Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft Family
The Bell XV-15 was a joint U.S. Army/NASA proof-of-concept tiltrotor that demonstrated practical conversion between helicopter-mode vertical flight and efficient airplane-mode cruise. Its tilting wingtip nacelles and cross-shafted proprotors established the technology path to the V-22 Osprey and later civil tiltrotors; two Bell-built aircraft supported wind-tunnel, flight, shipboard, and operational research from 1977 onward.
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Identity
- Aliases
- XV-15Bell Model 301Tilt Rotor Research AircraftTRRA
- Family Name
- Bell XV-15
- Full Name
- Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft Family
- Roles
- researchexperimentaltechnology_demonstrator
- Status
- retired
- Type
- aircraft
- Variant Name
- Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft
Details
- Aircraft Specs
- Configuration
- powered_lift
- Operating Modes
- land
- Takeoff Landing Capabilities
- stolvtol
- Description
- The Bell XV-15 was a joint U.S. Army/NASA proof-of-concept tiltrotor that demonstrated practical conversion between helicopter-mode vertical flight and efficient airplane-mode cruise. Its tilting wingtip nacelles and cross-shafted proprotors established the technology path to the V-22 Osprey and later civil tiltrotors; two Bell-built aircraft supported wind-tunnel, flight, shipboard, and operational research from 1977 onward.
- Dimensions
- Height M
- 3.86
- Length M
- 12.83
- Rotor Diameter M
- 7.62
- Wingspan M
- 9.8
- First Flight Year
- 1,977
- Manufacturer
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 1, 2026 at 18:07:37 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 1, 2026 at 18:07:37 UTC