The X-36 on display is the only one to have ever flown. Over a
25-week period, this aircraft completed 31 successful research
flights. It was a donation from Boeing and came to the National
Museum in April 2003.
NASA/Boeing X-36
NASA and the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) Phantom Works developed the X-36 to validate the technologies required for an agile, tailless fighter. For flight control, the X-36 replaced the elevators, ailerons and rudders found on traditional aircraft with split ailerons and a thrust-vectoring nozzle for directional control.