| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Registration / Serial: | 54-148 |
| Alternate Serial: | 4148 |
| Aircraft Original Type: | Bell XV-3 |
| Aircraft Generic Type: | Bell XV-3 |
| Aircraft Version: | Bell XV-3 |
| C/n (msn): | [ 54-148 ] |
| Operator Titles: | USA - Army / NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| City / Airport: | Dayton - Wright-Patterson AFB / Patterson AFBMap |
| Region / Country: | Ohio, United States |
| Airport Codes: | ICAO: KFFO IATA: FFO Local: FFO Other: - |
| Collection: | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
| Photo Date: | 22 November 2022 |
| Photo by: | Arjun Sarup |
| Photo ID: | 542283 |
| Photo Comment |
|---|
|
On display in the Research & Development Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. This was the world's first VSTOL tilt-rotor aircraft, powered by a single P&W R-985 Wasp. It was the result of a joint initiative in 1951 between the US Army and USAF. Two were built, and the first hover tests began in 1955. Take off to horizontal flight and back was achieved on 18 Dec 58. It never went into production, but paved the way later for the CV-22 Osprey. The first XV-3 was written off, and this is the only surviving example. This photo is copyright © Arjun Sarup, and may not be used or published in any way without permission. It was added on 29 January 2023, and has since been viewed 143 times. |