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 of their own development are excluded.

Germany

 * Akaflieg Berlin B 9 – prone pilot
 * Akaflieg Darmstadt/Akaflieg München DM1 – delta wing
 * Albatros L.81 - elektron metal structure testbed
 * AVA AF 1 – augumented lift
 * Blohm & Voss Fg 227 – scale proof of concept
 * DFS 194 – tailless rocket aircraft used in development of Me 163
 * DFS 346 – supersonic reconnaissance aircraft used for research
 * Dornier Do 29 – tilt rotor STOL
 * Dornier Do 31 – VTOL transport


 * 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
 * Gotha G.VI - asymetric flying surfaces
 * Gotha Go 147 – tailless 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 – all metal cantilever monoplane
 * 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 - swing wings
 * 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
 * VFW VAK 191B – VTOL fighter
 * Zeppelin-Lindau (Dornier) V1 - stressed skin construction

Japan

 * Gasuden Koken – long range experimental aircraft
 * Honda MH02 - materials and engine placement
 * Kawasaki Ki-78 - high speed research aircraft
 * Kayaba Ku-2 - 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 – tank glider
 * Atonov 181 – custer channel wing demonstrator
 * Bartini Beriev VVA-14 – Ekranoplan
 * 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
 * Kozlov PS – invisible aircraft (covered in transparent material)
 * MAI EMAI – magnesium construction
 * Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8 – pusher canard proof of concept
 * 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
 * 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-1000 – supersonic technology demonstrator
 * Zveno project – parasite fighters

Sweden

 * Saab 202 aerodynamic testbed for Saab 32 Lansen
 * Saab 210 aerodynamic testbed for Saab 35 Draken

Taiwan (Republic of China)

 * Chu Hummingbird - experimental helicopter

United Kingdom

 * Armstrong Whitworth Ape – aerodynamic test vehicle
 * Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 - flying wing
 * Avro 707 – 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
 * de Havilland DH 108 Swallow – swept wing tailless transsonic research aircraft
 * English Electric P.1A - supersonic research aircraft
 * 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 – tailess 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
 * Cierva W.9 – helicopter with anti-torque jet efflux
 * 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

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
 * Sikorsky Piasecki X-49 compound helicopter technology demonstrator
 * Boeing X-50 Dragonfly gyrodyne unmanned aerial vehicle
 * Boeing X-51 Mach 7 scramjet
 * 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 – pusher configuration
 * ALTUS, Pathfinder and Helios were NASA's NASA Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology experimental aircraft
 * AstroFlight Sunrise
 * Ball-Bartoe Jetwing – blown wing research
 * Bell D-292 – Advanced Composite Airframe Program
 * Bell L-39 – swept wing research
 * Bell Model 65 – tiltjet VTOL
 * Bell XV-15 – tiltrotor VTOL and precursor to V-22 Osprey.
 * Bell 533 – a modified UH-1B helicopter used by the US Army for experimentation with various high speed technology enhancements.
 * Budd BB-1 Pioneer – stainless steel construction
 * Burnelli RB-1 – lifting body proof of concept vehicle
 * Chrysler VZ-6 – ducted fan
 * Convair NB-36 – nuclear propelled aircraft testbed
 * Convair XF-92 Dart - delta wing jet
 * Curtiss-Wright VZ-7
 * Curtiss-Wright X-100 – tilt rotor VTOL (developed into X-200 and X-19)
 * Custer Channel Wings
 * DARPA Falcon Project
 * Doak VZ-4 – tiltfan VTOL
 * Douglas D-558-I Skystreak – supersonic research
 * Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket – supersonic research
 * Fairchild VZ-5 – deflected air VTOL
 * Farrar LSG-1 Bird Flight Machine
 * Gee Bee Model Q – canard built to test concept
 * General Dynamics F-16XL – cranked wing
 * General Dynamics F-16 VISTA – variable stability
 * Gossamer Albatross – human powered flight
 * Gossamer Condor – human powered flight
 * Hiller VZ-1 Pawnee – direct lift rotor platform
 * Kaman K-125 – experimental intermesh rotor helicopter
 * Kaman K-16 – modified Grumman Goose Xused for V/STOL research
 * Lockheed Altair8-G – twinned engine testbed (both engines were in a single cowl)
 * 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
 * NASA AD-1 Oblique Wing
 * 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
 * Piasecki X-49 – experimental compound helicopter
 * Republic XF-84H "Thunderscreech" – supersonic propellor
 * Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor – inversely tapered swept wing
 * Rockwell HiMAT - Maneuverability and control research
 * Rotary Rocket Roton
 * Ryan VZ-3 Vertiplane – blown flap VTOL research
 * Ryan XV-5 Vertifan – fan lift VTOL research
 * Sawyer Skyjacker II – Low aspect ratio research aircraft
 * Scaled Composites Proteus - telecommunication relay testbed
 * Schweizer SGS 1-29 - laminar flow research
 * Sikorsky S-69 – compound co-axial research
 * Sikorsky S-72 – helicopter/aircraft hybrid research
 * Sikorsky S-75 – Advanced Composite Aircraft Program
 * Sikorsky S-76 SHADOW – 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 – high altitude test aircraft
 * Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 – helicopter