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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Ryan X-13 Vertijet
    Latest Model:X-13 Vertijet
    Last Military Serial:54-1620 USAF
    Compressed ID:Ryan X-13 sn 54-1620 USAF
    Latest Owner or Location:National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a X-13.
    This was the 2nd of two X-13s built. The X-13 was built to prove the concept that a jet could take off vertically, transition to horizontal flight, and return to vertical flight for landing. (NMUSAF)

    Circa 1955

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 54-1620.

    Circa 1955

    Transferred to Edwards AFB, CA.

    May 1956

    Flew vertically to test its hovering qualities.

    11 April 1957

    This aircraft made history when it completed the first full-cycle flight at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. It took off vertically from its mobile trailer, rose into the air, nosed over into a level attitude and flew for several minutes. Then, it reversed the procedure to vertical flight and slowly descended to its trailer for a safe landing.

    From 28 July 1957 to 29 July 1957

    Demonstrated in Washington, D.C. It crossed the Potomac River and landed at the Pentagon.

    1957


    Photographer: National Museum of the USAF

    1958

    Program shut down for lack of funding and no operational requirement.

    1959

    To United States Air Force Museum, Patterson Field (East Side), Dayton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier

    June 1969


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    To National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier

    19 September 1987


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    26 August 1994


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    12 September 2002


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    June 2016


    Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla
    Notes: National Museum of the U.S. Air Forces fourth building

    17 April 2017


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     U.S. Military Out of Service 2010 by Andy Marden
    Internet Sources
     National Museum of the United States Air Force
    Wikipedia
    Individual Contributors
     Glenn Chatfield
    Mike Henniger
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