Aviation History
AIRCRAFT Design
Beechcraft X-700 Concept
A series of mockups illustrating a family of business aircraft proposed by Beechcraft in the late 1970s.
Wings with Springs – Wing Suspension for Small Aircraft
An overview of a wing modification for small aircraft that incorporates spring-based suspension to smooth the ride in rough air.
The Future of Civil Aviation, as Envisioned in the 1960s
In the early 1960s, Lockheed launched the L-2000 supersonic transport (SST) program and built the mockup shown here. Intended to carry 250 passengers and travel at Mach 2.7 – 3.0, the L-2000 was intended to compete with Europe’s Concorde, but…
WWII Transformer – How a Little-Known WWII-era Aircraft was Designed to Transform Between Monoplane and Biplane in Flight
If one were to mention the existence of a WWII-era polymorphic fighter that incorporated a system in which one set of wings retracted into and out of another, one might assume such an airplane is fictional, perhaps featured in a…
Smithsonian Aerospace Vault: The Bede BD-5
Among the historic and innovative aircraft on display in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the Bede BD-5 showcases a legacy that belies its diminutive size. Resembling a minuscule fighter jet with a bullet-shaped nose and a single seat wrapped…
