List of aircraft produced by a number of countries to test new concepts and technology
For other uses, see Experimental aircraft.
A group of 1950s NACA research aircraft
As used here, an experimental or research and development aircraft, sometimes also called an X-plane, is one which is designed or substantially adapted to investigate novel flight technologies.[1][2][3]
Argentina
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FMA I.Ae. 37 glider – testbed for production fighter
Australia
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GAF Pika – manned test craft for drone program
Brazil
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Baumgartl PB-60 – towed experimental rotor kite
Canada
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Canadair CL-84 Dynavert tilt-wing VTOL research aircraft
AEA Silver Dart (1909) – First aircraft to fly in Canada
Avro Canada Avrocar – Ducted fan VTOL
Birdman Project 102 –
Canadair CL-52 – jet engine testbed (converted Boeing B-47)
Canadair CL-84 Dynavert – tilt-wing VTOL
de Havilland Canada C-8A – Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft
de Havilland Canada C-8A – Air-Cushion Landing System
Cierva C.4 1923 – Experimental autogyro, first to fly
Cierva C.6 1924 – Experimental autogyro
Sweden
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Saab 201 - Aerodynamic testbed for Saab 29 Tunnan
Saab 202 – Aerodynamic testbed for Saab 32 Lansen
Saab 210 1952 – Aerodynamic testbed for double delta concept for Saab 35 Draken
Switzerland
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Solar Impulse Project – Solar power technology demonstrator
United Kingdom
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Avro 707 research aircraft in formation with Avro Vulcan bomber prototypesFairey Delta 2 research aircraftGloster E.28/39 jet engine research aircraftMiles M.35 Libellula canard research aircraft
Armstrong Whitworth Ape 1926 – Variable configuration aerodynamic test vehicle
Bell X-1 supersonic research aircraftBell X-5 variable-sweep wing testbedNorth American X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered research aircraftGrumman X-29 forward swept wing and stability research aircraftMcDonnell Douglas X-36 in flightBoeing X-48B from above
X-planes
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Main article: List of X-planes
Bell X-1 – Supersonic flight and 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 nuclear-powered aircraft)
Lockheed X-7 – 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)
Bell X-16 - High-altitude reconnaissance jet
Lockheed X-17 – Research rocket testing high mach re-entry
Hiller X-18 – Tiltwing STOVL cargo aircraft
Curtiss-Wright X-19 – VTOL tiltrotor
Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar – Spaceplane program
Northrop X-21 – Laminar flow wing
Bell X-22 – Ducted fan V/STOL
Martin X-23 PRIME – Lifting body reentry vehicle testbed
Martin Marietta X-24 – Lifting body test aircraft
Bensen X-25 – Single-seat autogyro
Schweizer X-26 Frigate – Sailplane
Lockheed X-27 Lancer – high-performance technology demonstrator based on Lockheed CL-1200
Pereira X-28A Sea Skimmer – Single-seat flying boat for US Navy
Grumman X-29 – Forward-swept wing test aircraft
Rockwell X-30 – Single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft
Rockwell-MBB X-31 – Extreme angle of attack test aircraft
Boeing X-32 – Joint Strike Fighter Program technology demonstrator
Lockheed Martin X-33 – Unmanned scale demonstrator for VentureStar single stage to orbit spacecraft
Orbital Sciences X-34 – Reusable launch vehicle testbed
Lockheed Martin X-35 – Joint Strike Fighter Program technology demonstrator, developed into 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 for X-37 guidance and flight characteristics
X-41 Common Aero Vehicle – Classified DARPA/NASA maneuvering re-entry vehicle
Boeing X-50 Dragonfly – Gyrodyne unmanned aerial vehicle
Boeing X-51 Waverider – Mach 5+ scramjet missile demonstrator
Boeing 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
NASA X-57 Maxwell - Electric-powered light aircraft
Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST - Low-boom supersonic aircraft
Generation Orbit X-60 - Air-launched single stage suborbital rocket vehicle
Dynetics X-61 Gremlins - Unmanned aerial vehicle
General Dynamics X-62 VISTA - Variable stability, thrust vectoring (formerly known as NF-16D VISTA)
ABL Space Systems X-63 - Aerospike variant of RS1 rocket booster
Invocon X-64 - Recoverable suborbital rocket
Aurora X-65 CRANE - active flow control demonstrator
Boeing X-66 - Truss-Based Wing demonstrator
Other experimental types
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US Army Bell 533 high speed helicopter research aircraftXFV-12A on ramp at NAA in Columbus, OhioScaled Composites Proteus in flight during 2002 for US Department of Energy ARM-UAV program
Acme Sierra 1959 – Technology demonstrator
AstroFlight Sunrise 1974 – Solar powered drone
Ball-Bartoe Jetwing 1977 – Blown wing research
Bell D-292 1985 – Advanced Composite Airframe Program
Bell L-39 1946 – Swept wing research
Bell Model 65 1954 – Tiltjet VTOL
Bell XV-15 1977 – Tiltrotor VTOL, precursor to V-22 Osprey
Bell 533 1962 – US Army high speed helicopter experiments
Boeing ecoDemonstrator 2012 – 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