* 45
* 46
* 47
* J
* 48
* 49
* 50
* 51
* 52
* 53
* 54
* 55
* 56
* 57
* 58
* 59
* 60
* 61
* 62
* 63
* 64
* 65
* 66
* 67
* 68
* 69
* 70–1001
* 101
* 102
* 103
* 104
* 105
* 106
* 1071
* 108
* 109
* 110
* 111
* 112
* 113
* 114
* 115
* 116
* 117
* 118
* 119
* 120
* 121
* 122
* 123
* 124
* 125
* 126
* 127
* 128
* 129
* 130
* 131–1991
* 200
* 201
* 2021
* 2031
* 204
* 205
* 206
* 207
* 208
* 209
* 210
* 211
* 212
* 2131
* 214
* 214ST
* 2151
* 216
* 2171
* 2181
* 2191
* 2201
* 2211
* 222
* 223–2291
* 230
* 231–2481
* 249
* 250–3001
* 301
* 302–3081
* 309
* 310–3591
* 360
* 361–3991
* 400
* 401–4051
* 406
* 407
* 4081
* 409
* 4101
* 4111
* 412
* 4131
* 4141
* 4151
* 4161
* 417
* 418–4261
* 427
* 4281
* 429
* 430
* 431–4391
* 440
* 4411
* 4421
* 4431
* 4441
* 445
* 4461
* 4471
* 4481
* 449
* 550–5041
* 505
* 506–5241
* 525
* 526–5321
* 533
* 534–5391
* 540
* 541–5471
* 548
* 549–5751
* 576
* 577–5821
* 583
* 846–5981
* 599
* 600–6081
* 609
* 610–6451
* 646
* 647–6791
* 680
* 681–9171
* 918

* D-188
* D-255
* D-292

Fighter aircraft|

* YFM-1
* P-39
* XFL
* P-59
* P-63
* P-76
* XP-77
* XP-83

Target drones|

* PQM-56

Attack helicopters|

* 207
* Bell AH-1
* Singles
* Twins
* AH-1Z
* 309
* YAH-63
* 360

Observation and
utility helicopters|

* H-13
* H-13J
* UH-1
* UH-1N
* UH-1Y
* TH-57
* OH-58
* TH-67
* ARH-70

Commercial helicopters|

* 47
* 47J
* 204
* 205
* 206
* 210
* 212
* 214
* 214ST
* 222
* 230
* 407
* 412
* 427
* 429
* 430
* 505
* 525

Tiltrotors|

* V-22
* V-247
* V-280
* AW609
* TR918
* QTR

UAVs|

* MQ-8C

Non-production helicopters|

* 400
* 417
* 440

Experimental aircraft|

* ATV
* 201
* 533
* D-188
* D-255
* D-292
* FCX-001
* L-39
* LLRV/LLTV
* X-1
* X-2
* X-5
* X-14
* X-16
* X-22
* XF-109
* XP-52
* XV-3
* XV-15

Names|

* Airabonita
* Airacobra
* Airacomet
* Airacuda
* Arapaho
* BigLifter
* Cobra
* Creek
* Eagle Eye
* Fire Scout
* GlobalRanger
* Huey
* HueyCobra
* Invictus
* Iroquois
* JetRanger
* Jet Ranger X
* Kingcobra
* KingCobra
* Kiowa
* LongRanger
* Osprey
* Quad TiltRotor
* Ranger
* Sea Cobra
* Sea Ranger
* Sioux
* Sioux Scout
* SuperCobra
* Super Huey
* Super Transporter
* Twin Huey
* TwinRanger
* Valor
* Venom
* Vigilant
* Viper
* Zulu Cobra

1 Unknown/not assigned

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USAF / Joint Service experimental aircraft (X-plane) designations since 1941

Supersonic/special test
"S" (1946–1947)|

* S-1
* S-2
* S-3
* S-4
* S-5

Experimental
"X" (1948–present)|

| 1-25|

* X-1
* X-2
* X-3
* X-4
* X-5
* X-6
* X-7
* X-8
* X-9
* X-10
* X-11
* X-12
* X-13
* X-14
* X-15
* X-16
* X-17
* X-18
* X-19
* X-20
* X-21
* X-22
* X-233
* X-24A/B
* C
* X-25

|

26-50|

* X-26
* X-27
* X-28
* X-29
* X-30
* X-31
* X-32
* X-33
* X-34
* X-35
* X-36
* X-37
* X-38
* X-393
* X-40
* X-41
* X-42
* X-43
* X-442
* X-44 MANTA
* X-44 (UAV)
* X-45
* X-46
* X-47A
* B
* C
* X-48
* X-49
* X-50

51-|

* X-51
* X-521
* X-53
* X-54
* X-55
* X-56
* X-57
* X-581
* X-59
* X-60
* X-61
* X-62
* X-631
* X-641
* X-65
* X-66

See also|

* AD-1
* HiMAT
* HL-10
* M2-F1
* M2-F2
* M2-F3
* XQ-58

1 Not assigned  • 2 Assigned to multiple types  • 3 Unofficial

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United States Air Force rocket and missile designations 1947–1951

Air-launched|

| Air-to-air|

* AAM-A-1
* AAM-A-2

|

Air-to-surface|

* ASM-A-1
* ASM-A-2

Ground-launched|

| Surface-to-air|

* SAM-A-1

|

Surface-to-surface|

* SSM-A-1
* SSM-A-2
* SSM-A-3
* SSM-A-4
* SSM-A-5
* SSM-A-6

Test vehicles|

| Launch test|

* LTV-A-1

|

Propulsion test|

* PTV-A-1

Rocket test|

* RTV-A-1
* RTV-A-2
* RTV-A-3
* RTV-A-4
* RTV-A-5

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