Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

Experimental aviation

From the Wright Flyer to the X-planes: the experimental and research aircraft that changed aviation.

19aircraft
4eras
1903–2024first flights
5countries

About experimental aircraft

Experimental aircraft are built to test new ideas before they are used in production aircraft: new wings, new engines, new materials or completely new ways of flying. Many were one-offs, built in only one or two examples and flown by test pilots who took great risks.

From the Wright Flyer of 1903 to the jets of the 1940s and the American X-planes, these aircraft broke the sound barrier, reached the edge of space and paved the way for the airliners and fighters we know today. Modern test aircraft are working on quiet supersonic flight, drones and new forms of propulsion.

Choose an era below, or use the A–Z list to go straight to an aircraft.

WF Wright Flyer 1903 Pioneers Wright Flyer First sustained, controlled powered flight — 17 December 1903 at Kitty Hawk Wright brothers · United States→
RN Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis 1927 Pioneers Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis First solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic, New York–Paris, by Charles Lindbergh (1927) Ryan Airlines · United States→
HH Heinkel He 178 1939 Jet age Heinkel He 178 World's first aircraft to fly on turbojet power (27 August 1939) Heinkel · Germany→
GE Gloster E.28/39 Whittle 1941 Jet age Gloster E.28/39 Whittle First British jet aircraft, with Frank Whittle's jet engine (1941) Gloster · United Kingdom→
Messerschmitt Me-262 1942 Messerschmitt Me-262 Jet age Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe The world's first operational jet fighter Messerschmitt · Germany→
X-1 Bell X-1 1946 X-1 X-planes & research Bell X-1 First aircraft to break the sound barrier in level flight — Chuck Yeager, 14 October 1947 Bell Aircraft · United States→
NA North American F-86 Sabre 1947 Jet age North American F-86 Sabre One of the first swept-wing jet fighters in the West North American Aviation · United States→
MM Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI 1947 Jet age Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI One of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters Mikoyan-Gurevich · Soviet Union→
X-15 North American X-15 1959 X-15 X-planes & research North American X-15 Fastest crewed, powered aircraft: Mach 6.7 (1967) North American Aviation · United States→
XB-1 2024 XB-1 Future & in development Boom XB-1 Baby Boom First independently developed civil jet to fly supersonic (2025) Boom Supersonic · United States→
X-59 Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST X-59 Future & in development Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST Designed to turn the sonic boom into a quiet "thump" Lockheed Martin Skunk Works · United States→
X-65 Aurora X-65 CRANE X-65 Future & in development Aurora X-65 CRANE Controlled by jets of air instead of moving flaps and rudders Aurora Flight Sciences · United States→
HD Future & in development Hermeus Darkhorse Hypersonic aircraft under development by Hermeus, with the Halcyon as a planned passenger version. Hermeus · United States→
RV Future & in development REGENT Viceroy All-electric seaglider that flies just above the water along coastal routes. REGENT · United States→
YFQ-44A Anduril YFQ-44A Fury YFQ-44A Future & in development Anduril YFQ-44A Fury Uncrewed jet developed to fly alongside crewed fighters as a "loyal wingman". Anduril Industries · United States→