On This Day in Aviation History: The Bell X-22's Pioneering First Flight
The Bell X-22, an American V/STOL X-plane, successfully completed its first flight on March 17, 1966. Developed by Bell Aerosystems, the aircraft featured four unique tilting ducted fans designed to explore the capabilities of a vertical take-off and landing transport. The U.S. Navy ordered two prototypes to evaluate this innovative technology for potential military applications. Although the first prototype was lost in an accident, the second aircraft continued flight testing until 1988. The program provided invaluable data on V/STOL flight control systems, influencing later aircraft designs.
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