Air & Space Museum

Ball-Bartoe Jetwing

Ball-Bartoe Jetwing

Pete Bartoe designed and built the one-of-a-kind JetWing in the mid-1970s. The first test flights were in 1977, and it retired in 1978. The tiny jet flew again briefly in the early 1980s, and came to Wings Over the Rockies in 2007.

This small, single-seat research aircraft explored the technology of increasing lift at low speeds by blowing the exhaust of the turbofan engine over the upper surfaces of the wings.

Airplanes get lift from airflow over and under their wings. Below a certain airspeed, there’s not enough airflow to support the airplane, but lift can be increased by blowing air over the wings.
Being able to fly safely at a low airspeed enables airplanes to take off and land in shorter distances and on rougher surfaces. Many valuable technologies have been developed to allow airplanes to have a high top speed and relatively low landing speed. These include flaps, slats, slots, leading edge devices, speed brakes, and variable-geometry swing-wings.

Engineers had experimented with blowing jet engine airflow over airplane wings or flaps since the 1940s and 50s, but Bartoe’s design differed by directing all of the engine’s output to the wings. This resulted in an aircraft with an astonishing speed range, from a minimum of 40 mph to a maximum of about 400 mph! Its top speed was ten times its minimum speed! (Even today, most jets—airliners, fighters, transports, and bombers—take off and land at airspeeds between 150 and 200 mph.)

Aircraft specifications:
Wingspan: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
Length: 29 ft (8.84 m)
Maximum weight: 3,336 lbs (1,513 kg)
Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-1 turbofan
Thrust: 2,200 lbs (9.8 kN)

Air & Space Museum Air & Space Museum

Lowry - Denver

Air & Space Museum

Upcoming Events

Saturday Oct 7
9:30AM TO 12:30PM
Exploration of Flight

Breakfast Fly-In

Breakfast Fly-In
Saturday, Oct 7 | 9:30AM to 12:30PM

Join Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight for monthly fly-ins featuring planes, pilots and breakfast!

On the first Saturday of every month, enjoy breakfast from a local food truck, watch aircraft fly in and explore interactive exhibits and simulators.

Purchase Tickets

Food Truck: Cruz In & Eat
Please note: Food purchases are not included in admission.

Pilots – Fly in for free breakfast! For tie-down space, contact Flight@WingsMuseum.org or 303.360.5360 ext 160.

Saturday Oct 14
9:00AM TO 2:00PM
Exploration of Flight

Round Engine Roundup with an Eclipse Encounter

Round Engine Roundup with an Eclipse Encounter
Saturday, Oct 14 | 9:00AM to 2:00PM

Join us at Exploration of Flight for a roundup of round engine aircraft, featuring the Sea Fury. Plus, view the 2023 Annular Eclipse from Centennial Airport! Build your own telescope and create a moon phase calendar at our learning stations, followed by an educational talk about the eclipse from Wings Over the Rockies Curator Chuck Stout.

Arrive early for prime eclipse viewing, as the eclipse is expected to be visible in the area around 10:30 a.m. The first 100 people will receive free eclipse glasses to safely view the eclipse. Additional glasses will be for sale.

Pre-Purchase Tickets

Food Truck: Colorado Coney Company

Saturday Oct 14
10:00AM TO 11:00AM

Teachers Only | Professional Development: Nose Art

Teachers Only | Professional Development: Nose Art
Saturday, Oct 14 | 10:00AM to 11:00AM

Teacher Workshop: Nose Art

Teachers are invited to join us for this online workshop and learn a unique aerospace lesson to bring to your classroom!

As aviation developed, especially as the result of World War I, many pilots chose to decorate their aircraft with designs intended to intimidate their opponents, or to remind the pilots of easier times at home. During this unique program, participants will have a chance to review some of that remarkable history and develop their own insignia and learn how to generate the image on a square of aircraft aluminum.

Register below and you will receive a confirmation email with the online meeting link.

Register Here

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