Northrop N-9MB

Northrop N-9MB
País	E.e.u.u
Papel	Prototipo de ala voladora
Primer vuelo	27 de diciembre de 1942
Construido	4

el Northrop N-9M fue un avión de ala entera de aproximadamente un tercio de escala, 60 pies de envergadura utilizado para el desarrollo del bombardero pesado northrop XB-35 y YB-35 de largo alcance Northrop XB-35 de tamaño completo y 172 pies de envergadura. Volado por primera vez en 1942, el N-9M (M para Modelo) fue el tercero en un linaje de diseños de aviones Northrop de ala completa que comenzó en 1929 cuando Jack Northrop tuvo éxito en los primeros experimentos con su hélice de empuje único, doble cola, doble pluma, todo de piel metálica estresada Northrop Flying Wing X-216H monoplano, y una década más tarde, el N-1M de doble hélice de 1939-1941. El avión pionero de Northrop llevaría a Northrop-Grumman muchos años más tarde a desarrollar el avanzado bombardero furtivo B-2 Spirit, que debutó en el inventario de la Fuerza Aérea en 1989.

Fuente: Northrop N-9MB en Wikipedia

Northrop N-9MB flying wing Walk Around
Fotógrafo	Cees Hendriks
Localización	Unknow
Fotos	19

Northrop N-9MB 01

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Northrop N-9MB 09

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Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Fotógrafos	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Localización	Unknow
Fotos	36

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Fotógrafo	Vladimir Yakubov
Localización	Máquinas dream de la costa del Pacífico
Fotos	47

A Scale Model for a Giant Ambition

el Northrop N-9M was a family of approximately 1/3-scale flying wing aircraft developed to provide flight test data for the massive XB-35 y YB-49 bombers. The N-9MB was the fourth and final aircraft in the series, featuring more powerful engines and refined aerodynamics. By eliminating the fuselage and tail surfaces, Jack Northrop aimed to create an aircraft with the absolute minimum of parasitic drag, though the design presented extreme challenges in stability and control for the era.

Attribute	Technical Specification (N-9MB)
Papel	Experimental Proof-of-Concept Aircraft
Equipo	1 (Pilot)
First Flight (N-9M Series)	December 27, 1942
Planta motriz	2 × Franklin 0-540-7 eight-cylinder engines
Horsepower	300 hp (224 kW) per engine
Envergadura	60 feet (18.3 m)
Velocidad máxima	258 mph (415 km/h)
Construction	Wood (Wings) and Welded Steel Tubing (Center section)

Engineering the Pure Wing

The “Elevon” Control System: Without a tail, the N-9MB used elevons—surfaces that combined the functions of elevators (pitch) and ailerons (roll). These were located on the trailing edge of the wing.
Split Flap Rudders: For yaw control (steering left/right), the aircraft utilized “clamshell” or split flaps at the wingtips. Opening one side created drag that pulled the wing in that direction, acting as a rudder without the need for a vertical fin.
Pusher Configuration: To keep the airflow over the wing as “clean” as possible, the engines were mounted internally with the propellers at the rear, pushing the aircraft forward.
Leading-Edge Slots: To combat the inherent stability issues of a flying wing at low speeds, the N-9MB featured fixed slots on the leading edges of the wingtips to prevent tip-stalling.

The Legacy of a Visionary

Data for the Bombers: The N-9M program successfully proved that a large flying wing could be flown, though it revealed that the design was highly sensitive to the center of gravity and prone to “tumbling” if pushed beyond its limits.
The Yellow Paint: The N-9MB was famously painted in a high-visibility yellow and blue scheme, making it easier for ground observers to track its orientation during complex test maneuvers.
The B-2 Spirit Connection: Decades later, when the B-2 Stealth Bomber was designed, engineers used the flight data and concepts pioneered by the N-9M. When Jack Northrop was shown a model of the B-2 shortly before his death, he reportedly wrote on a pad: “Now I know why God kept me alive for 25 years.”
The Final Loss: For many years, the N-9MB was the only flying example of a Northrop flying wing in the world, maintained by the Planes of Fame Air Museum. Tragically, it was lost in a crash in 2019, leaving no airworthy examples of this historic series remaining.