History’s Unique Aircraft

The close air support YA-9A had intriguing design features despite losing a pivotal contract to replace the aging Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
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The 327 was Cessna’s solution to a downsizing opportunity. Then it ended up in a NASA wind tunnel.
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This remarkable aircraft lacked a windscreen or enclosed fuselage but made up for it with a second engine.
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Though the V-tail was the most notable design feature of the aircraft, it paled in comparison to the originality and uniqueness of the ...
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The prototype's wing lift was artificially boosted by an extensive pattern of razor-thin slots in the upper wing surface to reduce drag.
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NASA's Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft was designed to navigate inner-city airports in dense population centers.
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When the RB-1 was constructed to compete in the 1920 Gordon Bennett trophy race in France, it utilized features unheard of in that ...
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The X-plane explored VTOL technologies and was used by NASA astronauts to refine their moon-landing skills.
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Named after a Klingon spacecraft from Star Trek and given the designation “YF-118G”, the jet incorporated dramatic design inside and out.
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The airframe configuration of the single-engine Piper PA-47 PiperJet presented a unique set of engineering challenges.
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