Interesting article about flying wings...

[53k]

...WAY before the B-2 bomber.

http://mashable.com/2015/09/01/flying-wing/?utm_cid=lf-toc#fxqZvW0tskkW

[DEEPNHOCK]

And even before the big wings...
The first video is a currently flying example...
There is a mockup of the first one in the Smithsonian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjKASCLsBW8

[doug]

A documentary last week showed the Nazi flying wing powered by 2 jet engines.

[StudeDave57]

It's always interesting when I find one of my other hobbies posted here.
Also- Dad worked for Northrop, as did several relatives.
A few of them were there when these were being built.
I grew up with a book about Northrop's history under my pillow.

The story of Northrop's various Flying Wings is a good read. Besides the two pictured above there were something like four other types that also flew. One (the XP-79) was even designed to shear tails and wings off of other aircraft in flight. It was the first US rocket powered aircraft to fly.


One note though- the video posted above is NOT a recreation.
It is the last (and only survivor) of the original four.
Her restoration began in 1982, taking to the sky once again in 1993.
I saw it at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, CA several years ago.
It's quite a sight to see!!!




StudeDave '57

[DEEPNHOCK]

Pretty good list here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_flying_wings

[Mike Van Veghten]

Pretty cool.
The Wing (n9m) that's in Jeffs video is based out of the, "Planes of Fame" Air Museum in Chino, Calif.
I've seen it fly many times. I also have many 35mm photos of this plane being rebuilt in an old sheet metal parts manufacturer bldg., just outside of Los Angeles.
The "metal" parts of this plane stop at the engines, everything but the actual wing flaps and control cables are made of wood. The entire skin of the wings is of formed wood. The structural portion of the plane (from engine to engine) is welded 4130 tubing. The engines are flat 6's, Lycoming engines as I recall. Last I heard, there is only three of them, two in the plane and one spare.

They did a very nice job in its restoration.

Mike