Bell X-14

[johnbr]

Bell X-14 56-4022 Built using Beech T-34 wings and tail, powered by two Bristol-Siddeley Viper engines. First flight February 19, 1957. Assigned to NASA Ames Research Center, NAS Moffett Field, CA October 2, 1959 to May 29, 1981. Used for boundary layer control, STOL and V/STOL research. Later fitted with General Electric J-85 turbojet engines. Redesignated X-14A. Registered as NASA 234, later as NASA 704. In 1965 the aircraft was flown by Neil Armstrong to evaluate control characteristics in vertical flight that would be representative of the Apollo lunar lander during final descent to landing on the Moon. Modified to install a digital variable stability system and uprated GE J-85 engines. Redesignated X-14B 1971. Registered N704NA July 17, 1969, cancelled Nov 18, 1981. Damaged beyond repair in landing a accident May 29, 1981 after a hard landing as a consequence of a lateral control software design flaw that led to a pilot-induced oscillation. It was never flown again. To Fort Rucker, AL for display. By 1996 had left Fort Rucker and was at the Ropkey Armour Museum near Indianapolis.
Bell X-14: Gateway to the Moon | The JetAv Blog | Premier Jet Aviation

 

[johnbr]

The X-14 project provided a great deal of data on VTOL (Vertical TakeOff and Landing) type aircraft and flight control systems. The X-14A also was used by NASA for research on lunar landing maneuvers. The X-14A aircraft flight control system was similar to the one proposed for the Lunar Module. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, once flew it as a lunar-landing trainer.
In 1971, the X-14A was fitted with new engines (General Electric J85-GE-19) and redesignated the X-14B. An onboard computer and digital fly-by-wire control system were also installed to enable emulation of landing characteristics of other VTOL aircraft.
The X-14B was used in this test role until it was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident on 29 May 1981. At the time, there were plans to develop an X-14C with an enclosed cockpit. There were also plans for an X-14T trainer. None of these further versions got beyond the planning stage.
During all of its years of service, the X-14 was flown by over 25 pilots with no serious incidents or injuries.
Aircraft serial numbersEdit
Although there was only one airframe, it changed serial numbers with every major upgrade.

• X-14 - USAF 56-4022
• X-14A - NASA 234 (N234NA).
• X-14B - NASA 704 (N704NA).

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!