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Hunting H.126
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<p>The Hunting H.126 is an <a href="/facts/Experimental_aircraft/pxLLTsK4">experimental aircraft</a> that was designed and built by <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">British</a> aviation company <a href="/facts/Hunting_Aircraft/Q4mB2lL4">Hunting Aircraft</a>. </p><p>The aircraft was developed in order to test the performance of <a href="/facts/Blown_flap/xSvWLthd">blown flaps</a>, which were commonly known in <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">Britain</a> as "jet flaps", At the time, they were a relatively unknown quantity, thus the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Aviation/SeFGu3Hq">Ministry of Aviation</a> issued <i>Specification ER.189D</i> for an appropriate research aircraft to be developed. During 1959, Hunting Aircraft was selected, being awarded a contract to construct a pair of aircraft. The first aircraft, <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_military_aircraft_serials/GQnjahqK">serial number</a> <i>XN714</i>, was completed during mid-1962 and initial ground testing commenced during the latter part of the year. This aircraft performed its <a href="/facts/Maiden_flight/LW569ILn">maiden flight</a> on 26 March 1963. </p><p>Only the single aircraft was ever completed, the second being cancelled mid-construction. Following the completion of preliminary flights, XN714 was used to conduct a series of one hundred test flights at the <a href="/facts/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment/gXh5C7Jq">Royal Aircraft Establishment</a>'s Aerodynamics Flight at <a href="/facts/RAE_Bedford/I5aUKcln">RAE Bedford</a>, the last of which being performed in 1967. XN714 was transported to the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> during 1969, where it underwent <a href="/facts/Wind_tunnel/yNFbccXQ">wind tunnel</a> testing by <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a>; following its return to the UK, the aircraft was officially withdrawn in 1972. Presently, the preserved aircraft is on static display at the <a href="/facts/Royal_Air_Force_Museum_Cosford/swXHIwvG">Royal Air Force Museum Cosford</a>. </p>