This Day in Aviation History
December 14th, 1984
First flight of the Grumman X-29.

The Grumman X-29 was an American experimental aircraft that tested a forward-swept wing, canard control surfaces, and other novel aircraft technologies. The X-29 was developed by Grumman, and the two built were flown by NASA and the United States Air Force. The aerodynamic instability of the X-29’s airframe required the use of computerized fly-by-wire control. Composite materials were used to control the aeroelastic divergent twisting experienced by forward-swept wings, and to reduce weight. The X-29 first flew in 1984; two X-29s were flight tested over the next decade….

Source:
Wikipedia, Grumman X-29: http://gstv.us/1Z5ncdE

YouTube, Grumman X-29A First Flight: http://gstv.us/1Z5ndhL
 
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