An experiment using a swash plate type axial piston pump was carried out in order to ascertain the availability of theoretical analysis. The pump was so designed that the behaviour of a slipper bearing could be continuously investigated for one cycle. The oil film thickness between the slipper land and the slipper plate was measured with three displacement transducers installed in the slipper land. The measurements were taken under constant load and normal operating conditions. As a result, the experimental values agreed relatively well with the theoretical ones.