The Bell XV-3 (Bell 200) is an American tiltrotor aircraft developed by Bell Helicopter for a joint research program between the United States Air Force and the United States Army in order to …

The product of a 1951 joint U.S. Air Force-U.S. Army initiative, the Bell XV-3 became the world's first successful Vertical Short TakeOff and Landing (VSTOL) tilt-rotor aircraft. By combining …

In 1953, under Lichten’s leadership, Bell won an Army- and Air Force-funded Convertible Aircraft Program contract to develop two demonstrator tilt rotor flight vehicles. The aircraft, designated …

Bell Helicopter Textron experimented with the twin-engine proof-of-concept XV-15 tilt-rotor in the 1970s, and in the 1980s teamed with Boeing to produce the V-22 Osprey. Today, the direct...

Apr 9, 2025 · The Bell XV-3 was a bold leap into vertical flight technology—a hybrid aircraft featuring massive 25-foot propellers and the early DNA of modern tiltrotors. This experimental …

May 21, 2021 · Major Robert C. Ferry piloted the Bell XV-3 Convertiplane on its first Air Force flight. The XV-3 was an experimental tilt rotor aircraft with fixed wings and tail surfaces, and …

May 22, 2023 · Explore the history of tilt rotors and how it all began with Bell's XV-3 test aircraft. Discover how this pioneer aviation concept was created.

The XV-3 used the reliable 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine mated to a two-speed manual gearbox, similar in principal to that of the Transcendental 1G. The fuselage was 30 ft …

The XV-3 that Lichten and Bell designed for the U.S. Army was a small aircraft, only 5,000 pounds gross weight. It used the 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine mated to a two-speed...

The Bell XV-15 is an American tiltrotor VTOL aircraft. It was the second successful experimental tiltrotor aircraft and the first to demonstrate the concept's high speed performance relative to …