A rocket-powered aircraft or rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine for propulsion, sometimes in addition to airbreathing jet engines. Rocket planes can achieve much higher speeds than similarly sized jet aircraft, but typically for at most a few minutes of powered operation, followed by a gliding flight. Unhindered by the need for oxygen from the atmosphere, they are suitable for very high-altitude flight. They are also capable of delivering much higher acceleration and shorter takeoffs. Many rocket aircraft may be drop launched from transport planes, as take-off from ground may leave them with insufficient time to reach high altitudes.
TypeCountryClassRoleDateStatusNo.Notes
Arado E.381 KleinstjägerGermanyAir launchFighter1944Project0Carried by an Arado Ar 234.
Avro 720UKCTOL1956Project0Mixed power.
Bachem Ba 349 "Natter"GermanyVTOLFighter1945Production36Point defence interceptor. Never saw action (debatable footage, seems to show a Ba 349 in combat. [1]).[2]
Bell X-1USAAir launchResearch1947Prototype7First aircraft to break the sound barrier in level flight.
Bell X-2USAAir launchResearch1955Prototype2Supersonic.
Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1USSRCTOLFighter19429
Bisnovat 5USSRCTOL1948ProjectBased on captured DFS 346. Never flew under power.
Cattaneo Magni RRItalyCTOLResearch1931Prototype
Cheranovsky RP-1USSRCTOLResearch1932PrototypeTest in 1933 ended in engine failure.
DFS 194GermanyCTOLExperimental1940Operational1Tailless, direct predecessor of Me 163 series.
Douglas D-558-2 SkyrocketUSAAir launchResearch1953Operational3Supersonic.
EZ-RocketUSACTOLExperimental2001Prototype1Rocket-powered variant of Rutan Long-EZ.
Focke-Wulf VolksjägerGermanyCTOLFighter1944Project0Three rocket-powered variants under construction at the end of hostilities.
Hawker P.1072UKCTOL1949Prototype1Mixed power.
Heinkel He 112RGermanyCTOLExperimental1937Operational1Rocket and piston engines.
Heinkel He 176GermanyCTOLResearch1939Prototype1Pioneering liquid-fueled rocket propulsion aircraft.
He P.1077 JuliaGermanyCTOLFighter1944Project0
Ju EF.127 WalliGermanyCTOLFighter1944Project0
Korolyov RP-318USSRCTOLResearch19401
Lavochkin La-7RUSSRCTOL19451Rocket and piston engines.
Lippisch EnteGermanyCTOLResearch1928Prototype Opel-RAK program1First rocket-powered aircraft, part of Opel-RAK program.
Lockheed NF-104AUSACTOLTrainer19633Rocket and jet engines.
Martin Marietta X-24AUSAAir launchResearch1969Prototype1Lifting body.
Martin Marietta X-24BUSAAir launchResearch1973Prototype1Lifting body.
Messerschmitt Me 163GermanyCTOLFighter1941Production10 A-subtype
~360 B-subtype
Tailless, B-version saw combat May 1944-May 1945.
Messerschmitt Me 263GermanyCTOLFighter19443Also known as Ju 248, development of Me 163.
Messerschmitt P.1104GermanyAir launchFighter1944Project0
Mitsubishi J8MJapanCTOLFighter19457Was to have been a licensed Messerschmitt Me 163 but the plans were lost so was only similar.
Mizuno Shinryu IIJapanCTOL1945Project0Second aircraft developed in Japan to use a canard design after the J7W1.
North American X-15USAAir launchResearch1959Operational3Hypersonic. Later variants capable of sub-orbital space flight.
Northrop XP-79USACTOLFighter1944Prototype1Flying wing. Converted to jet power for first and only flight.
Opel RAK.1GermanyCTOLResearch1929Operational1First purpose-built rocket-powered aircraft, Opel-RAK program.
Republic XF-91 ThunderceptorUSACTOL19492Rocket and jet engines.
Rikugun Ki-202JapanCTOLFighter19450Improved J8M/Ki-200 with the elongated fuselage.
RRL Mark-III X-racerUSACTOLRacer20101[3]
RRL Mark I X-racerUSACTOLRacer20061Customized Velocity SE, prototype for Rocket Racing League.[4][5]
Saunders-Roe SR.53UKCTOLFighter1957Prototype2Jet and rocket power.
Saunders-Roe SR.177UKCTOLFighter1958Project0Jet and rocket power. Development of SR.53.
SNCASO TridentFranceCTOLExperimental1953Prototype8Jet and rocket power.
SNCASE SE.212 DurandalFranceCTOLFighter1956Prototype2Mixed power.
Sombold So 344GermanyAir launch1944Project0 bomber box buster with a detachable explosive nose.
Sukhoi Su-7USSRCTOL19441Sukhoi Su-6 with rocket and piston engines.
Yakovlev Yak-3RDUSSRCTOL1945Prototype1Modified Yakovlev Yak-3 with rocket and piston engines.
Yokosuka MXY7 OhkaJapanAir launchAttack1945ProductionKamikaze aircraft.
Zeppelin Fliegende PanzerfaustGermanyAir launch1944Project0Towed behind a Messerschmitt Bf 109G.
Zeppelin RammerGermanyAir launchFighter1944Project0Designed to use the aerial ramming technique against Allied bombers.

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References

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