GRUMMAN X-29A
     The X-29 was built to explore state-of-the-art technologies in
 aircraft design. The most easily identified of these, the forward-
 swept wing (FSW) was combined with advanced materials, a forward
 mounted elevator (canard) and an electrical flight control system.
 The purpose of this combination of features was to test how well
 all these elements worked together before they were used in future
 aircraft.
     Both Germany and the U.S. experimented with FSW aircraft during
 World War II but did not use them operationally. One problem with
 the new design was that the wings could not be made rigid enough to
 keep them from bending dangerously at higher speeds. In the 1970s,
 however, composite materials became available, and wing structures
 could be built that were both lightweight and very rigid.
     Grumman began building the first of two X-29As in 1982. The pro-
 gram was administered by the U.S. Air Force and jointly funded by
 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Air Force,
 and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
     The first X-29A (S/N 82-003) made its initial flight on December
 14, 1984 at Edwards AFB, California. On December 13, 1985, during
 its 26th flight, this aircraft became the world's first FSW aircraft
 to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. After successfully
 completing the test program, the X-29A was retired to the Museum in
 late 1994. The second X-29A made its first flight on May 23, 1989
 and continued to perform test flights well into the 1990s.
 SPECIFICATIONS
 Span: 27 ft. 2 in.
 Length: 48 ft. 1 in.
 Height: 14 ft. 3 in.
 Weight: 17,303 lbs. maximum
 Armament: None
 Engine: General Electric F404 turbofan engine of 16,000 lbs. thrust
 Crew: One
 PERFORMANCE
 Maximum speed: 1,200 mph.
 Cruising speed: 460 mph.
 Maximum Endurance: 60 minutes
 Service Ceiling: 55,000 ft.
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