The AvroCar
The Avrocar was a conceptual vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft built by Canadian company Avro in 1958 for the US Air Force.M2-F1 lifting body
Wingless: M2-F1 lifting body in towed flight, it was the first of five designs of lifting body, in which aerodynamic lift is derived from the shape of the fuselage rather than from wings
The HiMAT
Remote: The HiMAT (Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology) experimental aircraft built by Rockwell in 1979 for NASA and the US Air Force, It was a scaled down remotely operated aircraft built to explore new technology for future fighter aircraft
The X-36 - tailless fighter
Look ma, no tail! The McDonell Douglas X-36 aircraft, scale model prototype jet aircraft built to test the flying ability of a tail-less aircraft which was built in 1997 and was operated remotely from the ground
The AD-1
Lopsided: The AD-1 oblique wing aircraft built in 1979 by Ames Industrial for NASA. The AD-1 could pivot its entire wingspan from zero to 60 degrees during flight
The VZ-2
Rotating wing: The Vertol VZ-2 aircraft, this aircraft was a tilt-wing VTOL (vertical take-off and landing), on a runway, this aircraft first flew on 13 August 1957, and was retired in 1965 in Virginia
Mil V-12
The Russian-built Mil V-12 is the world's largest helicopter, at a stunning 28 metres in length and 4.4 metres in width and height.
Northrop XP-79B - The flying chainsaw
Weird-looking: The Northrop XP-79B flying wing aircraft, built in 1945 by Jack Northrop for the US Army; It was designed as a flying wing fighter aircraft powered by two jet engines
The (cool) X-48B
The X-48B Blended Wing Body aircraft model - prototype, a cross between a conventional plane and a flying wing design, was created based on a need for a multi-role, long-range and high-capacity military transport aircraft
The Nasa Hyper III
Futuristic look - The NASA Hyper III aircraft was built in 1969 as part of the lifting body program Lifting body aircraft had short, bulbous or curved fuselages and featured minimal wings or were wingless
The Vought V-173 - "Flying Pancake"
The Vought V-173 built in 1942 for the US Navy. The semi-circular all-wing design earned it the nick-name of flying pancake. The compact design made the V-172 structurally strong, offered high manoeuvrability and could fly at very slow speeds
The HL-10
Top Gun Pilot Jerauld Gentry standing in front of the HL-10. This was one of a series of experimental space re-entry aircraft known as lifting body designs. The design increased the aerodynamic capabilities of the aircraft.
Vertol VZ-2
Buzzy bee: Vertol VZ-2 aircraft, this aircraft was a tilt-wing VTOL. This aircraft first flew on 13 August 1957, and was retired in 1965 in Virginia. The wings are designed to tilt to allow the rotors to lift the aircraft the way they would on a helicopter
The SU-47 Berkut
Red star: The Su-47 Berkut is an experimental fighter jet built by Russian company Sukhoi in 1997, it features a pair of fixed wings that sweep forwards. The high lift-to-drag ratio of the wing design provides enhanced manoeuvrability at supersonic speeds
The 'pregnant guppy'
The Douglas X-3
To the point: The Douglas X-3 Stiletto experimental jet aircraft built in 1952 for the US Air Force, It featured a narrow fuselage, tiny wings and a long tapered nose making it the sleekest aircraft for its time
The X-wing (Sikorsky S-72)
X marks the spot: The X-Wing was an experimental hybrid helicopter/fixed wing aircraft built in 1986 by helicopter maker Sikorsky for NASA. It could fly with or without rotor blades which would act as an additional pair of wings
The Ryan X-13
Part plane, part rocket: The Ryan X-13 Vertijet, built by Ryan Aeronautical in 1955 for the US Air Force, would take off vertically, fly horizontally and land vertically
Additional Readings -
The habit of buzzing photographers
Author - Jake Meilak
Related Questions
What are some of the strangest aircraft ever built?
Aviation history includes many bizarre aircraft: the saucer-shaped Avrocar, the wingless M2-F1 lifting body, the tailless X-36, the oblique-wing AD-1, the "Flying Pancake" Vought V-173, and the giant Mil V-12 helicopter. Most were experimental and never entered service but advanced aviation technology.
What was the Avrocar?
The Avrocar was a flying-saucer-shaped vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft built by Canada's Avro company in 1958 for the US Air Force. Although it looked futuristic, it proved unstable and could only hover close to the ground, and the project was eventually cancelled.
What is a lifting body aircraft?
A lifting body is an aircraft that generates lift from the shape of its fuselage rather than from conventional wings. NASA's M2-F1, the first of five lifting-body designs, tested the concept in the 1960s. The research helped develop later spacecraft, including the Space Shuttle.
What was the oblique-wing AD-1?
The AD-1 was an experimental NASA aircraft built in 1979 that could pivot its single straight wing in flight, from straight across to an angle of up to 60 degrees. This "oblique wing" aimed to improve efficiency at different speeds, though the concept never entered production.
What is the largest helicopter ever built?
The Soviet Mil V-12 is the largest helicopter ever built, a prototype with two enormous side-by-side rotors. It never entered series production, but it still holds records as the biggest and one of the heaviest-lifting helicopters ever flown.
Why were so many experimental aircraft never mass-produced?
Many experimental aircraft were "noble failures" — they tested radical ideas like tailless designs, oblique wings, or lifting bodies that proved impractical or unnecessary. Even so, they advanced aviation knowledge and shaped later designs across the evolution of military aviation.
What was the Northrop XP-79B?
The Northrop XP-79B was an unusual flying-wing fighter built by Jack Northrop in 1945 for the US Army, powered by two jet engines. Like many radical early jets — including the first jet bombers such as the B-45 Tornado — it was experimental and did not enter service.
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Interesante el sitio me gustaria rfecivir informacion sobre la actividad aeronautica saludos cordiales.
Interesante el sitio me gustaria recivir informacion de la actividad aeronautica.
Wow, amazing!!!
Who else thinks the Douglas-x3 was designed from a syringe?