X-Nico

2 unusual facts about experimental aircraft


Akaflieg München Mü18 Meßkrähe

Initiated by the RLM (Reichsluftfahrministerium – Reich Aviation Ministry), the Mü18 "Meßkrähe" was an experimental flying wind-tunnel used to research aerofoil sections in undisturbed airflow.

Mitsubishi RP-1

The Mitsubishi RP-1 is an Experimental Japanese twin-engined helicopter developed as part of a secret company research programme.


Bede BD-2

The Bede BD-2 was an American experimental powered sailplane designed by Jim Bede to attempt an unrefuelled round-the-world flight.

Dynon Avionics

Dynon's instruments are not certified under FAA TSO spcifications, and are developed for Experimental aircraft, Homebuilt aircraft, and Light Sport aircraft that include the avionics as part of their approved equipment during LSA certification.

NUST Starfish 5

Starfish 5 (Hai-Xing or Haixing, 海星) is a Chinese experimental UAV developed by Nanjing University of Science and Technology (NUST) to gain knowledge of carrier landing technology.

Paulhan-Tatin Aéro-Torpille No.1

The Paulhan-Tatin Aéro-Torpille No.1, (also known as Paulhan-Tatin Aero Torpedo), was a French experimental aircraft built in 1911 as a collaboration between the famous pilot Louis Paulhan and Victor Tatin, a scientist who had experimented with various types of flying models and in 1879 had made the first model aircraft to take off under its own power.

Schweizer SGS 1-36 Sprite

The Schweizer SGS 1-36 Sprite experimental prototype, registered N502NA, was acquired by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California and used for research into controlled, deep-stall conditions at an angle of attack of more than 30 degrees.


see also

20th Century Technology Museum

The museum's collection consists mostly of smaller items, such as radios, but also has a few experimental aircraft, including an ornithopter and a Rutan VariEze, which is displayed in front of the museum.

Boeing GA-1

The first of the Engineering Division's heavily armored GAX series (ground attack, experimental) aircraft, the ponderous airplane was intended to strafe ground troops while remaining immune to attack from the ground as well as from other enemy aircraft.

Crows Landing, California

There is a small airport west of town that was used as an auxiliary landing site for training World War II pilots from Naval Air Station Alameda, and later for NASA's experimental aircraft from the Ames Research Center in Mountain View.

Dufaux 4

The Dufaux 4 was an experimental aircraft built in Switzerland in 1909 and which was originally constructed as an unnamed biplane, the third aircraft constructed by the brothers Armand and Henri Dufaux.

Esnault-Pelterie R.E.P. 1

The Esnault-Pelterie R.E.P. 1 and the R.E.P. 2 were experimental aircraft built and flown in France in the early twentieth century by Robert Esnault-Pelterie.

Goupy No.2

The Goupy No.2 was an experimental aircraft designed by Ambroise Goupy and Mario Calderara and built in France in 1909 at the Blériot factory at Buc.

Kisarazu Air Field

The base was also used for training, and the testing of experimental aircraft, including Japan's first jet-powered aircraft, the Nakajima Kikka.

Miles M.39B Libellula

The M.39B Libellula (from Libellulidae, a taxonomic family of dragonflies) was a Second World War tandem wing experimental aircraft built by Miles Aircraft; a scale version of the M.39 design proposed by Miles to meet Air Ministry specification B.11/41 for a fast bomber.

Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov

In 1928, under provisions of the Five Year Plan for experimental aircraft design, Polikarpov was assigned to develop the primarily wooden I-6 fighter for delivery by mid-1930.

Paulhan biplane

The Paulhan biplane was a French experimental aircraft designed in 1910 by the successful aviator Louis Paulhan in collaboration with Henri Fabre.

Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe

It enabled the player to fly aircraft of the USAAF Eighth Air Force and the German Luftwaffe, including some experimental aircraft that did not see operational service during World War II.

Test Pilot

Test pilot, pilots who work on developing, evaluating and proving experimental aircraft

The American Way

Named after the USAF/USN North American X-15 from the X-plane series of 1960's experimental aircraft.

Walter E. Mooney

Designer of the ROHR Two-175 Experimental Aircraft almost put in production to compete against the Cessna 172 in 1971.

X38

NASA X-38, an American experimental aircraft tested by NASA