The McDonnell Douglas X-36 is a remotely piloted, tailless research aircraft built as a 28-percent-scale model of a theoretical advanced fighter. Two were built by Boeing Phantom Works for NASA, and they flew 31 times in 1997 to 40 degrees angle of attack with no tail at all. Developed by McDonnell Douglas (Boeing Phantom Works).
The McDonnell Douglas X-36 is a remotely piloted, tailless research aircraft built as a 28-percent-scale model of a theoretical advanced fighter. Developed by McDonnell Douglas (Boeing Phantom Works).
See Specifications for full detail.
The McDonnell Douglas X-36 is a remotely piloted, tailless research aircraft built as a 28-percent-scale model of a theoretical advanced fighter. Boeing Phantom Works, formerly McDonnell Douglas, built two of them in St. Louis under a cooperative agreement with NASA Ames Research Center, and they flew 31 times between 17 May and 12 November 1997. [1] [2]
The X-36 had no tail. It used a canard, split ailerons and a thrust-vectoring nozzle for control, and it was unstable in pitch and yaw, so a digital fly-by-wire system held it steady. The flights reached an angle of attack of 40 degrees, an altitude of 20,200 ft and a speed of 206 knots, and NASA says the programme met or exceeded all of its goals. [1]
NASA Ames and Phantom Works began developing tailless agile-flight technologies in 1989. McDonnell Douglas proposed the demonstrator in 1993, and fabrication of the two vehicles began in 1994. NASA and Boeing were full partners with roughly 50/50 cost sharing, Ames provided the government oversight, and the Dryden Flight Research Center supplied flight-test experience, infrastructure and range support. [1]
A tailless layout was meant to reduce weight, drag and radar cross-section while increasing range, manoeuvrability and survivability. The first aircraft arrived at Dryden in July 1996, ahead of its first flight the following May, and McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in August 1997 while the test programme was under way. [2]
The X-36 was 18 ft 2.5 in (5.55 m) long including its pitot boom, with a wingspan of 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) and a height of 3 ft 1.25 in (0.95 m). It weighed 1,090 lb (494 kg) empty and 1,270 lb (576 kg) at maximum takeoff, which included 180 lb (82 kg) of fuel. A Williams International F112 turbofan produced 700 lbf. [2] [1]
The airframe had no traditional tail, with a canard ahead of the wing, split ailerons and a thrust-vectoring nozzle that gave directional control. It was unstable in pitch and yaw and was stabilised by a single-channel digital fly-by-wire system. The pilot flew from a ground-station virtual cockpit using a nose-mounted video camera, a microphone and a fighter-style head-up display, and a typical flight lasted 35 to 45 minutes from takeoff to touchdown. [1] [2]
The first flight took place on 17 May 1997, and the 31 flights of the original programme ended on 12 November 1997, 25 weeks later. Together they added up to 15 hours and 38 minutes in the air. The flights reached an angle of attack of 40 degrees, a maximum altitude of 20,200 ft and a speed of 206 knots (234 mph). NASA puts the combined cost of developing, building and flight-testing the two prototypes at about $21 million. [1]
The Air Force Research Laboratory then contracted Boeing to fly its RESTORE software, a neural-net reconfigurable control system meant to compensate for damaged or malfunctioning flaps, ailerons and rudders. Two research flights in December 1998 introduced simulated control-surface failures, and the software compensated correctly each time. Those flights brought the total to 33. [1] [3]
NASA reports that the X-36 met or exceeded all project goals, and Wikipedia says the aircraft handled very well. As of 2026 there has been no further development of the X-36 or any design derived from it. [1] [2]
One of the two aircraft arrived at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio, on 16 July 2003, the same day as the Boeing Bird of Prey, and it is displayed in the Research & Development Gallery. The other is displayed outside the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards Air Force Base, California. [2]
The McDonnell Douglas X-36 Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft has a top speed of 203 kn (234 mph / 377 km/h).
A total of 2 were built.
No, the McDonnell Douglas X-36 Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft has been retired. It retired in 1998.
The McDonnell Douglas X-36 Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft first flew on May 17th 1997.
Both X-36s survive and are on public display.
Operators included Boeing, NASA and Air Force Research Laboratory.
The X-36 has not flown since 1998, so it cannot appear on Flightradar24. One aircraft is displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio, and the other stands outside the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
| Performance | |
| Max Speed | 203 kn (234 mph / 377 km/h) |
|---|---|
| Cruise SpeedCruise Speed — The economical speed an aircraft sustains for the bulk of a flight - lower than maximum speed, chosen for the best balance of time and fuel burn. Glossary → | Not publicly disclosed |
| RangeRange — How far an aircraft can fly without refuelling. Quoted figures vary with payload, speed and reserves - see also ferry range and combat radius. Glossary → | Not publicly disclosed - flights lasted 35 to 45 minutes from takeoff to touchdown |
| Service CeilingService Ceiling — The highest altitude at which an aircraft can still climb at a useful rate (typically 100 ft/min). Above it, the air is too thin to keep climbing meaningfully. Glossary → | 20,500 ft |
| Airframe & Weight | |
| Wingspan | 10 ft 5 in |
| Length | 18 ft 2.5 in, including the pitot boom |
| Height | 3 ft 1.25 in |
| WeightMTOW — Maximum Take-Off Weight - the heaviest an aircraft is certified to be at the start of its take-off run, including fuel, crew, payload and the aircraft itself. Glossary → | empty: 1,090 lb; MTOW: 1,270 lb |
| Power & Payload | |
| Engines | 1 x Williams International F112 turbofan, 700 lbf (3.1 kN), with a thrust-vectoring nozzle |
| Crew | None on board - remotely piloted from a ground station |
| CapacityPayload — Everything an aircraft is carrying that isn't the aircraft or its fuel: passengers, cargo, or weapons. Payload and fuel usually trade off against each other. Glossary → | None - flight-test instrumentation only, with 180 lb of fuel |
| Program & Service | |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas (Boeing Phantom Works) |
| Origin | United States |
| First Flight | May 17th 1997 |
| Service Entry | Never entered service |
| Retired | 1998 |
| Number Built | 2 |
| Unit Cost | Not publicly disclosed - NASA gives about $21M as the combined cost of developing, building and flight-testing both prototypes, with no per-aircraft price |
3 notable events involving the X-36, 1997 to 2003. Curated rather than exhaustive.
The X-36 made its first flight, starting a programme of 31 flights over the following 25 weeks.
The 31st flight closed the original programme, which had logged 15 hours and 38 minutes and reached 40 degrees angle of attack.
One X-36 arrived at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio, on the same day as the Bird of Prey.
| X-36 (1997 flight programme) | The two aircraft flown in the original NASA and Boeing programme. They made 31 flights between 17 May and 12 November 1997, reaching 40 degrees angle of attack, 20,200 ft and 206 knots. Control came from a canard, split ailerons and a thrust-vectoring nozzle, with a digital fly-by-wire system stabilising the airframe in pitch and yaw. |
| X-36 (RESTORE flights) | The same aircraft flown for the Air Force Research Laboratory in December 1998. Boeing flew the lab's RESTORE neural-net reconfigurable control software on two research flights, with simulated failures introduced in the flaps, ailerons and rudders. NASA reports that the software compensated correctly each time. |
No photos added yet for this aircraft.
Both X-36s survive and are on public display.
No newly associated news articles since this aircraft was added to PlanesDB. When new news articles are published, they will be automatically added and tracked here.
Numbered as cited in the Overview article. Click a reference to see where it's used.
Additional reading you might find interesting...
PlanesDB entries are living documents - this is how this one has evolved, and who helped make it happen. Spotted something out of date? Help update it.
