List of flying wings
Updated: 5/24/2026, 6:53:57 PM Wikipedia source
A flying wing is a type of tailless aircraft which has no distinct fuselage. The crew, engines and equipment are housed inside a thick wing, typically showing small nacelles, blisters and other housings.
Tables
· List
Armstrong Whitworth A
Armstrong Whitworth A
Type
Armstrong Whitworth A
Country
UK
Class
Jet
Role
Experimental
Date
1947
Status
Prototype
No.
2
Notes
Twin engined.
BAE Systems Taranis
BAE Systems Taranis
Type
BAE Systems Taranis
Country
UK
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2013
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Bell D-35
Bell D-35
Type
Bell D-35
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Fighter
Date
1945
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Notes
Twin engined.
Boeing Model 907 Spanloader
Boeing Model 907 Spanloader
Type
Boeing Model 907 Spanloader
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Transport
Date
1973
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Boeing Phantom Ray
Boeing Phantom Ray
Type
Boeing Phantom Ray
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2011
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Chyeranovskii BICh-3
Chyeranovskii BICh-3
Type
Chyeranovskii BICh-3
Country
USSR
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1926
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Dassault nEUROn
Dassault nEUROn
Type
Dassault nEUROn
Country
France
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2012
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Notes
stealth
Delft Flying-V
Delft Flying-V
Type
Delft Flying-V
Country
Netherlands
Class
Ducted fan
Role
UAV
Date
2020
Status
Experimental
No.
1
Notes
Scale model of proposed airliner
Horten Aircraft HX-2
Horten Aircraft HX-2
Type
Horten Aircraft HX-2
Country
Germany
Class
Propeller
Role
Transport
Date
2019
Status
Experimental
No.
1
Notes
Prototype high-efficiency small aircraft
DRDO Ghatak
DRDO Ghatak
Type
DRDO Ghatak
Country
India
Class
Jet
Role
UCAV
Date
2022
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
Scaled down technology demonstrator
Farrar V-1 Flying Wing
Farrar V-1 Flying Wing
Type
Farrar V-1 Flying Wing
Country
US
Class
Glider
Role
Homebuilt
Date
1962
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Freel Flying Wing
Freel Flying Wing
Type
Freel Flying Wing
Country
US
Class
Glider
Role
Homebuilt
Date
1937
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
School project
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Role
Experimental
Date
1933
Status
Prototype
No.
2
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Role
Experimental
Date
1935
Status
Prototype
No.
4
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Role
Experimental
Date
1937
Status
Prototype
No.
19
Notes
1 modified as motorglider
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Date
1941
Status
Prototype
No.
4
Notes
IV and IVa had a fuselage.
Horten H , b, c
Horten H , b, c
Type
Horten H , b, c
Country
Germany
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1937
Status
Prototype
No.
2
Notes
Twin engined
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Propeller
Role
Trainer
Date
1942
Status
Prototype
No.
2
Notes
Twin engined
Horten Ho 229 (H )
Horten Ho 229 (H )
Type
Horten Ho 229 (H )
Country
Germany
Class
Jet
Role
Fighter
Date
1944
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Notes
Two flown
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1944
Status
Project
No.
0
Notes
Powered H IVb with laminar flow wing
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Role
Experimental
Date
1945
No.
n/a
Horten H
Horten H
Type
Horten H
Country
Germany
Class
Jet
Role
Bomber
Date
1945
Status
Project
No.
0
Horten Parabola
Horten Parabola
Type
Horten Parabola
Country
Germany
Class
Glider
Role
Experimental
Date
1938
Status
Project
No.
0
Notes
Built but not flown.
Kayaba Ku-4
Kayaba Ku-4
Type
Kayaba Ku-4
Country
Japan
Class
Propeller
Role
Fighter
Date
1940
Status
Project
No.
0
Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel
Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel
Type
Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel
Country
US
Class
UAV
Role
Reconnaissance
Date
1991
Status
Production
No.
20 ca.
Kalinin K-12
Kalinin K-12
Type
Kalinin K-12
Country
Russia
Class
Propeller
Role
Bomber
Date
1937
Status
Prototype
No.
1
McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II
McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II
Type
McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Attack
Date
2007
Status
Project
No.
0
Northrop B-2 Spirit
Northrop B-2 Spirit
Type
Northrop B-2 Spirit
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Bomber
Date
1989
Status
Production
No.
21
Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
Type
Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Bomber
Date
2023
Status
Project
No.
1
Northrop N-1M
Northrop N-1M
Type
Northrop N-1M
Country
US
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1940
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Northrop N-9M
Northrop N-9M
Type
Northrop N-9M
Country
US
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1942
Status
Prototype
No.
4
Northrop XP-79
Northrop XP-79
Type
Northrop XP-79
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Fighter
Date
1945
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Northrop XB-35 & YB-35
Northrop XB-35 & YB-35
Type
Northrop XB-35 & YB-35
Country
US
Class
Propeller
Role
Bomber
Date
1945
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Northrop YB-49
Northrop YB-49
Type
Northrop YB-49
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
Bomber
Date
1947
Status
Prototype
No.
3
Notes
Converted YB-35.
Northrop Grumman Switchblade
Northrop Grumman Switchblade
Type
Northrop Grumman Switchblade
Country
US
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2008
Status
Project
No.
0
NRC tailless glider
NRC tailless glider
Type
NRC tailless glider
Country
Canada
Class
Glider
Role
Research
Date
1946
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Putilov Stal-5
Putilov Stal-5
Type
Putilov Stal-5
Country
USSR
Class
Propeller
Role
Transport
Date
1933
Status
Project
No.
0
Notes
18 passengers, scale model flown 1935.
Saegheh
Saegheh
Type
Saegheh
Country
Iran
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2018
Status
Production
No.
n/a
Sky OV
Sky OV
Type
Sky OV
Country
Spain
Class
Jet
Role
Airliner
Date
2023
Status
Experimental
No.
0
Notes
Proposed supersonic airliner
Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik
Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik
Type
Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik
Country
Russia
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2019
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
stealth
Mikoyan Skat
Mikoyan Skat
Type
Mikoyan Skat
Country
Russia
Class
Jet
Role
UAV
Date
2005
Status
Prototype
No.
n/a
Notes
stealth
Vought V-173
Vought V-173
Type
Vought V-173
Country
US
Class
Propeller
Role
Experimental
Date
1942
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
Circular wing.
Vought XF5U
Vought XF5U
Type
Vought XF5U
Country
US
Class
Propeller
Role
Fighter
Date
1947
Status
Project
No.
0
Notes
Failed to fly
TAI Anka-3
TAI Anka-3
Type
TAI Anka-3
Country
Turkey
Class
Jet
Role
UCAV
Date
2022
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
First prototype flown
Chengdu J-36
Chengdu J-36
Type
Chengdu J-36
Country
China
Class
Jet
Role
Fighter
Date
2024
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
Potentially supersonic
Shenyang J-50
Shenyang J-50
Type
Shenyang J-50
Country
China
Class
Jet
Role
Fighter
Date
2024
Status
Prototype
No.
1
Notes
Potentially supersonic
| Type | Country | Class | Role | Date | Status | No. | Notes |
| Armstrong Whitworth A | UK | Jet | Experimental | 1947 | Prototype | 2 | Twin engined. |
| BAE Systems Taranis | UK | Jet | UAV | 2013 | Prototype | n/a | |
| Bell D-35 | US | Jet | Fighter | 1945 | Prototype | n/a | Twin engined. |
| Boeing Model 907 Spanloader | US | Jet | Transport | 1973 | Prototype | n/a | |
| Boeing Phantom Ray | US | Jet | UAV | 2011 | Prototype | n/a | |
| Chyeranovskii BICh-3 | USSR | Propeller | Experimental | 1926 | Prototype | 1 | |
| Dassault nEUROn | France | Jet | UAV | 2012 | Prototype | n/a | stealth |
| Delft Flying-V | Netherlands | Ducted fan | UAV | 2020 | Experimental | 1 | Scale model of proposed airliner |
| Horten Aircraft HX-2 | Germany | Propeller | Transport | 2019 | Experimental | 1 | Prototype high-efficiency small aircraft |
| DRDO Ghatak | India | Jet | UCAV | 2022 | Prototype | 1 | Scaled down technology demonstrator |
| Farrar V-1 Flying Wing | US | Glider | Homebuilt | 1962 | Prototype | 1 | |
| Freel Flying Wing | US | Glider | Homebuilt | 1937 | Prototype | 1 | School project |
| Horten H | Germany | Glider | Experimental | 1933 | Prototype | 2 | |
| Horten H | Germany | Glider | Experimental | 1935 | Prototype | 4 | |
| Horten H | Germany | Glider | Experimental | 1937 | Prototype | 19 | 1 modified as motorglider |
| Horten H | Germany | Glider | 1941 | Prototype | 4 | IV and IVa had a fuselage. | |
| Horten H , b, c | Germany | Propeller | Experimental | 1937 | Prototype | 2 | Twin engined |
| Horten H | Germany | Propeller | Trainer | 1942 | Prototype | 2 | Twin engined |
| Horten Ho 229 (H ) | Germany | Jet | Fighter | 1944 | Prototype | n/a | Two flown |
| Horten H | Germany | Propeller | Experimental | 1944 | Project | 0 | Powered H IVb with laminar flow wing |
| Horten H | Germany | Glider | Experimental | 1945 | n/a | ||
| Horten H | Germany | Jet | Bomber | 1945 | Project | 0 | |
| Horten Parabola | Germany | Glider | Experimental | 1938 | Project | 0 | Built but not flown. |
| Kayaba Ku-4 | Japan | Propeller | Fighter | 1940 | Project | 0 | |
| Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel | US | UAV | Reconnaissance | 1991 | Production | 20 ca. | |
| Kalinin K-12 | Russia | Propeller | Bomber | 1937 | Prototype | 1 | |
| McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II | US | Jet | Attack | 2007 | Project | 0 | |
| Northrop B-2 Spirit | US | Jet | Bomber | 1989 | Production | 21 | |
| Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider | US | Jet | Bomber | 2023 | Project | 1 | |
| Northrop N-1M | US | Propeller | Experimental | 1940 | Prototype | 1 | |
| Northrop N-9M | US | Propeller | Experimental | 1942 | Prototype | 4 | |
| Northrop XP-79 | US | Jet | Fighter | 1945 | Prototype | 1 | |
| Northrop XB-35 & YB-35 | US | Propeller | Bomber | 1945 | Prototype | n/a | |
| Northrop YB-49 | US | Jet | Bomber | 1947 | Prototype | 3 | Converted YB-35. |
| Northrop Grumman Switchblade | US | Jet | UAV | 2008 | Project | 0 | |
| NRC tailless glider | Canada | Glider | Research | 1946 | Prototype | 1 | |
| Putilov Stal-5 | USSR | Propeller | Transport | 1933 | Project | 0 | 18 passengers, scale model flown 1935. |
| Saegheh | Iran | Jet | UAV | 2018 | Production | n/a | |
| Sky OV | Spain | Jet | Airliner | 2023 | Experimental | 0 | Proposed supersonic airliner |
| Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik | Russia | Jet | UAV | 2019 | Prototype | 1 | stealth |
| Mikoyan Skat | Russia | Jet | UAV | 2005 | Prototype | n/a | stealth |
| Vought V-173 | US | Propeller | Experimental | 1942 | Prototype | 1 | Circular wing. |
| Vought XF5U | US | Propeller | Fighter | 1947 | Project | 0 | Failed to fly |
| TAI Anka-3 | Turkey | Jet | UCAV | 2022 | Prototype | 1 | First prototype flown |
| Chengdu J-36 | China | Jet | Fighter | 2024 | Prototype | 1 | Potentially supersonic |
| Shenyang J-50 | China | Jet | Fighter | 2024 | Prototype | 1 | Potentially supersonic |
References
- Boeing : Planemaker to the World by Robert Redding and Bill Yenne (Greenwich, CT: Bison Books, 1982, p. 248)
- http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19780021103_1978021103.pdfhttps://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19780021103_1978021103.pdf
- Northrop Flying Wings: Planes of Fame, Edward Maloney, ISBN 9780915464005