Horten IX, Horten Ho-229 A-1 (Ho-1X)
Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.
The write up I have of the Horten "tailless flying wing" is brief. But what I have is this;
The Horten Brothers were aircraft designers and developers of a few of the most advanced aircraft of their time.
The Horten IX which is also known as the Ho 229, was powered by two Jumo 004B turbo-jet engines giving the fighter a sustainable speed of 600 to 607mph. This would have been the fighter of choice if things had gone differently for the Luftwaffe.
The armament was to be four HK 103 or the 108 cannon. And as you can imagine the fighter was to be capable of carrying two 1000kg bombs. Please, this is not a bomber. Yet everything that was developed was to be able to carry bombs by an order from Hitler.
The wing span was fifty five feet wide and the jet was twenty-four and a half feet long. The fuselage and wing being one, the height of the fighter was only nine feet-two inches. The IX looked like a UFO from the front and even when flying. Remember the first official sighting of UFO's were of ships that were shaped like a bat, and not a circular saucer.
The potential ceiling of this fighter was as high as fifty-two, five hundred feet.
The aircraft was first built and flown as a glider until a full-sized proto-type could be build around two of the new turbo-jet engines that were available at the time. The airframe was simple and easy to change new jet engines in and out when needed. The wings could come off to make better room in the hanger. The Horten jet-fighter first flew in January 1945. One year too late for effective use against the American bomber squadrons.
A proto-type was discovered by Allied troops at the Gotha factory located at Friedrichsroda, Germany where the Horten was being developed.
The artwork above is by another artist. Great job of rendering the three-quarter view of the fighter giving the viewer a complete comprehensive image of this truly advanced jet fighter of all time.
Looks like a Space-Ship!
Another book I have which is titled; Hitler's Luftwaffe. This was one of my first comprehensive collections of all Luftwaffe aircraft of pre-war and World War Two books. The authors are Tony Wood and Bill Gunston. In their book the Horten IX is listed as a Gotha Go229.
The fighter-bomber was powered by two 1,980lb Junkers Jumo 004B. The designers were Walter and Reimar Horten. These two were considered the pioneers of this concept of a bat-winged tailless aircraft. Jet aircraft I might add. The range of the fighter was 1,970 miles while flying at 393mph and with carrying two drop tanks. This was exceptional.
The two brothers began before the war with their own versions of gliders. Between 1936 to 1940 the brothers build a series of gliders that were catching the attention of the aircraft industry in general. Even though other aircraft companies did not pursue a tallness bat-shaped aircraft, once you see one you can quite get it out of your mind. It was a design that was developed very successfully.
Horton Ho 229, 1/72 Scale by Revell
Retail Price $15.99; Your Cost $12.00
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The brothers were developing new projects as members of the Luftwaffe. It was obvious that they were granted special liberties to continue their projects. Once the sail-plane was perfected they started adding power-plants. They tried two 80hp Hirth followed by two 240hp Argus pusher engines.
To grant the brothers full freedom to pursue their fighter programs they were released from the Luftwaffe in 1942 where they headed a program labeled the Sonderkommandos 9. This special unit was charged to fully develop the Ho IX jet fighter. A wonderful opportunity given to two gifted aeronautical engineers with for sight and who were able to make a vision whole.
Again, the first operational flight took place in January 1945. Far too late to save the Reich from the thunderous bomber formations that hung over Germany like a bad storm. Even if the Ho IX was introduced a year earlier it would not have changed history.
If you are interested in commissioning a painting of the Horten IX please contact the artist below. I would love to paint up one of these space-aged jet-fighters.
Thank you. Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
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Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Aviation Artist/Historian
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Posted on March 19, 2012