Horton

[johnbr]

UNITED STATES - APRIL 12: William Horton's Wingless Wonder aircraft captured in flight from municipal airport. Wingless aircraft (Horton Wingless Airplane), 22 January 1954. Hill Horton -- 37 years (Pilot);Garry Horton -- 15 years (son) (at Orange County Airport).;Caption slip reads: 'Photographer: McCarty. Date: 1954-01-22. Reporter: T.T Assignment: Wingless aircraft. 34/39, L to R: Bill Horton, 36, Pilot, & son, Garry, 15, before father's 'Horton Wingless' airplane. Bill Horton, 37, stands before his 'Horton Wingless' airplane at Orange County airport.

 

[johnbr]

 

[johnbr]

 

[johnbr]

net

 

[johnbr]

N-number : N39C
Aircraft Serial Number : HW-X26-52
Aircraft Manufacturer : HORTON WINGLESS
Model : HW - X - 26 - 52
Engine Manufacturer : P&W
Model : R-985 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1952
Owner Name : HORTON WILLIAM E
Owner Address : 583 N PARKSON
HENDERSON, NV, 89015
Type of Owner : Individual
Registration Date : 22-Feb-1953
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Experimental
Approved Operations : Amateur Built
Wingless Plane photos & info - AviationBanter

 

[johnbr]

net

 

[johnbr]

The Horton Wingless aircraft was invented by William Horton of Huntington Beach, California in 1952. He called the strange-looking plane "wingless" because he claimed the entire craft was a simple air foil with vertical fins and utilized all surfaces for lift. Unfortunately, Horton did not have the money to develop it, but was able to get into a partnership with billionaire Howard Hughes and Harlow Curtis.
The plane was test-flown but not more than 1000 feet down the runway. The venture failed not because the airplane didn't fly, but because Hughes wanted to take full credit for the patents and production rights, which Horton refused to allow. Hughes sued Horton which effectively stopped any further development of the aircraft.

Hughes managed to have the prototype and partially-constructed production version destroyed. One aspect of the law suit was a statement that the aircraft could not fly, which witnesses, photographs and video obviously show not to be true. At one point, Horton served jail time for selling stock in a company for an airplane that "couldn't fly" and had several violent confrontations with people associated with Hughes and Curtis because of the law suit and resulting injunctions."

 

[johnbr]

 

[johnbr]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49487266@N07/with/7585417716/

 

[Gastounet]

Flash Gordon's plane?

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!