List of experimental aircraft
This is a list of experimental aircraft, or aircraft used or built to conduct experiments involving aerodynamics, structural materials, propulsion systems, configuration and equipment. Prototypes, pre-production and homebuilt aircraft described as experimental but which were not used in this manner outside their own development are excluded.
Argentina
Australia
- GAF Pika – manned test craft for drone program
Brazil
- Baumgartl PB-60 - towed experimental rotor kite
Canada
- AEA Silver Dart 1909. First aircraft to fly in Canada
- Avro Canada Avrocar 1959. Ducted fan VTOL
- Birdman Project 102
- Canadair CL-52 - jet engine testbed (converted Boeing B-47)
- Canadair CL-84 - tilt-wing VTOL
- de Havilland Canada C-8A Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft
- de Havilland Canada C-8A Air-Cushion Landing System
- de Havilland Canada C-8A Augmentor Wing
- Marsden Gemini - variable-geometry glider
- NRC tailless glider - tailless flying wing
- UTIAS Ornithopter No.1
France
- Aérocentre NC.130 1939. High-altitude flight
- Aérospatiale Ludion 1967. Thrust vectored rocket VTOL
- Arsenal-Delanne 10 - tandem wing
- Arsenal VG 70 - high speed research
- Arsenal O.101 - aerodynamic research
- Arsenal 2301/SFECMAS 2301 and SFECMAS 1301 - supersonic research glider
- Breguet-Dorand Gyroplane Laboratoire - experimental helicopter
- Breguet-Richet Gyroplane - helicopter
- Breguet Laboratoire Eiffel - monoplane testbed
- Dassault Balzac V - VTOL testbed
- Dassault Mirage IIIV - VTOL testbed
- Dassault Milan - canard research
- Dassault Mirage G - variable geometry
- Dassault LOGIDUC - unmanned combat aerial vehicle development
- Dassault nEUROn – UCAV technology demonstrator
- Farman F.1010 - heavy cannon flight testing
- Farman F.1020 - semi-circular wing
- Fouga Gemeaux - engine testbed
- Gastambide-Levavasseur Variable Surface Aircraft - variable chord wing testbed
- Gérin Varivol - variable chord wing testbed
- Hanriot HD.28 – one example was tested a vee tail
- Hurel-Dubois HD.10 – very high aspect ratio wings
- Leduc 0.10 – ramjet
- Leduc 0.21 – ramjet
- Makhonine Mak-10 – variable span wing
- Nord 500 – VTOL tilt ducted fan research aircraft
- Nord 1402/1405 Gerfaut – delta wing research aircraft
- Nord 1500 Griffon - ramjet
- Nord 1601 – swept wing research aircraft
- Payen PA-22 - tandem delta/normal wings
- Payen Pa 49 - tandem delta/normal wings
- Potez-CAMS 160 - 5/13 scale six engine aerodynamic testbed for development of CAMS 161
- Robin X4 - materials and configuration testbed
- SNECMA Atar Volant - vertical lift jet
- SNECMA Coléoptère - vertical lift annular wing
- Sud Est SE-1210 scale aerodynamic testbed for SE-1200 transatlantic flying boat
- Sud-Ouest Ariel – tip jet rotor helicopter
- Sud-Ouest Farfadet - convertiplane
- Sud-Ouest Triton – first French jet aircraft
Finland
Germany
- Akaflieg Berlin B 9 1943. Prone pilot
- Akaflieg Darmstadt/Akaflieg München DM1 1944. Delta wing
- Albatros L.81 - elektron metal structure testbed
- AVA AF 1 – augumented lift
- DFS 194 1940. Tailless rocket aircraft used in development of Me 163
- DFS 346 1948. Supersonic reconnaissance aircraft used for research
- Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet TransSonische Tragflügel (TST) - transonic supercritical wing research[1]
- Dornier Do 29 – tilt rotor STOL
- Dornier Do 31 – VTOL transport
- EWR VJ 101 - experimental tiltjet VTOL fighter
- Fieseler Fi 158 - testbed for radio control system
- Flettner airplane – Magnus effect test vehicle
- Flettner Fl 185 - gyrodyne
- Focke-Wulf F 19 – multi-engined canard
- Focke-Wulf Fw 61 – first practical helicopter
- Fokker V.1 - structures and aerodynamics testbed
- Göppingen Gö 8 - development aircraft for Do 214
- Göppingen Gö 9 – pusher (behind tail) aerodynamic testbed for Dornier Do 335 development
- Gotha G.VI - asymmetric flying surfaces
- Gotha Go 147 – tailless research aircraft
- Heinkel He 119 – high-performance research aircraft
- Heinkel He 176 – rocket research aircraft
- Heinkel He 178 – jet engine research aircraft
- Horten H.III - flying wing
- Horten H.IV - flying wing
- Horten Ho VI - flying wing
- Junkers J 1 – pioneering all-metal cantilever monoplane (1915)
- Junkers EF 61 – pressurization
- Junkers Ju 49 – high-altitude test aircraft
- Lippisch Delta IV – delta wing
- Lippisch Ente – rocket-powered canard
- Lippisch P.13a - delta wing and use of coal
- Messerschmitt Me P.1101 - variable geometry (swing-wing) jet
- Opel RAK.1 – rocket propulsion
- RFB X-113 – wing in ground effect vehicle
- RFB X-114 – wing in ground effect vehicle
- Sack AS-6 – disk wing
- Schmeidler SN.2 - wing flaps
- VFW VAK 191B – VTOL fighter
- Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) V1 - all-metal stressed skin construction
Italy
- Ambrosini Sagittario 1953. Swept wing research aircraft
- Bossi-Bonomi Pedaliante 1936. Human-powered aircraft
- Caproni Campini N.1 1940. Jet engine research
- Jona J-6 - tilting wing stabilisation system
- Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 - gyro stabilized helicopter
- Piaggio P.111 – high-altitude research
- S.C.A. SS.2 – experimental canard
- S.C.A. SS.3 Anitra – experimental canard
- Stipa-Caproni – ducted prop research
Poland
- Flugtechnische Fertigungsgemeinschaft Prag FGP 227 – scale proof of concept for German BV 238
Japan
- Gasuden Koken 1937. Long range experimental aircraft
- Honda MH02 1993. Over wing engines, forward swept wing
- Kawasaki Ki-78 1942. High speed research aircraft
- Kayaba Ku-2 1940. Tailless glider
- Kayaba Ku-3 - tailless glider
- Kayaba Ku-4 - tailless research aircraft
- Kimura HK-1 - tailless glider
- Mitsubishi RP-1 - experimental helicopter
- MXY-6 – canard scale testbed for Kyushu J7W
- Shin Meiwa UF-XS – proof of concept demonstrator for Shin Meiwa US-1A
Russia/Soviet Union
- Alexeyev Ekranoplans
- Antonov A-40 1942. Tank glider
- Antonov 181 Tested late 1980s. Never flew. Blown channel wing demonstrator
- Bartini Beriev VVA-14 1972. Ekranoplan, i.e. ground effect vehicle
- Bartini Stal-6 – high speed aircraft
- Chyeranovskii BICh-3 – tailless delta research aircraft
- Chyeranovskii BICh-11 – flying wing to test wingtip rudders
- Chyeranovskii BICh-16 – human-powered ornithopter
- Chyeranovskii BICh-18 – human-powered ornithopter
- Chizhevski BOK-1 – high-altitude research aircraft
- Chizhevski BOK-5 – tailless research aircraft
- Grigorovich I-Z – recoilless cannon evaluation
- Grushin Octyabrenok – tandem wing
- Ilyushin Il-76LL - engine testbeds (5)
- Kozlov PS – invisible aircraft (covered in transparent material)
- MAI EMAI – magnesium construction
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8 Utka – pusher canard proof of concept (1945)
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 – lifting body
- Mikoyan Project 1.44 – technology demonstrator
- Mikoyan-Gurevich N – mixed propulsion system
- Moskalyev SAM-9 Strela – delta wing
- NIAI RK – telescopic wings
- NIAI RK-I – telescopic wings
- Nikitin PSN-2 – glider bombers
- Nikitin-Shevchenko IS – biplane/monoplane hybrid
- Sukhanov Diskoplan – disk wings
- Sukhoi T-4
- Sukhoi T-10 – technology demonstrator
- Sukhoi T-58VD – VTOL research aircraft
- Sukhoi Su-47
- Thermoplan – heavy lift lenticular-shaped hybrid airship technology demonstrator
- Tsybin LL – forward swept wing
- Tsybin NM-1 – proof of concept
- Tupolev ANT-20
- Tupolev Tu-95LAL – nuclear-powered aircraft
- Ushakov flying submarines
- Yakovlev Yak-36 – VTOL technology demonstrator
- Yakovlev Yak-42LL - engine testbed for the Progress D-236 propfan
- Yakovlev Yak-1000 – supersonic technology demonstrator
- Zveno project – parasite fighters
Spain
- Cierva C.4 1923. First autogyro to fly
- Cierva C.6 1924. Autogyro based on Avro 504 fuselage. Used small wings with ailerons for roll control
Sweden
- Saab 202 aerodynamic testbed for Saab 32 Lansen
- Saab 210 1952. Aerodynamic testbed for double delta concept for Saab 35 Draken
Switzerland
Taiwan
- Chu Hummingbird - experimental helicopter
United Kingdom
- Armstrong Whitworth Ape 1926. Variable configuration aerodynamic test vehicle
- Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 1947. Jet powered flying wing
- Avro 707 1949. Aerodynamic proof of concept for Avro Vulcan delta wing bomber
- Avro Ashton – jet engine research vehicle based on Avro Tudor
- BAC 221 – modified Fairey Delta 2 for high speed delta research
- Baynes Bat - experimental tailless glider
- Blackburn B-20 - retractable hull seaplane
- Boulton Paul P.6 – used for wing research
- Boulton Paul P.92 – half-scale proof of concept
- Boulton Paul P.111 - delta-wing research aircraft
- Boulton Paul P.120 - delta-wing research aircraft
- Bristol 138 – high-altitude research aircraft
- Bristol 188 - high speed flight research
- British Aerospace EAP – technology demonstrator
- Cierva W.9 – experimental helicopter with anti-torque jet efflux
- de Havilland DH 108 Swallow – swept wing tailless transsonic research aircraft
- English Electric P.1A - supersonic research aircraft
- modified Fairey Battle engine testbed for Rolls-Royce Exe, Fairey Prince (H-16) and Napier Dagger.
- Fairey Delta 1 - delta-wing research aircraft
- Fairey Delta 2 - delta-wing research aircraft
- Fairey Jet Gyrodyne – jet-powered rotor
- Folland Fo.108 – engine test bed
- General Aircraft GAL.56 - tailless swept wing glider
- Gloster E.28/39 – early jet engine research
- Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot" – prone position flight control research
- Gloster Trent Meteor - turboprop propulsion
- Hafner A.R.III Gyroplane – experimental autogyro
- Handley Page H.P.17 – aerodynamic slot research
- Handley Page H.P.20 – aerodynamic slot research
- Handley Page H.P.75 Manx – tailless flight research
- Handley Page HP.88 – supporting development of Handley Page Victor
- Handley Page HP.115 – low speed delta-wing research
- Hawker P.1052 - swept wing testbed that led to the Hawker Hunter
- Hawker P.1072 - testbed for Armstrong Siddeley Snarler rocket booster
- Hawker P.1127 – experimental V/STOL combat aircraft development aircraft that led to the Hawker Harrier
- Hillson Bi-mono – slip-wing research
- Hunting H.126 – blown flap research
- Miles M.3E Gillette Falcon – high speed flight research
- Miles M.30 – blended wing body design
- Miles M.35 Libellula – tandem-wing fighter testbed
- Miles M.39B Libellula – tandem-wing research
- Miles M.52 – supersonic flight research
- Parnall Parasol - wing pressure and aileron testing
- Parnall Peto - experimental submarine-launched aircraft.
- Parnall Prawn - flying boat testing buried engine with variable-angle thrust line
- Reid and Sigrist R.S.4 Bobsleigh - prone-pilot research
- Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig – low speed VTOL control test rig
- Saro Shrimp - experimental half-scale flying boat for development of cancelled Saunders-Roe S.38
- Saunders-Roe SR.53 - mixed rocket/jet propulsion development aircraft for cancelled Saunders-Roe SR.177
- Short Cockle – tested metal construction techniques for flying boat hulls
- Short Mayo Composite – tested piggyback aircraft concept
- Short Mussel – testing metal construction techniques for aircraft floats
- Short S.6 Sturgeon – tested aluminium construction techniques for aircraft
- Short S.31 - half-scale model for Short Stirling development
- Short SB.1 – tailless glider for isoclinic wing research
- Short SB.4 Sherpa - improved, powered version of Short SB.1
- Short SB.5 – prove/develop wing for English Electric Lightning
- Short SC.1 – VTOL research
- Short Silver Streak - stressed skin construction, developed into Short Springbok
- Supermarine 508 – development aircraft with vee tail
- Supermarine 525 - swept wing development aircraft for Supermarine Scimitar program
- Vickers Type 618 Nene-Viking – jet engine testbed
- Vickers Type 470 and Type 486 Wellington – Whittle jet engine testbeds
- Vickers Type 602 Wellington Mark X – Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop testbed
- Westland-Hill Pterodactyl - series of tailless monoplanes
- Youngman-Baynes High Lift - testbed for Youngman flaps
United States
X-planes
- Bell X-1 sound barrier
- Bell X-2 Mach 2–3 supersonic flight
- Douglas X-3 Stiletto sustained supersonic flight
- Northrop X-4 Bantam tailless aircraft
- Bell X-5 variable-sweep wing
- Convair X-6 nuclear reactor test aircraft (for future nuclear-powered aircraft)
- Lockheed X-7 "flying stove pipe" unmanned ramjet and guidance test missile
- Aerojet General X-8 sounding rocket (became Aerobee)
- Bell X-9 Shrike guided missile
- North American X-10 unmanned missile technology demonstrator
- Convair X-11 single engine missile testbed for Atlas
- Convair X-12 three engine missile testbed for Atlas
- Ryan X-13 Vertijet tail sitter VTOL jet
- Bell X-14 thrust vectoring VTOL jet
- North American X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered research aircraft (Mach 6)
- Lockheed X-17 research rocket testing high mach re-entry
- Hiller X-18 tiltwing STOVL cargo aircraft
- Curtiss-Wright X-19 VTOL tiltrotor
- X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane program (cancelled)
- Northrop X-21 laminar flow wing
- Bell X-22 ducted fan V/STOL
- Martin Marietta X-23 Prime lifting body reentry
- Martin-Marietta X-24 lifting body test aircraft
- Bensen X-25 single-seat autogyro
- Schweizer X-26 Frigate sailplane
- Lockheed X-27 Lancer proposed high-performance technology demonstrator based on Lockheed CL-1200 (only mockup built)
- Pereira X-28A Sea Skimmer single-seat flying boat evaluated by US Navy
- Grumman X-29 forward-swept wing test aircraft
- Rockwell X-30 single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft (cancelled)
- Rockwell-MBB X-31 extreme angle of attack test aircraft
- Boeing X-32 Joint Strike Fighter Program entry (lost to X-35)
- Lockheed Martin X-33 unmanned scale demonstrator for VentureStar single stage to orbit spacecraft
- Orbital Sciences X-34 reusable launch vehicle testbed (only unpowered prototype built)
- Lockheed Martin X-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program entry winner; became F-35 Lightning II
- McDonnell Douglas X-36 tailless fighter research agility aircraft
- Boeing X-37 reusable unmanned spacecraft
- NASA X-38 crew return vehicle for International Space Station (cancelled after tests)
- X-39 reserved for USAF/DARPA program use
- Boeing X-40 Space Maneuver Vehicle testbed X-37 guidance and flight characteristics
- X-41 Common Aero Vehicle classified DARPA/NASA maneuvering re-entry vehicle
- X-42 Pop-Up Upper Stage classified rocket upper stage
- NASA X-43 Hyper-X hypersonic scramjet
- Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA multi-axis tailless aircraft concept
- Boeing X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle
- Boeing X-46 unmanned combat air vehicle (proposal only)
- Northrop Grumman X-47 Pegasus unmanned combat air vehicle
- Boeing X-48 blended wing aircraft
- Piasecki X-49 compound helicopter technology demonstrator
- Boeing X-50 Dragonfly gyrodyne unmanned aerial vehicle
- Boeing X-51 Mach 5+ scramjet missile demonstrator
- X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing wing warping flight demonstrator
- Gulfstream X-54 supersonic boom intensity research and demonstration aircraft
- Lockheed Martin X-55 advanced composites technology demonstrator
- Lockheed Martin X-56 flutter suppression and gust load testing unmanned testbed
Other US experimental aircraft
- Acme Sierra 1959. Pusher configuration
- AstroFlight Sunrise 1974. Solar powered drone
- Ball-Bartoe Jetwing 1977. Blown wing research
- Bell D-292 1985. Advanced Composite Airframe Program
- Bell L-39 1976. Swept wing research
- Bell Model 65 1954. Tiltjet VTOL
- Bell XV-15 1977. Tiltrotor VTOL and precursor to V-22 Osprey
- Bell 533 1962. Modified UH-1B helicopter for US Army experiments with high speed technology
- Boeing ecoDemonstrator 2012. Three aircraft (as of 2016) testing airliner fuel efficiency and noise reduction technologies
- Budd BB-1 Pioneer 1931. Stainless steel construction
- Burnelli RB-1 1921. Lifting body proof of concept vehicle
- Chrysler VZ-6 1959. Ducted fan
- Convair NB-36 1955. Nuclear propelled aircraft testbed
- Curtiss-Wright VZ-7 1958. Quadcopter
- Curtiss-Wright X-100 1963. Tilt rotor VTOL (developed into X-200 and X-19)
- Custer Channel Wings 1953. Blown half-barrel wings
- Doak VZ-4 1958. Tilt-fan VTOL
- Douglas D-558-I Skystreak 1947. Supersonic research
- Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket 1948. Supersonic research
- Fairchild VZ-5 1959. Deflected air VTOL
- Farrar LSG-1 Bird Flight Machine 1969. Glider to research bird flight
- Gee Bee Model Q 1931. Canard layout[2][3]
- General Dynamics F-16XL 1982. Relaxed stability delta wing, boundary layer suction laminar flow
- General Dynamics F-16 VISTA 1992. Variable stability, thrust vectoring
- General Electric GE36 testbed. 1986. Propfan engine testbed on a modified Boeing 727
- Gossamer Albatross 1979. Human-powered flight
- Gossamer Condor 1977. Human-powered flight
- modified Grumman Gulfstream II - engine testbed for the NASA Propfan Test Assessment (PTA)
- Hiller VZ-1 Pawnee 1955. Direct lift rotor platform
- Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 2010. Hypersonic glider
- Johns Multiplane 1919. Seven wing heavy aircraft
- Kaman K-125 1947. Intermesh twin rotor helicopter, servo-flap control
- Kaman K-16 Never flew. Last tested in 1962. Modified Grumman Goose for tiltwing V/STOL research
- Lockheed Altair 1938. Twinned engine testbed (both engines were in a single cowl)
- NASA Dryden Lockheed C-140 Jetstar 1964. Electronic variable stability, propfan engine (1981) and laminar flow wing testbed (1985)[4]
- Lockheed Have Blue – Stealth technology demonstrator
- Lockheed Vega Winnie Mae – high-altitude research – confirmed existence of jet stream
- Lockheed QT-2 – Quiet Thruster noise suppression experiments
- Lockheed XC-35 – pressurized cabin development
- Lockheed XV-4 Hummingbird – jetlift VTOL
- LTV XC-142 – VTOL transport
- Martin 162A Tadpole Clipper – proof of concept aircraft
- Martin XB-26H Marauder – tandem undercarriage
- McDonnell Douglas MD-81 UHB - General Electric GE36 and PW-Allison 578-DX propfan engine testbed
- NASA AD-1 Oblique Wing
- NASA Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology experimental aircraft (ALTUS, Pathfinder and Helios)
- NASA Hyper III
- NASA M2-F1 - lifting body/re-entry vehicle
- NASA Pathfinder - solar-powered aircraft
- Northrop F-5 Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstrator – shockwave reduction
- Northrop HL-10 – lifting body/re-entry vehicle research
- Northrop M2-F2 – lifting body/re-entry vehicle research
- Northrop M2-F3 – lifting body/re-entry vehicle research
- Northrop N-1M – flying wing research
- Northrop N-9M – flying wing proof of concept aircraft for Northrop YB-35
- Northrop Tacit Blue – Stealth technology demonstrator
- Piasecki PV-2 – helicopter technology demonstrator
- Piasecki VZ-8 Airgeep – liftfan VTOL research
- Republic XF-84H "Thunderscreech" – supersonic propellor
- Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor – inversely tapered swept wing
- Rockwell HiMAT - Maneuverability and control research
- Rockwell XFV-12 Tethered tested in 1978, but never flew. Augmented wing, vectored thrust VTOL
- Rotary Rocket Roton 1999. Single stage to orbit helicopter rocket
- Ryan VZ-3 Vertiplane 1958. Blown flap VTOL research
- Ryan XV-5 Vertifan 1964. Fan lift VTOL research
- Sawyer Skyjacker II – Low aspect ratio research aircraft
- Scaled Composites Proteus 1998. Telecommunication relay testbed
- Schweizer SGS 1-29 1958. Laminar flow research on wings made of metal
- Sikorsky S-69 1981. Compound co-axial research
- Sikorsky S-72 1976. Helicopter/aircraft hybrid research
- Sikorsky S-75 1984. Advanced Composite Aircraft Program
- Sikorsky S-76 SHADOW 1985 Sikorsky Helicopter Advanced Demonstrator and Operator Workload
- Stinson L-1 Vigilant – 1 example modified for boundary layer experiments
- Travel Air 2000 Besler steam aircraft
- Vertol VZ-2 – tilt wing VTOL research
- Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" – disk wing research for Vought XF5U
- Vought V-326[5] – high-altitude test aircraft
- Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 – helicopter
References
- http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/7016.htm. Retrieved Aug 2015. Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - Harrison, Ronald W., Gee Bee Ascender, Journal AAHS Fall 1984, p 190-191
- Hannan, Bill, le Gee Bee qui volait a l'envers, Le Fanatique de l' Aviation, No 161, page numbers unknown
- Gibbs, Yvonne. "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Lockheed JetStar Research Aircraft". NASA. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- Eckland, K.O. (2009-04-25). "Aerofiles Vought (Chance Vought), Lewis & Vought, Vought-Sikorsky". USA: Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
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