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X-plane - This article is about experimental aircraft. For the flight simulator, see X-Plane.
The X-planes are a series of experimental United States aircraft (and some rockets) used for testing of new technologies and usually kept highly secret while the work is underway. The first of these, the Bell X-1, became well-known as the first plane to break the sound barrier, which it did in 1947. Later X-planes yielded important research results, but only the North American X-15 rocket plane of the early 1960s achieved comparable fame. X-planes 7 through 12 were actually missiles, and some other vehicles were unpiloted. Most X-planes are not expected to ever go into full-scale production, and usually only a few are produced. One exception is the Lockheed Martin X-35, which competed against the Boeing X-32 to become the Joint Strike Fighter. X-plane projects are still underway as of 2004. See also Reference External link
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