A tailless aircraft is one which has no separate horizontal stabilizer or control surface, either behind or in front of the main wing.

List of aircraft

, - , Aériane Swift , , US , , Glider , , , , 1989 , , , , n/a , , Foot-launched. , - , Aerospatiale-BAC

Concorde The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde () is a retired Franco-British supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Studies started in 1954, and France an ...

, , France & UK , , Jet , , Transport , , 1969 , , Production , , 20 , , SST. , - , AeroVironment Wasp III , , US , , Propeller , , UAV , , 2007 , , , , n/a , , Date of service entry with USAF , - , Akaflieg München Mü5 Wastl , , Germany , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1929 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-13 Arcus , , Germany , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1988 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Antonov E-153 , , USSR , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1947 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Arup S-1 The Arup S-1, also called the Snyder Glider and the Dirigiplane was the first in a series of "Heel Lift" vehicles developed by Dr. Cloyd Snyder. Development Snyder was a podiatrist in South Bend, Indiana. He was inspired in 1926 by the gliding p ...

, , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1932 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Rounded "heel wing". , - , Arup S-2 , , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1933 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Rounded "heel wing". , - ,

Arup S-3 The Arup S-3 was the third in a series of low aspect ratio aircraft developed by Dr. Snyder of South Bend, Indiana. Design and development Raoul Hoffman worked to engineer the Arup S-2 with Dr. Snyder. Around 1933 he was diagnosed with tuberculo ...

, , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1934 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Rounded "heel wing". , - ,

Arup S-4 The Arup S-4 (Model 104) is the last in a series of round-wing aircraft from C.L. Snyder. Design and development The S-4 was engineered by Raoul Hoffman. The test pilot was Glenn Doolittle, a cousin of Jimmy Doolittle. The S-4 used a low aspec ...

, , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1935 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Rounded "heel wing". , - ,

Avro 707 The Avro 707 (also known as Type 707) is a British experimental aircraft built to test the tailless aircraft, tailless thick delta wing configuration chosen for the Avro 698 jet bomber, later named the Avro Vulcan, Vulcan. In particular, the lo ...

, , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1949 , , Prototype , , 5 , , Research for Avro Vulcan thick delta wing, 1/3 scale of Vulcan. , - , Avro CF-105 Arrow , , Canada , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1958 , , Prototype , , 5 , , Supersonic. , - , Avro Vulcan , , UK , , Jet , , Bomber , , 1952 , , Production , , 136 , , Subsonic. , - ,

BAC 221 BAC or Bac may refer to: Places * Bac, a village in Montenegro * Baile Átha Cliath, Irish language name for Dublin city. * Bîc River, aka ''Bâc River'', a Moldovan river * Baç Bridge, bridge in Turkey * Barnes County Municipal Airport (ICAO ...

, , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1964 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Ogee wing. Modified version of the Fairey Delta 2. , - ,

BAE Systems Corax The Corax, also known as Raven (''Corax'' being Latin for common raven, raven), is a prototype unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the British Armed Forces being developed by BAE Systems Military Air & Information. Its first test flight was in 20 ...

, , UK , , Jet , , UAV , , 2004 , , Prototype , , n/a , , , - , Baynes Bat , , UK , , Propeller , , Transport , , 1943 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Boulton Paul P.111 The Boulton Paul P.111 is an experimental aircraft designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Boulton Paul. It was amongst the first aircraft designed to explore the characteristics of the tailless delta wing configuration. Th ...

, , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1950 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Delta wing. , - ,

Chizhevski BOK-5 The BOK-5 (russian: БОК-5) was a tail-less research aircraft designed and built in the USSR from 1937, by the ''Byuro Osobykh Konstrooktsiy'' (bureau of special design) (russian: Бюро особых конструкций (БОК)). Develo ...

, , USSR , , Propeller , , Private , , 1937 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Briffaud GB-6 , , France , , Propeller , , Private , , 1955 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Brochocki BKB-1 The Brochocki BKB-1 was a Canadian mid-wing, single-seat, experimental tailless glider that was designed and constructed by Stefan Brochocki with assistance from Witold Kasper and A. Bodek. The designation indicated the contributions of all ...

, , Canada , , Glider , , Private , , 1959 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Charpentier C1 , , France , , Propeller , , Private , , 1934 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Trimotor. , - ,

Convair XF-92A The Convair XF-92 (re-designated from XP-92 in 1948) was an American, delta wing, first-generation jet prototype. Originally conceived as a point-defence interceptor, the design was later used purely for experimental purposes and only one wa ...

, , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1948 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Convair F2Y Sea Dart , , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1953 , , Prototype , , 5 , , Supersonic flying boat. , - ,

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...

, , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1953 , , Production , , 1,000 , , Supersonic. , - , Convair F-106 Delta Dart , , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1956 , , Production , , 342 , , Supersonic. , - , Convair B-58 Hustler , , US , , Jet , , Bomber , , 1956 , , Production , , 116 , , Supersonic. , - , Dassault MD 550 Mystère-Delta , , France , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1955 , , Prototype , , n/a , , In modified form renamed the Mirage I. , - , Dassault Mirage III , , France , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1956 , , Production , , 1,422 , , Supersonic jet. Many derivatives. , - , de Havilland DH.108 Swallow , , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1946 , , Prototype , , 3 , , , - , Douglas F4D Skyray , , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1951 , , Operational , , 422 , , , - ,

Dunne D.1 The Dunne D.1, was an experimental tailless aircraft built in the UK in 1907. It comprised a main unit which could be flown as a glider, to which a chassis unit with power train could be added. The glider achieved a short flight in 1907. The D. ...

, , UK , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1907 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Biplane. Failed to fly with pusher power module. , - , Dunne D.3 , , UK , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1908 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Biplane. , - , Dunne D.4 , , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1908 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher biplane. , - ,

Dunne D.5 __NOTOC__ The Dunne D.5 was a British experimental aircraft built in 1910. A tailless swept-wing biplane, it was designed by J. W. Dunne and built by Short Brothers at Leysdown for his company, the Blair Atholl Aeroplane Syndicate Ltd. Like its ...

, , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1910 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher biplane. , - ,

Dunne D.6 The Dunne D.7 was one of J. W. Dunne's swept wing tailless aircraft designed to have automatic stability, first flying in 1911. It was a single seat, single engined pusher monoplane developed from the unsuccessful D.6. Design and development ...

, , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1910 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher. Failed. , - ,

Dunne D.7 The Dunne D.7 was one of J. W. Dunne's swept wing tailless aircraft designed to have automatic stability, first flying in 1911. It was a single seat, single engined pusher monoplane developed from the unsuccessful D.6. Design and development ...

, , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1911 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher. , - ,

Dunne D.8 The Dunne D.8 of 1912 was a tailless swept wing biplane, designed by J. W. Dunne to have inherent stability. One example was supplied to RAE Farnborough. License-built Burgess-Dunne models were used by the US Signal Corps and United States Nav ...

, , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1911 , , Operational , , 2 , , Pusher biplane. , - , EFW N-20 , , Switzerland , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1948 , , Prototype , , 3 , , N-20.01 gilder, .02 Arbalète and .03 Aiguillon. , - , Fairey Delta 2 , , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1954 , , Prototype , , 2 , , First aircraft to exceed 1,000 miles per hour. Later modified as the

. , - , Fauvel AV.36 , , France , , Glider , , Private , , 1951 , , Homebuild , , 100+ , , and others by

Charles Fauvel Charles Fauvel (31 December 1904 - 10 September 1979) was a French aircraft designer noted for his tailless and flying wing designs and, in particular, his sailplanes. Fauvel became interested in soaring after witnessing a competition at Vauville ...

. , - ,

FMA I.Ae 38 __NOTOC__ The DINFIA IA 38 was a 1960s Argentina, Argentine four-engine experimental aircraft, experimental Tailless aircraft, tailless Military transport aircraft, transport aircraft, designed under the direction of Horten brothers, Reimar Horte ...

, , Argentina , , Propeller , , Transport , , 1960 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Designed by

Reimar Horten Walter Horten (born 13 November 1913 in Bonn; died 9 December 1998 in Baden-Baden, Germany) and Reimar Horten (born 12 March 1915 in Bonn; died 14 March 1994 in Villa General Belgrano, Argentina), sometimes credited as the Horten Brothers, were G ...

. , - ,

General Aircraft GAL.56 The General Aircraft GAL.56 was a family of 1940s British experimental tailless swept wing glider designs. Background In July 1943, the Tailless Aircraft Advisory Committee was set up under the Directorate of Scientific Research, within the Mi ...

, , UK , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1944 , , Prototype , , 4 , , , - , General Dynamics F-16XL , , US , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1982 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Cranked delta wing. , - ,

Gotha Go 147 The Gotha Go 147 was a German experimental two-seat tailless aircraft designed in 1936 by Gothaer Waggonfabrik and Dr. A. Kupper. Two examples were built and flown. Development was abandoned before the start of World War II. Design and development ...

, , Germany , , Propeller , , Patrol , , 1936 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Granger Archaeopteryx , , UK , , Propeller , , Private , , 1930 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Haig Minibat , , US , , Motor glider , , Private , , 1979 , , Homebuild , , 10+ , , , - ,

HAL Tejas The HAL Tejas is an Indian, single engine, delta wing, light multirole fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for t ...

, , India , , Jet , , Fighter , , 2001 , , Production , , 33 , , , - , Handley Page HP.75 Manx , , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1943 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher. , - ,

Handley Page HP.115 The Handley Page HP.115 was a experimental delta wing aircraft designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Handley Page. It was built to test the low-speed handling characteristics to be expected from the slender delta configu ...

, , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1961 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Sharply swept delta wing. , - , Hawker Siddeley HS 138 , , UK , , Jet , , Strike fighter , , 1969 , , Prototype , , 0 , , Tailess VTOL delta wing. , - , Hispano HA P-300 (HA-23P) , , Spain , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1959/60 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Developed into the Egyptian

Helwan HA-300 The Helwan HA-300 ( ar, حلوان ٣٠٠) was a single-engine, delta-wing, light supersonic interceptor aircraft developed in Egypt during the 1960s. At various stages, Spain and India were involved in the development program. Spain was fina ...

tailed jet. , - ,

Hoffman Flying Wing Raoul J. Hoffman was a Hungary-born hebrew engineer who moved to the United States of America and is notable for the aircraft he designed or helped to design. Aircraft design Hoffman helped develop the Laird Super Solution racer, and Owl Trimotot ...

, , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1934 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Arup-type "heel wing". , - , Horten Aircraft HX-2 , , Germany , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 2018 , , Prototype , , n/a , , , - , I.Ae. 34 Clen Antú , , Argentina , , Glider , , , , 1949 , , , , 6 , , Designed by

and manufactured by the FMA. , - ,

I.Ae. 41 Urubú The I.Ae.41 Urubú was a two-seat flying wing tailless Glider (sailplane), glider, built in Argentina by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) in the 1950s. History In 1951 some airclubs requested from the Department of Aeronautics (Secretaría ...

, , Argentina , , Glider , , , , 1953 , , , , 5 , , Designed by

in Argentina. , - ,

Interstate XBDR The Interstate XBDR was a design for an assault drone - an early television-guided missile - powered by two jet engines, that was designed by the Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Corporation during the latter stages of the Second World War ...

, , US , , Jet , , UAV , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , TV-guided cruise missile. , - ,

Kalinin K-12 The Kalinin K-12 was a proof-of-concept aircraft developed by the Kalinin Design Bureau in the 1930s. Design and development The K-12 was intended as a tailless bomber aircraft. Also called the Kalinin BS-2 or the ''Zhar-Ptitsa'' ("Firebird"), it ...

, , USSR , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1936 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Kasper Bekas , , US , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1968 , , Prototype , , 3 , , , - , Kimura/Kayaba HK-1 , , Japan , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1939 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Kayaba Ku-2 The Kayaba Ku-2 (''萱場 2型無尾翼滑空機'') was a glider built in Japan in 1940 to investigate the possibilities of tailless aircraft. It was developed as part of an Imperial Japanese Army contract that had been offered to designer Hid ...

, , Japan , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1940 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Kayaba Ku-3 The Kayaba Ku-3 was a glider built in Japan in 1941 to investigate the possibilities of tailless aircraft. Building on the success of the Ku-2 design of the previous year, the Ku-3 was a substantially larger aircraft with several novel features ...

, , Japan , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1941 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Kayaba Ku-4 The Kayaba Ku-4 was a research aircraft built in Japan in 1940 to investigate the possibilities of tailless aircraft designs. It followed designer Hidemasa Kimura's successful Kayaba Ku-2, Ku-2 and Kayaba Ku-3, Ku-3 designs for the Imperial Japa ...

, , Japan , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1941 , , Project , , 0 , , Cancelled before it flew. , - , Kollman Raptor , , US , , , , , , 1994 , , , , n/a , , , - , Lippisch delta , , Germany , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1931-45 , , Prototype , , n/a , , Several types. , - , Lockheed A-12 , , US , , Jet , , Reconnaissance , , 1962 , , Production , , n/a , , Mach 3 capability. Long forward-fuselage chines. Several derivatives, especially the

SR-71 Blackbird The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by the United States Air Force ...

. , - ,

Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA The Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA (Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft) was an American conceptual aircraft design by Lockheed Martin that has been studied by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. It was intended to test the feasibility of full yaw, pitch and rol ...

, , US , , Jet , , Experimental , , 2000 , , Project , , 0 , , Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft. , - , Marske Monarch , , US , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1974 , , Homebuild , , n/a , , , - , Marske Pioneer , , US , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1968 , , Homebuild , , 17 , , One example built of the Pioneer 1, at least 16 of the Pioneer II. , - ,

Marske XM-1 The Marske XM-1 was an American mid-wing, single-seat, Experimental aircraft, experimental tailless aircraft, tailless Glider (sailplane), glider that was designed and built by Jim Marske in 1957. Experimentation with the XM-1 lead to the fina ...

, , US , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1957 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - , Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet , , Germany , , Rocket , , Fighter , , 1941 , , Production , , ~370 , , , - , Mitchell U-2 Superwing , , US , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1980 , , Homebuild , , n/a , , , - , John K. Moody/Larry Mauro

Easy Riser The UFM Easy Riser is an American swept wing biplane hang glider that was first powered in 1975, becoming the first modern ultralight aircraft. The Easy Riser was still in production as an unpowered glider in 2002 by Ultralight Flying Machines ...

, , US , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1975 , , , , n/a , , , - , ,

Nike PUL 9 The Nike PUL 9 is an Argentine experimental tailless aircraft powered by a Rotax 447 engine. Design and development The PUL 9 had its origins in Argentina, the home of the German flying wing pioneer Reimar Horten since 1948. In late 1989 a col ...

, , Germany , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1990 , , Prototype , , 1 , , , - ,

Northrop X-4 Bantam The Northrop X-4 Bantam was a prototype small twinjet aircraft manufactured by Northrop Corporation in 1948. It had no horizontal tail surfaces, depending instead on combined elevator and aileron control surfaces (called elevons) for control in ...

, , US , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1948 , , Prototype , , 2 , , , - ,

Northrop Grumman RQ-180 The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 is an American stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance aircraft intended for contested airspace. , there had been no images or statements released, but growing evidence points to the existence of the RQ-18 ...

, , US, , Jet , , UAV , , 2015 , , Prototype , , n/a , , Stealth surveillance aircraft. , - , University of Pretoria Exulans , , South Africa , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1989 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Exulans I and II. "Gull" variable-sweep wing. , - , Saab 35 Draken , , Sweden , , Jet , , Fighter , , 1955 , , Production , , 651 , , Supersonic jet. Double-delta planform. , - ,

Short SB.1 The Short SB.1 was a British tailless glider designed by David Keith-Lucas and Professor Geoffrey T.R. Hill. Built by Shorts as a private research venture to test the concept of the aero-isoclinic wing, it was the first aircraft to incorpora ...

, , UK , , Glider , , Experimental , , 1951 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Aero-isoclinic wing. , - , Short SB.4 Sherpa , , UK , , Jet , , Experimental , , 1953 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Aero-isoclinic wing. , - , Soldenhof So.A , , Switzerland , , Propeller , , Private , , 1930 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pusher. , - , Sypaq Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System , , Australia, , Propeller , , UAV , , 2019 , , Operational , , n/a , , Electric powered stealth waxed cardboard 2m (6.6 ft) wingspan surveillance aircraft. , - , Tupolev Tu-144 , , USSR , , Jet , , Transport , , 1968 , , Operational , , 16 , , SST. , - , Vought F7U Cutlass , , US , , Jet , , Multirole Fighter , , 1948 , , Operational , , 320 , , , - , Westland-Hill Pterodactyl , , UK , , Propeller , , Experimental , , 1920s-1930s , , Prototype , , 3 , , Series of types, 3 actually built. , - ,

Weltensegler Weltensegler G.m.b.H. was a German aircraft company formed by Friedrich Wenk, who became its Technical Director.Lippisch, A.; ''The Delta Wing: History and Development'', Iowa State University 1981, pages 2-4. Wenk developed tailless gliders a ...

, , Germany , , Glider , , Private , , 1921 , , Prototype , , 1 , ,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tailless aircraft, List Of * Lists of aircraft by wing configuration

List of aircraft

See also

References