Current Location: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington DC, USA
The N-1M made its first test flight on July 3, 1940, at Baker Dry Lake, California, with Vance Breese at the controls. Breese's inaugural flight in the N-1 M was inauspicious. During a high-speed taxi run, the aircraft hit a rough spot in the dry lake bed, bounced into the air and accidentally became airborne for a few hundred yards. The N-1M was plagued by poor performance because it was both overweight and chronically underpowered. Despite these problems, Northrop convinced General H. H. Hap" Arnold that the N-1 M was successful enough to serve as the forerunner of more advanced flying wing concepts, and the aircraft did form the basis for Northrop's subsequent development of the N-M9 and of the larger and longer-ranged XB-35 and YB-49 flying wings.
Current Location: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington DC, USA
The aircraft was delivered to the USAAF on 28 July 1945, and was flying out off Ladd Field, Alaska. It was used for cold weather flight testing until 30 March 1946. The aircraft was later moved to Pinecastle AFB in Florida, and took part in National Thunderstorm Project. The aircraft was used to fly into turbulent thunderstorms, and collect data from within the storm. The aircraft was placed into storage for use as a museum piece in 1950. The NACA borrowed the aircraft and continued to fly it out of Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California, on February 14, 1951.
Current Location: RAF Museum Hendon, London, England
Aircraft was built on 08 June 1945. Aircraft operated as a trainer in several base units until 27 May 1952, when it was transferred to the Yugoslavian Air Force, where it was used a front line fighter until the Air Force was equipped with jet fighter aircraft in 1957. It remained in a training role until 1961.
Current Location: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington DC, USA
The aircraft was delivered to the USAAF on 27 October 1944. It served as a trainer out of Godman Field, Kentucky. On 27 January 1946, the aircraft was removed from active service and designated a museum piece.
Current Location: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington DC, USA
This particular aircraft is a survivor of the Pearl Harbor bombings on 07 December 1941. The aircraft was launched on an unsuccessful attempt to find the Japanese fleet after the attack.
Current Location: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington DC, USA
This is the prototype of the R-4 helicopter. The first mass produced helicopter. The helicopter first flew on January 14, 1942, with Sikorsky chief test pilot Les Morris at the controls. On April 20, 1942, the XR-4 ascended to 1,520 m (5,000 ft). The aircraft was the also the first helicopter outside of Germany to safely travel cross-country. The most significant feat undertaken by Les Morris and the XR-4 was the flight to deliver the machine from the Sikorsky plant to the Army Air Corps test center at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. The journey began on May 13, 1942. Since, the aircraft had a maximum speed of seventy miles per hour, and could remain aloft less than two hours, it took Morris sixteen flights between refueling stops to cover the 1,225 km (761 miles) distance. The Army accepted the helicopter on 30 May 1942 for testing, and completed its testing and trials on 05 January 1943. In May 1943, the XR-4 demonstrated shipboard helicopter operations from the deck of the SS "Bunker Hill." Sikorsky fitted the XR-4 with pontoon floats and demonstrated takeoffs and landings from the water. Col. Gregory and his team also extensively demonstrated the amphibious XR-4 with much success. The team then used the XR-4 and a YR-4A to conduct extensive shipboard operations from the troopship USS "James Parker."