From the Archives: Bell’s XV-15 Tiltrotor - 45 Years Ago In Aviation Week
The U.S. Army/NASA/Bell XV-15 tiltrotor made quite a splash during its 1981 Paris Air Show debut. The cover of our June 29, 1981, issue featured the aircraft hovering over the runway at Le Bourget Airport at the end of a flying demonstration at the show.
One of the major new attractions at the event, the XV-15, demonstrated both its vertical takeoff and landing and conventional cruise capabilities.
The two XV-15 prototypes later became a staple at the annual summer air show at Moffett Field Naval Air Station during the 1980s and flew throughout the decade supporting research into future civilian and military tiltrotors.
After being transferred back to Bell, the first prototype was lost in a non-fatal crash in 1992. The second prototype was used in testing supporting the V-22 Osprey and Bell/Agusta BA609 civilian before finally being retired and donated to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
(Aviation Week Photo by Robin Adshead).
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