Horton Brothers Flying Wings

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It is debatable. There are facts that will support it and there are facts that say it never happened. There are no records of such a flight every happening. It may very well have been a myth.

If you with to read further on that subject there is a thread dedicated to it.

 

[Henk]

I know Adler and thanks but the Thread did not actualy give me what I seeked, but I think it is more a myth.

I wonder what the NASM is up to with the Ho-229 they have, I think I must E-mail them again and ask.

 

[HealzDevo]

I was just wondering what the plans were with regard to the B-36 Peacemakers knowing that they would probably have to go approximately just as far as the Horton Ho Wings...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

What do you mean by plans? They would be ferried to where they were needed and then used. It had a range of about 6000 mi anyhow.

 

[HealzDevo]

Okay, thank-you I just wondered. Because I knew it might have needed to get closer to Germany to be able to be launched. So that raises the question of where you would base the Horton Ho Wings. I know the flying wing would have certain efficiencies but that still doesn't override the fact that that many engines must consume a lot of fuel. So therefore say 4,000-5,000km on the Horton Ho Amerika Bomber do you think?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Why do you keep talking about a B-36 being used against Germany? Do I have to explain again that it was not going to be ready before wars end. The design process did not even start until 1941! It did not fly until after the war.

The B-36 was not going to sped up because the B-29 was just fine nor did any developments in Germany were going to speed it up either.

 

[HealzDevo]

I only talk about the B-36 as it is being compared to the Amerika Bomber, as both are intended as long-range bombers intended to strike at ultra-long ranges. In this thread the Amerika Bomber has been mentioned as a flying wing and I am trying to sort out how many kms it would be able to go and thus am comparing it to an aircraft in a similar role. The main factor though is that the Amerika Bomber version of the flying wing, has a large number of aircraft and thus I reckon about 3/4 of the range of the B-36 Peacemaker. What do others reckon?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Put this into perspective - the B-36 had a combat range of over 6,000 miles and a ferry range over 10,000 miles. The YB-49 had a combat range of 1,500 miles and a ferry range of 3,500 miles - the B-35 had a range of over 8,000 miles, combat range lose to 3500. Neither the XB-35 or the YB-49 were stable bombing platforms (people at Northrop would disagree). Looking at these aircraft and placing them over Germany is a "would of, could of."

 

[HealzDevo]

I wasn't placing them quite over Germany but I was just trying to use it to understand what sort of range the design of the Horton Ho Amerika Wing Bomber might have had. Since they were designed to serve a similar role of ultra-long distance bombing it is useful to look at one that did see service to get an approximation of whether the Amerika Wing Bomber may have achieved...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I wasn't placing them quite over Germany but I was just trying to use it to understand what sort of range the design of the Horton Ho Amerika Wing Bomber might have had. Since they were designed to serve a similar role of ultra-long distance bombing it is useful to look at one that did see service to get an approximation of whether the Amerika Wing Bomber may have achieved...

Well one could only speculate because it was never built....

 

[Henk]

Flyboy if you had to look at the design factors of the Horten brothers and the guys at Northrop which one do you think if it went on would be better?

 

[Trebor]

I love the Ho-229. I plan on making THAT beauty my next project! I first heard of it when I played Medal of Honor: Frontline for the first time, and I became really fascinated with the design of the plane. I have several pics on my comp, but the ones I saw on here just amaze me O_O

I wonder if they're EVER going to get around to restoring that plane to flying condition? I'm dying to see how it flies! (besides seeing it in a damn simulator!)

 

[Henk]

No, the NASM only plan on restoring her to a static condition, but those Jumo 004 engines never took to the air.

I know what you mean mate it is a great aircraft and I would also love to see one fly.

 

[Trebor]

Static???? that plane deserves to fly! can't they just do what they did to several flying Me-262s?

 

[Henk]

No, the aircraft is in such bad shape and she is the only one left of her type, but if they made a replica and flew that it would be cool.

It will be still a few years before they restore her.

 

[Trebor]

yes, a replica would be sufficient. I didn't even think of that. but like I said, the first I've heard of that was when I played Medal of Honor frontline. I've got a couple of them in my flight simulator, too. it's a lot of fun to fly them

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Flyboy if you had to look at the design factors of the Horten brothers and the guys at Northrop which one do you think if it went on would be better?

I think the Horton brothers were far more progressive as they were prepared to put a jet engine straight into their design. Northrop's adaptation of a jet engine into the YB-49 was an afterthought and I believe the P-79 and YB-49 were always plagued with stability problems that were not envisioned in a recip ship - but then again we never did know the full extent of Horton's craft and it too could have experienced the same "bugs."

 

[HealzDevo]

I was only earlier as I said looking at its intended role and then looking at something that saw service as a recon platform that was originally intended to perform a similar role. I know the B-36 Peacemaker had better range with better engines than a German Amerika Bomber could have with the engines available. Looking at the original concept with the original planned engines, could the B-36 Peacemaker have made the mission, and if so, the question comes up of whether the Amerika Bomber could have done it. We know the B-36 Peacemakers made the way into Russia as photo aircraft penetrating deep into Russian territory... Would be it possible to do a rough calculation of mass versus drag and distance to work out how much fuel would be required to do a mission that long?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I was only earlier as I said looking at its intended role and then looking at something that saw service as a recon platform that was originally intended to perform a similar role. I know the B-36 Peacemaker had better range with better engines than a German Amerika Bomber could have with the engines available. Looking at the original concept with the original planned engines, could the B-36 Peacemaker have made the mission, and if so, the question comes up of whether the Amerika Bomber could have done it. We know the B-36 Peacemakers made the way into Russia as photo aircraft penetrating deep into Russian territory... Would be it possible to do a rough calculation of mass versus drag and distance to work out how much fuel would be required to do a mission that long?

What does that have to do with Horten's flying wings?

 

[Henk]

I think the Horton brothers were far more progressive as they were prepared to put a jet engine straight into their design. Northrop's adaptation of a jet engine into the YB-49 was an afterthought and I believe the P-79 and YB-49 were always plagued with stability problems that were not envisioned in a recip ship - but then again we never did know the full extent of Horton's craft and it too could have experienced the same "bugs."

They should actually inspect the Ho-229 and see what the Horton brothers did and what they did to counter some of the bugs that you get with a flying wing. I know they did have a look at the Ho-229 when the designed the B-2 bomber, but I think with the technology of today it would be even better to understand.

The B-2 were pretty well designed and with fly-by wire it was made a very stable flying wing.

The other thought that comes to mind is, is a flying wing a cheaper and more fuel efficient aircraft than a normal aircraft when it comes to operating it. I know designing such a aircraft is not cheap.