Bell X-5 Variable-Sweep Research Aircraft Family
The Bell X-5 was the world’s first high-performance aircraft able to vary wing sweep in flight. Two aircraft investigated variable-sweep aerodynamics and production feasibility from 1951, exposing the handling and spin boundaries of a 20-to-60-degree sweep range and supplying early flight data for later swing-wing designs.
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Identity
- Aliases
- X-5Bell X-5Variable-sweep research aircraft
- Family Name
- Bell X-5
- Full Name
- Bell X-5 Variable-Sweep Research Aircraft Family
- Roles
- researchexperimentaltechnology_demonstrator
- Status
- retired
- Type
- aircraft
Details
- Aircraft Specs
- Configuration
- fixed_wing
- Operating Modes
- land
- Takeoff Landing Capabilities
- conventional
- Description
- The Bell X-5 was the world’s first high-performance aircraft able to vary wing sweep in flight. Two aircraft investigated variable-sweep aerodynamics and production feasibility from 1951, exposing the handling and spin boundaries of a 20-to-60-degree sweep range and supplying early flight data for later swing-wing designs.
- First Flight Year
- 1,951
- Propulsion Configurations
- Entries
- Nested value
- Name
- Bell X-5 J35 installation
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 15, 2026 at 02:54:33 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 15, 2026 at 02:54:33 UTC