It was similar to and a parallel development of the U.S. Army Air Corps’ land-based P-39 Airacobra, differing mainly in the use of a tailwheel undercarriage in place of the P-39's tricycle gear.

The XFL-1 (Bell Model 5) was powered by a single 1,150 hp (858 kW) Allison XV-1710-6 liquid-cooled V12 engine installed amidships behind the pilot and driving a three-bladed Curtiss Electric propeller in the nose through a 10.38 ft (3.16 m) extension shaft.

Official evaluation began in July 1940 but the XFL-1 failed to be certified for carrier operations because of main landing gear problems.

In February 1942, the XFL-1 was transferred to the Aircraft Armament Unit at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

[N 2] Lastly, the Airabonita had to compete against the faster though not "light" Vought F4U Corsair, which in the initial F4U-1 version was capable of 390 mph at 24,000 ft.[5] Data from [citation needed]General characteristics Performance Armament