, - ,

Arado E.381 The Arado E.381 (''Kleinstjäger'' – "smallest fighter") was a proposed parasite fighter aircraft. Conceived by ''Arado Flugzeugwerke'' in December 1944 for Germany's Luftwaffe during World War II, the E.381 was to have been carried aloft ...

''Kleinstjäger'' , , Germany , ,

Air launch Air launching is the practice of releasing a rocket, missile, parasite aircraft or other aircraft payload from a mother ship or launch aircraft. The payload craft or missile is often tucked under the wing of the larger mother ship and then "drop ...

, , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , Carried by an

Arado Ar 234 The Arado Ar 234 ''Blitz'' (English: lightning) is a jet-powered bomber designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Arado. It was the world's first operational turbojet-powered bomber, seeing service during the latter half of the ...

. , - ,

Avro 720 The Avro 720 was an in-development British single-seat interceptor of the 1950s. It was designed and being developed by Avro in competition with the Saunders-Roe-built SR.53. While at least one prototype was partially-constructed, the order fo ...

, , UK , , CTOL , , , , 1956 , , Project , , 0 , , Mixed power. , - ,

Bachem Ba 349 The Bachem Ba 349 Natter ( en, Colubrid, grass-snake) was a World War II German point-defence rocket-powered interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. After a vertical take-off, which eliminated ...

"Natter" , , Germany , ,

VTOL A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-win ...

, , Fighter , , 1945 , , Production , , 36 , , Point defence interceptor. Never saw action (debatable footage, seems to show a Ba 349 in combat. Projekt Natter, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1996333/).Sharp, D.; ''Luftwaffe: Secret Jets of the Third Reich'', Morton's, 2015. , - ,

Bell X-1 The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics– U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Be ...

, , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1947 , , Prototype , , 7 , , First aircraft to break the

sound barrier The sound barrier or sonic barrier is the large increase in aerodynamic drag and other undesirable effects experienced by an aircraft or other object when it approaches the speed of sound. When aircraft first approached the speed of sound, th ...

in level flight. , - ,

Bell X-2 The Bell X-2 (nicknamed "Starbuster") was an X-plane research aircraft built to investigate flight characteristics in the Mach 2–3 range. The X-2 was a rocket-powered, swept-wing research aircraft developed jointly in 1945 by Bell Aircraft Cor ...

, , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1955 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Supersonic. , - ,

Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 The Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1 was a Soviet short-range rocket powered interceptor developed during the Second World War. Early design Soviet research and development of rocket-powered aircraft began with Sergey Korolev's GIRD-6 project in 1932. H ...

, , USSR , ,

CTOL A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL), also known as horizontal take-off and landing (HTOL) is the process whereby conventional fixed-wing aircraft (such as passenger aircraft) take off and land, involving the use of runways. During takeoff ...

, , Fighter , , 1942 , , , , 9 , , , - , Bisnovat 5 , , USSR , , CTOL , , , , 1948 , , Project , , , , Based on captured DFS 346. Never flew under power. , - , Cattaneo Magni RR , , Italy , , CTOL , , Research , , 1931 , , Prototype , , , , , - , Cheranovsky RP-1 , , USSR, , CTOL , , Research , , 1932 , , Prototype , , , , Test in 1933 ended in engine failure. , - , DFS 194 , , Germany , , CTOL , , Experimental , , 1940 , , Operational , , 1 , , Tailless, direct predecessor of Me 163 series. , - , Douglas D-588-II Skyrocket , , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1953 , , Operational , , 3 , , Supersonic. , - ,

EZ-Rocket The XCOR EZ-Rocket was a test platform for the XCOR XR-4A3 rocket propulsion system. The airplane was a modified Rutan Long-EZ, with the propeller replaced by first one, then later a pair of pressure-fed regeneratively cooled liquid-fueled roc ...

, , USA , , CTOL , , Experimental , , 2001 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Rocket-powered variant of

Rutan Long-EZ The Rutan Model 61 Long-EZ is a tandem 2-seater homebuilt aircraft designed by Burt Rutan's Rutan Aircraft Factory. The Long-EZ has a canard layout, a swept wing with wingtip rudders, and a pusher engine and propeller. The tricycle landing ge ...

. , - ,

Focke-Wulf Volksjäger The Focke-Wulf ''Volksjäger'', meaning "People's Fighter" in German, was a German emergency fighter project for the ''Luftwaffe''. It was designed by Focke-Wulf industries towards the end of World War II as part of the defense effort against the ...

, , Germany , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , Three rocket-powered variants under construction at the end of hostilities. , - , Hawker P.1072 , , UK , , CTOL , , , , 1949 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Mixed power. , - , Heinkel He 112R , , Germany , , CTOL , , Experimental , , 1937 , , Operational , , 1 , , Rocket and piston engines. , - ,

Heinkel He 176 The Heinkel He 176 was a German rocket-powered aircraft. It was the world's first aircraft to be propelled solely by a liquid-fueled rocket, making its first powered flight on 20 June 1939 with Erich Warsitz at the controls. It was a private ...

, , Germany , , CTOL , , Research , , 1939 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Pioneering liquid-fueled rocket propulsion aircraft. , - , He P.1077 ''Julia'' , , Germany , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , , - , Ju EF.127 ''Walli'' , , Germany , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , , - ,

Korolyov RP-318 The RP-318 or RP-318-1 was USSR's first rocket-powered aircraft or Rocket Glider (Rocketny Planer or Raketoplan) which "RP" stands for in Russian language. Beginning in early 1936 it was first known as RP-218-1 or "Objekt 218" before it was renamed ...

, , USSR , , CTOL , , Research , , 1940 , , , , 1 , , , - ,

Lavochkin La-7 The Lavochkin La-7 (russian: Лавочкин Ла-7) was a piston-engined single-seat Soviet fighter aircraft developed during World War II by the Lavochkin Design Bureau. It was a development and refinement of the Lavochkin La-5, and the la ...

R , , USSR , , CTOL , , , , 1945 , , , , 1 , , Rocket and piston engines. , - ,

Lippisch Ente The Ente (german: duck) was the world's first full-sized rocket-powered aircraft. It was designed by Alexander Lippisch as a sailplane and first flown under power on June 11, 1928, piloted by Fritz Stamer as part of the Opel-RAK rocket progra ...

, , Germany , , CTOL , , Research , , 1928 , , Prototype

Opel-RAK Opel-RAK were a series of rocket vehicles produced by German automobile manufacturer Fritz von Opel, of the Opel car company, in association with others, including Max Valier, Julius Hatry, and Friedrich Wilhelm Sander. Opel RAK is generally con ...

program , , 1 , , First rocket-powered aircraft, part of Opel-RAK program. , - ,

Lockheed NF-104A The Lockheed NF-104A was an American mixed-power, high-performance, supersonic aerospace trainer that served as a low-cost astronaut training vehicle for the North American X-15 and projected Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar programs. Three aircraft were ...

, , USA , , CTOL , , Trainer , , 1963 , , , , 3 , , Rocket and jet engines. , - ,

Martin Marietta X-24A The Martin Marietta X-24 was an American experimental aircraft developed from a joint United States Air Force-NASA program named PILOT (1963–1975). It was designed and built to test lifting body concepts, experimenting with the concept of u ...

, , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1969 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Lifting body. , - ,

Martin Marietta X-24B Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

, , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1973 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Lifting body. , - ,

Messerschmitt Me 163 The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet is a rocket-powered interceptor aircraft primarily designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt. It is the only operational rocket-powered fighter aircraft in history as well as th ...

, , Germany , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1941 , , Production , , 10 A-subtype
~360 B-subtype , , Tailless, B-version saw combat May 1944-May 1945. , - , Messerschmitt Me 263 , , Germany , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1944 , , , , 3 , , Also known as Ju 248, development of Me 163. , - , Messerschmitt P.1104 , , Germany , ,

, , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , , - ,

Mitsubishi J8M The Mitsubishi J8M ''Shūsui'' ( Japanese: 三菱 J8M 秋水, literally "Autumn Water", used as a poetic term meaning "Sharp Sword" deriving from the swishing sound of a sword) was a Japanese World War II rocket-powered interceptor aircraft clo ...

, , Japan , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1945 , , , , 7 , , Was to have been a licensed Messerschmitt Me 163 but the plans were lost so was only similar. , - , Mizuno Shinryu II , , Japan , , CTOL , , , , 1945 , , Project , , 0 , , Second aircraft developed in Japan to use a canard design after the J7W1. , - ,

North American X-15 The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft. It was operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed an ...

, , USA , ,

, , Research , , 1959 , , Operational , , 3 , , Hypersonic. Later variants capable of sub-orbital space flight. , - ,

Northrop XP-79 The Northrop XP-79, USAAF project number MX-365, was an ambitious design for a flying wing fighter aircraft, designed by Northrop. It had several notable design features; among these, the pilot would operate the aircraft from a lying position, ...

, , USA , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1944 , , Prototype , , 1 , ,

Flying wing A flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft that has no definite fuselage, with its crew, payload, fuel, and equipment housed inside the main wing structure. A flying wing may have various small protuberances such as pods, nacelles, blis ...

. Converted to jet power for first and only flight. , - ,

Opel RAK.1 The Opel RAK.1 (also known as the Opel RAK.3) was the world's first purpose-built rocket-powered aircraft. It was designed and built by Julius Hatry under commission from Fritz von Opel, who flew it on September 30, 1929 in front of a large crowd ...

, , Germany , , CTOL , , Research , , 1929 , , Operational , , 1 , , First purpose-built rocket-powered aircraft, Opel-RAK program. , - ,

Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor The Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor (originally designated XP-91) is a mixed-propulsion prototype interceptor aircraft, developed by Republic Aviation. The aircraft would use a jet engine for most flight, and a cluster of four small rocket engines ...

, , USA , , CTOL , , , , 1949 , , , , 2 , , Rocket and jet engines. , - ,

Rikugun Ki-202 The Rikugun Ki-202 ''Shūsui-Kai'' ( ja, 三菱 Ki-202 秋水改, translated as "Autumn Water, improved") was a direct development of the German Messerschmitt Me 163 ''Komet'' rocket-powered interceptor aircraft. None were produced before Japa ...

, , Japan , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1945 , , , , 0 , , Improved J8M/Ki-200 with the elongated fuselage. , - , RRL

Mark-III X-racer The Rocket Racing League was a racing league that planned to use rocket-powered aircraft to race a closed-circuit air racetrack. Founded in 2005, the league made its first public flights in 2010 and was working to begin regular racing seasons. ...

, , USA , , CTOL , , Racer , , 2010 , , , , 1 , , Flying inside the groove: the latest rocket-powered test aircraft take just four seconds to get into the air from ignition. The brink of take-off for the RRL
''Aerospace Testing International'', June 2010, pp. 50-54, accessed 2010-09-06. , - , RRL Mark I X-racer , , USA , , CTOL , , Racer , , 2006 , , , , 1 , , Customized Velocity SE, prototype for

Rocket Racing League The Rocket Racing League was a racing league that planned to use rocket-powered aircraft to race a closed-circuit air racetrack. Founded in 2005, the league made its first public flights in 2010 and was working to begin regular racing seasons. ...

.X-Racers, Start Your Rockets! : The creators of the X prize offer a sensational vision of rocket-powered airplanes speeding through the sky. But can their new racing league steal a bit of Nascar's thunder?
Michael Belfiore, ''

Popular Science ''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...

'' (feature cover story), 2006-02-15, accessed 2010-09-02.XCOR X-Racer
by Nancy Atkinson, ''

Universe Today Universe Today (U.T.) is a popular North American-based non-commercial space and astronomy news website. The domain was registered on December 30, 1998, and the website went live in March 1999, founded by Canadian Fraser Cain. The ''Universe Today ...

'', 2009-08-06, accessed 2010-12-11. , - ,

Saunders-Roe SR.53 The Saunders-Roe SR.53 was a British prototype interceptor aircraft of mixed jet and rocket propulsion developed for the Royal Air Force (RAF) by Saunders-Roe in the early 1950s. As envisaged, the SR.53 would have been used as an interceptor a ...

, , UK , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1957 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Jet and rocket power. , - ,

Saunders-Roe SR.177 The Saunders-Roe SR.177 was a 1950s project to develop a combined jet- and rocket-powered interceptor aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy. It was an enlarged derivative of the Saunders-Roe SR.53, which was itself an experi ...

, , UK , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1958 , , Project , , 0 , , Jet and rocket power. Development of SR.53. , - ,

SNCASO Trident The SNCASO SO.9000 Trident was a French mixed-power interceptor aircraft built by aircraft manufacturer SNCASO during the 1950s. As part of a wider effort to re-build French military power during the late 1940s and to furnish France with advanc ...

, , France , , CTOL , , Experimental , , 1953 , , Prototype , , 8 , , Jet and rocket power. , - ,

SNCASE SE.212 Durandal The SNCASE SE.212 Durandal was a French jet and rocket mixed-power experimental fighter aircraft of the mid-1950s. It was designed by the French aircraft manufacturer SNCASE during the early 1950s, who were keen to exploit the potential advant ...

, , France , , CTOL , , Fighter , , 1956 , , Prototype , , 2 , , Mixed power. , - ,

Sombold So 344 The Sombold 344 ''Schußjäger'' (Shoot Fighter) was a rocket-powered aircraft designed in 1943/44 by engineer Heinz Sombold in Naumburg/Saale, Germany. The project came about when the ''Luftwaffe'' was seeking an emergency interceptor to combat ...

, , Germany , ,

, , , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , bomber box buster with a detachable explosive nose. , - , Sukhoi Su-7 , , USSR , , CTOL , , , , 1944 , , , , 1 , ,

Sukhoi Su-6 The Sukhoi Su-6 was a Soviet ground-attack aircraft developed during World War II. The mixed-power (rocket and piston engines) high-altitude interceptor Su-7 was based on the single-seat Su-6 prototype. Design and development Development of th ...

with rocket and piston engines. , - , Yakovlev Yak-3RD , , USSR , , CTOL , , , , 1945 , , Prototype , , 1 , , Modified

Yakovlev Yak-3 The Yakovlev Yak-3 (Russian: Яковлев Як-3) was a single-engine, single-seat World War II Soviet fighter. Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by both pilots and ground crew.Glancey 2006, p. 180. One of the smallest and lighte ...

with rocket and piston engines. , - ,

Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka The Yokosuka MXY-7 was a purpose-built, rocket-powered aircraft, rocket-powered human-guided ''kamikaze'' attack aircraft employed by Japan against Allied ships towards the end of the Pacific War during World War II. Although extremely fast, t ...

, , Japan , ,

, , Attack , , 1945 , , Production , , , ,

Kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to d ...

aircraft. , - , Zeppelin ''

Fliegende Panzerfaust The ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'', meaning 'Flying Bazooka' (literally 'Flying Armor Fist') in the German language, was a project for a Third Reich very-short-range interceptor designed by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. The ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'' projec ...

'' , , Germany , ,

, , , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , Towed behind a

Messerschmitt Me 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...

G. , - ,

Zeppelin Rammer The Zeppelin Rammer (german: Rammjäger) was a design proposal by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin intended to use aerial ramming against the allied bombers attacking Nazi Germany during World War II. Description A rocket-powered small aircraft with strai ...

, , Germany , ,

, , Fighter , , 1944 , , Project , , 0 , , Designed to use the aerial ramming technique against Allied bombers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocket Aircraft, List Of * Lists of aircraft by power source

See also

References