Horton HO-IX/Gotha GO-229 National Geographic Documentary on Sunday

Looks fascinating. I hadn't known about the potential stealth capability of the aircraft.

Pity I won't be able to see the programme.
 
Stealth

The Germans and allies experimented with radar defeating materials. The Ho 229 was made of material impregnated with carbon to absorb signals and distort the reflections. Northrop's own flying wing when tracked on radar alarmed US military as it was nearly invisible back in 1947. Possibly why the passenger version was suddenly dropped and the US never developed it until the B2.

The more I study about the German (Nazi) technology and the state of their weapon development we as a world are fortunate that their development was delayed by idiotic (fortuitous for us) decisions of Goring and Hitler along with the infighting and jealousy in the Luftwaffe and military in general.

Jets early in 1940 or so the ME 262 ready in '43 except for Hitler insistence it fulfill a bomber role, the the He 219 being delayed and canceled because of infighting. Their radar development albeit inferior to the allies in the beginning was catching up to the allies and despite the allies best efforts, until D-Day the Germans were becoming better at intercepting the British as the loss rate was creeping up.

Circumstance and providence have odd ways of intervening and protecting the good. Opps, starting to sound spiritual here. Often makes me wonder who's hand is stirring the mix .....:engel016:
 
NachtPiloten said:
Circumstance and providence have odd ways of intervening and protecting the good. Opps, starting to sound spiritual here. Often makes me wonder who's hand is stirring the mix .....:engel016:
Click to expand...

Difficult sometimes not to feel that way when you look at WW2 - and even the Cold War! The nastiest systems bring out the worst in the people who serve them...
 
NachtPiloten said:
The Germans and allies experimented with radar defeating materials. The Ho 229 was made of material impregnated with carbon to absorb signals and distort the reflections. Northrop's own flying wing when tracked on radar alarmed US military as it was nearly invisible back in 1947. Possibly why the passenger version was suddenly dropped and the US never developed it until the B2.
Click to expand...
I think the reason it was dropped (the passenger version of the XB-49) had more to do with stability than stealth. It was dangerously unstable for a passenger carrying aircraft. It would have required massive stabilizers (defeating the stealth capability) and some major rework. In the end, conventional designs won out for the airlines. Safety first! In that regard, I believe the Go-229 would have been more dangerous to its pilots than the allies.
 
My thoughts exactly

I said man what a blast to build one! If it was true that the 229 flew better than the 262 it would have been some plane to deal with. If you want a new flight model for your version send it my way.
 
I wish I'd DVR'd it. I loved how the one model maker got a little misty eyed about finally having something that the world would actually see.

Digging around, it looks like gun gas injestion would have fouled the engine pretty quickly. Makes me wonder if the Nazis already had compressor water washing prototyped, too.

 
I never knew the 229 got into an actual dogfight with a 262. That show was simply amazing! Hope to see it again soon.
 
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