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.Hygate, Barrie. British Experimental Jet Aircraft. Argus. 1990.Suturtivant, Ray. British Research and Development Aircraft. Haynes. 1990.Burney, Allan (Editor). British X-planes: The Jet Era. Aeroplane Illustrated: Aviation Archive Series. Key Aero. 2015.

Argentina FMA I.Ae. 37 glider – testbed for production fighter

Australia GAF Pika – manned test craft for drone program

Brazil Baumgartl PB-60 – towed experimental rotor kite

Canada

AEA Silver Dart (1909) – First aircraft to fly in Canada Avro Canada Avrocar – Ducted fan VTOL Birdman Project 102 – Canadair CL-52 – jet engine testbed (converted Boeing B-47) Canadair CL-84 Dynavert – tilt-wing VTOL de Havilland Canada C-8A – Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft de Havilland Canada C-8A – Air-Cushion Landing System de Havilland Canada C-8A – Augmentor Wing Marsden Gemini – variable-geometry glider NRC tailless glider – tailless flying wing UTIAS Ornithopter No.1

France

Aérocentre NC.130 1939 – High-altitude flight Aérospatiale Ludion 1967 – Thrust vectored rocket VTOL Arsenal-Delanne 10 – Tandem wing Arsenal VG 70 – High speed research Arsenal O.101 – Aerodynamic research Arsenal 2301/SFECMAS 2301 and SFECMAS 1301 – Supersonic research glider Breguet-Dorand Gyroplane Laboratoire – Experimental helicopter Breguet-Richet Gyroplane – Experimental helicopter – Monoplane testbed Dassault Balzac V – VTOL testbed Dassault Mirage IIIV – VTOL testbed Dassault Milan – Canard research Dassault Mirage G – Variable geometry Dassault LOGIDUC – Unmanned combat aerial vehicle UCAV development Dassault nEUROn – UCAV technology demonstrator Farman F.1010 – Heavy cannon flight testing Farman F.1020 – Semi-circular wing Fouga Gemeaux – Engine testbed Gastambide-Levavasseur Variable Surface Aircraft – Variable chord wing testbed Gérin Varivol – Variable chord wing testbed

Hanriot HD.28 – tested a Vee tail Hurel-Dubois HD.10 – Very high aspect ratio wings Leduc 0.10 – Ramjet Leduc 0.21 – Ramjet Makhonine Mak-10 – Variable span wing Messier Monoplace Laboratorie – Retractable bicycle undercarriage testbed. Nord 500 – VTOL tilt ducted fan research aircraft Nord 1402/1405 Gerfaut – Delta wing research aircraft Nord 1500 Griffon – Ramjet Nord 1601 – Swept wing research aircraft Payen PA-22 – Tandem delta/normal wings Payen Pa 49 – Tandem delta/normal wings Potez-CAMS 160 – 5/13th scale six engine aerodynamic testbed for development of CAMS 161 Robin X4 – Materials and configuration testbed SNECMA Atar Volant – Vertical lift jet SNECMA Coléoptère – Vertical lift annular wing Sud Est SE-1210 scale aerodynamic testbed for SE-1200 transatlantic flying boat Sud-Ouest Ariel – Tip-jet rotor helicopter Sud-Ouest Farfadet – Convertiplane Sud-Ouest Triton – First French jet aircraft

Germany

Akaflieg Berlin B 9 1943. – Prone pilot Albatros L.81 – Elektron metal structure testbed AVA AF 1 – Augumented lift DFS 194 1940 – Tailless rocket aircraft used in development of Me 163 DFS 346 1948 – Supersonic reconnaissance aircraft used for research Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet TransSonische Tragflügel (TST) – Transonic supercritical wing research Dornier Do 29 – Tilt rotor STOL

Dornier Do 31 – Experimental VTOL transport EWR VJ 101 – Experimental tiltjet VTOL fighter Fieseler Fi 158 – Testbed for radio control system Flettner airplane – Magnus effect test vehicle Flettner Fl 185 – Gyrodyne Focke-Wulf F 19 – Multi-engined canard demonstrator Fokker V.1 – Structures and aerodynamics testbed Göppingen Gö 8 – Development aircraft for Do 214 Göppingen Gö 9 – Pusher (behind tail) aerodynamic testbed for Dornier Do 335 development Gotha Go 147 – Tailless research aircraft

Heinkel He 119 – High-performance 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 – Pioneering all-metal cantilever monoplane (1915) Junkers EF 61 – Pressurization Junkers Ju 49 – High-altitude test aircraft Lippisch Delta IV – Delta wing Lippisch DM-1 1944 – Delta wing glider Lippisch Ente – Rocket-powered canard technology demonstrator Lippisch P.13a – Coal-powered delta wing Messerschmitt Me P.1101 – Variable geometry (swing-wing) jet Opel RAK.1 – Rocket propulsion technology demonstrator RFB X-113 – Wing in ground effect vehicle RFB X-114 – Wing in ground effect vehicle Sack AS-6 – Disk wing technology demonstrator Schmeidler SN.2 – Wing flaps VFW VAK 191B – VTOL fighter Zeppelin-Lindau V I – All-metal stressed skin construction

Italy

Ambrosini Sagittario 1953 – Swept wing research aircraft Bossi-Bonomi Pedaliante 1936 – Human-powered aircraft Caproni Campini N.1 1940 – Jet engine research Jona J-6 – Tilting wing stabilisation system Lualdi-Tassotti ES 53 – Gyro stabilized helicopter Piaggio P.111 – High-altitude research S.C.A. SS.2 – Experimental canard S.C.A. SS.3 Anitra – Experimental canard Stipa-Caproni – Ducted prop research Sandro Simoncini - Experimental helicopter

Poland Flugtechnische Fertigungsgemeinschaft Prag FGP 227 – Scale proof of concept for German BV 238 Lala-1 – Jet biplane testbed for PZL M-15 Belphegor

Japan

Gasuden Koken 1937 – Long range experimental aircraft Honda MH02 1993 – Over wing engines, forward swept wing Kawasaki Ki-78 1942 – High speed research aircraft Kayaba Ku-2 1940 – 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 X1G – High-lift device based on Saab 91 Safir National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) Asuka – STOL Shin Meiwa UF-XS – Proof of concept demonstrator for Shin Meiwa US-1A Mitsubishi T-2CCV - Experimental aircraft for CCV technology Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin – Advanced stealth technology demonstrator

Russia/Soviet Union

Alexeyev – Ekranoplans Antonov A-40 1942 – Tank glider Antonov 181 – Blown channel wing demonstrator Bartini Beriev VVA-14 1972 – Ekranoplan ground effect vehicle 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 Ilyushin Il-76LL – Engine testbeds (5) Kozlov PS – Visibility (covered in transparent material) MAI EMAI – Magnesium construction Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8 Utka – Pusher canard proof of concept (1945) 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 Sukhanov Diskoplan – Disk wings Sukhoi T-10 – Technology demonstrator Sukhoi T-58VD – VTOL research aircraft Sukhoi Su-47 – Technology demonstrator Thermoplan – Heavy lift lenticular-shaped hybrid airship technology demonstrator Tsybin LL – Forward swept wing Tsybin NM-1 – Proof of concept Tupolev Tu-95LAL – Nuclear-powered aircraft Ushakov – Flying submarines Yakovlev Yak-36 – VTOL technology demonstrator Yakovlev Yak-42LL – Progress D-236 propfan engine testbed Yakovlev Yak-1000 – Supersonic technology demonstrator Zveno project – Parasite fighters

Spain

Cierva C.4 1923 – Experimental autogyro, first to fly Cierva C.6 1924 – Experimental autogyro

Sweden Saab 201 - Aerodynamic testbed for Saab 29 Tunnan Saab 202 – Aerodynamic testbed for Saab 32 Lansen Saab 210 1952 – Aerodynamic testbed for double delta concept for Saab 35 Draken

Switzerland Solar Impulse Project – Solar power technology demonstrator

United Kingdom

Armstrong Whitworth Ape 1926 – Variable configuration aerodynamic test vehicle Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 1947 – Jet powered flying wing Avro 707 1949 – Aerodynamic proof of concept for Avro Vulcan delta wing bomber Avro Ashton – Jet engine research vehicle based on Avro Tudor BAC 221 – High speed delta wing research Baynes Bat – Experimental tailless glider Blackburn B-20 – Retractable hull seaplane Boulton Paul P.6 – Wing research Boulton Paul P.92 – Half-scale proof of concept for turret fighter 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 with anti-torque jet efflux de Havilland DH 108 Swallow – Swept wing tailless transsonic research aircraft English Electric P.1A – Supersonic research aircraft modified Fairey Battle – Engine testbed for Rolls-Royce Exe, Fairey Prince (H-16) and Napier Dagger. Fairey Delta 1 – Delta-wing research aircraft Fairey Delta 2 – Delta-wing research aircraft Fairey Jet Gyrodyne – Jet-powered rotor technology demonstrator Folland Fo.108 – Engine test bed General Aircraft GAL.56 – Tailless swept wing glider Gloster E.28/39 – 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 – Handley Page Victor aerodynamic testbed Handley Page HP.115 – Low speed delta-wing research Hawker P.1052 – Swept wing testbed Hawker P.1072 – Armstrong Siddeley Snarler rocket booster testbed Hawker P.1127 – V/STOL technology demonstrator, led to 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 – Metal construction technology demonstrator for flying boats 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 – Tailless glider for isoclinic wing research Short SB.4 Sherpa – Powered isoclinic wing research Short SB.5 – English Electric Lightning wing research 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 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 – Tailless monoplane testbeds Youngman-Baynes High Lift – Youngman flap testbed

United States

X-planes

Bell X-1 – Supersonic flight and sound barrier Bell X-2 – Mach 2–3 supersonic flight