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]

A group of 1950s NACA research aircraft

Argentina

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Australia

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  • GAF Pika – manned test craft for drone program

Brazil

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Canada

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Canadair CL-84 Dynavert tilt-wing VTOL research aircraft

France

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Breguet-Dorand Gyroplane Laboratoire
 
SNECMA Coléoptère experimental tailsitter in 1959

Germany

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Dornier Do 29 tilt rotor STOL
 
Heinkel He 178 pioneering turbojet-powered aircraft
 
Opel RAK.1 rocket engine research aircraft

Italy

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Caproni-Campini N.1/CC.2 experimental motorjet and second jet aircraft to fly

Poland

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Japan

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Gasuden Koken

Russia/Soviet Union

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Antonov A-40 tank glider
 
Bartini Beriev VVA-14 Ekranoplan
 
Yakovlev Yak-36 VTOL research vehicle

Spain

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Cierva C.6 autogiro

Sweden

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Switzerland

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United Kingdom

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Avro 707 research aircraft in formation with Avro Vulcan bomber prototypes
 
Fairey Delta 2 research aircraft
 
Gloster E.28/39 jet engine research aircraft
 
Miles M.35 Libellula canard research aircraft
 
Rolls-Royce thrust measuring rig VTOL testbed

United States

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Bell X-1 supersonic research aircraft
 
Bell X-5 variable-sweep wing testbed
 
North American X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered research aircraft

X-planes

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Grumman X-29 forward swept wing and stability research aircraft

Other experimental types

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US Army Bell 533 high speed helicopter research aircraft
 
XFV-12A on ramp at NAA in Columbus, Ohio
 
Scaled Composites Proteus in flight during 2002 for US Department of Energy ARM-UAV program
 
Lockheed Vega Winnie Mae high-altitude research aircraft – confirmed existence of jet stream
 
Lifting body research aircraft – from left to right, X-24A, M2-F3 and HL-10
 
Northrop N-9M flying wing
 
Vought V-173 disk wing research aircraft

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hygate, Barrie. British Experimental Jet Aircraft. Argus. 1990.
  2. ^ Suturtivant, Ray. British Research and Development Aircraft. Haynes. 1990.
  3. ^ Burney, Allan (Editor). British X-planes: The Jet Era. Aeroplane Illustrated: Aviation Archive Series. Key Aero. 2015.
  4. ^ "Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet A1 TST". Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  5. ^ Axe, David. "One of These 'Bots Will Be the Navy's Next Killer Drone". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  6. ^ Gibbs, Yvonne (6 August 2015). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Lockheed JetStar Research Aircraft". NASA. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  7. ^ Eckland, K.O. (2009-04-25). "Aerofiles Vought (Chance Vought), Lewis & Vought, Vought-Sikorsky". USA: Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011.