A tiltrotor aircraft combines the vertical lift capability of a helicopter
with the speed and range of a turboprop airplane.
Their two engines, which tilt on the wings, move the "proprotors" in a counterotating way to counteract the torque of the body.
1941
Focke-Achgelis Fa 269
Nazi tilt-rotor VTOL fighter project. Powered by a single radial engine buried behind the cockpit with a fixed wing and two tilt three-bladed rotors. Only a full-scale mock-up was built before allied bombing raids interrupt its development
1945
Platt and LePage
proposed and patented the first American tilrotor aircraft but the lack of capital caused the company to shut down in August of 1946
1950s - 1960s
Many convertiplanes were built, including the Vertol 76 (1957), Hiller X-18 (1959), LTV XC-142 (1964), Curtiss-Wright X-19 (1963), Canadiar CL-84 Dynavert (1965, picture) and the Nord 500 (1967). They all used a whole tilt wing instead of a tilting engine design
1954
Transcendental Model 1G
First tiltrotor to fly. It was a single seat aircraft powered by a single piston engine. The only one built crashed in 1955
August 23, 1955
Bell 200 [XH-33] XV-3
Starting built in 1953, this experimental aircraft featuring tilting wingtip rotor assemblies flew until 1966. The airframe returns to Texas in 2004 for restoration.
March 17, 1966
X-22
A V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft with four tilting ducted fans and wings. The X-22 was envisioned to travel from city to city without having a great amount of acreage devoted to airports. Two prototypes built for testing by US Navy, one crashed.
1969
Bell 300
Development Mock-up
May 3, 1977
Bell 301 XV-15
Started in 1972 under funding from NASA and the US Army. After three decades is continuing to be used as experimental testbeds.
1987 Bell/Boeing Pointer
An RPV tiltrotor, for research and development weighing 250kg: less than one per cent of the future V-22 Osprey
Their two engines, which tilt on the wings, move the "proprotors" in a counterotating way to counteract the torque of the body.
1941
Focke-Achgelis Fa 269 Nazi tilt-rotor VTOL fighter project. Powered by a single radial engine buried behind the cockpit with a fixed wing and two tilt three-bladed rotors. Only a full-scale mock-up was built before allied bombing raids interrupt its development
1945
Platt and LePage proposed and patented the first American tilrotor aircraft but the lack of capital caused the company to shut down in August of 1946
1950s - 1960s Many convertiplanes were built, including the Vertol 76 (1957), Hiller X-18 (1959), LTV XC-142 (1964), Curtiss-Wright X-19 (1963), Canadiar CL-84 Dynavert (1965, picture) and the Nord 500 (1967). They all used a whole tilt wing instead of a tilting engine design
1954
Transcendental Model 1G
First tiltrotor to fly. It was a single seat aircraft powered by a single piston engine. The only one built crashed in 1955
August 23, 1955
Bell 200 [XH-33] XV-3 Starting built in 1953, this experimental aircraft featuring tilting wingtip rotor assemblies flew until 1966. The airframe returns to Texas in 2004 for restoration.
March 17, 1966
X-22 A V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft with four tilting ducted fans and wings. The X-22 was envisioned to travel from city to city without having a great amount of acreage devoted to airports. Two prototypes built for testing by US Navy, one crashed.
1969
Bell 300
Development Mock-up
May 3, 1977
Bell 301 XV-15 Started in 1972 under funding from NASA and the US Army. After three decades is continuing to be used as experimental testbeds.
1987 Bell/Boeing Pointer An RPV tiltrotor, for research and development weighing 250kg: less than one per cent of the future V-22 Osprey
Bell Boeing Quad TiltRotor (QTR)
A proposed four-rotor derivative of the V-22 with a cargo capacity equivalent to a C-130 Hercules
A proposed four-rotor derivative of the V-22 with a cargo capacity equivalent to a C-130 Hercules
2013
NASA's GL-10 Greased Lightning drone
With a ten-foot/6.7m wingspan and boasts ten electric engines all on tiltwings. With the wings pointed up, the drone take off and land like a helicopter. Once airborne, they'll tilt forward A civilian six to nine passenger tilt-rotor
With a ten-foot/6.7m wingspan and boasts ten electric engines all on tiltwings. With the wings pointed up, the drone take off and land like a helicopter. Once airborne, they'll tilt forward A civilian six to nine passenger tilt-rotor
2017 Bell
V-280 Valor
The Bell / Lockheed-Martin is the proposal for the US Army joint Multi-Role (JMR) / Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program to replace the Black Hawk
The Bell / Lockheed-Martin is the proposal for the US Army joint Multi-Role (JMR) / Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program to replace the Black Hawk
2023 Bell
V-247 Vigilant drone
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) tiltrotor proposed to be used by the U.S. Marines
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) tiltrotor proposed to be used by the U.S. Marines
