Bell X-22A Quad-Tilt-Duct VTOL Research Aircraft Family
The Bell X-22A was a U.S. Navy-sponsored VTOL research aircraft with four tilting ducted propellers arranged in tandem pairs. The ducts rotated from vertical lift to forward flight, while variable-stability instrumentation let researchers study hover, transition and control of future V/STOL transports. Two aircraft were built, and the surviving research lineage remained useful long after the first prototype was lost.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Bell X-22X-22ABell Model D2127Quad Tilt-Duct
- Family Name
- Bell X-22A
- Full Name
- Bell X-22A Quad-Tilt-Duct VTOL Research Aircraft Family
- Roles
- militaryexperimentalresearchtechnology_demonstrator
- Status
- retired
- Type
- aircraft
Details
- Aircraft Specs
- Configuration
- powered_lift
- Operating Modes
- land
- Takeoff Landing Capabilities
- vtol
- Description
- The Bell X-22A was a U.S. Navy-sponsored VTOL research aircraft with four tilting ducted propellers arranged in tandem pairs. The ducts rotated from vertical lift to forward flight, while variable-stability instrumentation let researchers study hover, transition and control of future V/STOL transports. Two aircraft were built, and the surviving research lineage remained useful long after the first prototype was lost.
- First Flight Year
- 1,966
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 7, 2026 at 22:09:17 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 7, 2026 at 22:09:17 UTC