X-25/X-25A/X-25B Gyrocopter

Specifications

Company- Bensen Aircraft
Type- Attempt to provide an escape vehicle for crews of crippled aircraft.
Goals- Test gyrocopter discretionary descent vehicle designs.
Primary Testing Facility Research- Raleigh, NC
Dimensions- Span: 22 ft, 8 in; Length: 11 ft, 3 in; Height: 6 ft, 3 in
Max Speed- 95 MPH
Range- 84 miles
Max Altitude- 15,000 ft
Power Plant- One McCulloch 4318 piston engine with 72 hp
Thrust- N/A
Weights- Empty: 247 lbs; Loaded: 550 lbs
Payload- N/A
Flights- 0
Number of Prototypes Built- 3
Project Tenure- 1698
Project Status- Cancelled

Information

The Discretionary Descent Vehicle was planned to replace combat aircraft ejection seats to allow downed pilots more control over their post-ejection landing spot. Three Bensen B-8 gyro-glider/gyro-copters were ordered and modified:

X-25

The X-25 gyro-glider was an unpowered autogyro. No known piloted tests of this vehicle were performed.

X-25A

The X-25A gyro-copter (Serial Number 68-10770) was a powered version first flown on June 5, 1968.

X-25B

The X-25B gyro-glider (Serial Number 68-10771) was unpowered and first flown on January 23, 1968.

The X-25A and X-25B were used to evaluate the piloting and training requirements of the autogyros. No full-scale operational tests were ever performed. The U.S. Air Force stopped funding the DDV program with the end of the Vietnam War.

The X-25A 68-10770 is displayed in the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio

The X-25B 68-10771 is displayed at the AFFTC Museum at Edwards Air Force Base.

** Information provided by Wikipedia **