The successful experience of Steel Improvement with high temperature alloys in turbine wheels caused the manufacturers of jet engines to look to the company for help in producing jet engine turbine blades as they in turn became a critical problem in the manufacture of jet aircraft engines.

The first of the planes to utilize the GE engines was the Bell Model XP-59A. Two GE turbojets were carried on each side of the fuselage. Production models were designated P-59A and named Airacomet.

Bell P-59 were issued to the Air Force for a wide variety of test work after being replaced by the successful development of Lockheed's P-80 "Shooting Star."

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