Northrop JB-1 Bat

Northrop JB-1 Bat
Pays	Usa
Rôle	Prototype d’aile volante à réaction
Première mouche	27 août 1943
Construit	Inconnu

Lla Northrop JB-1 « Bat » était un missile de croisière sol-sol américain qui était un prototype d’aile volante à réaction. Le programme MX-543 de l’United States Army Air Forces a été lancé en septembre 1942 pour utiliser des versions construites sous licence de Frank Whittle’(General Electric J31). La Northrop Corporation a été engagée à la fin de 1943, et seulement 10 cellules JB-1 ont été construites. Une version habitée a été remorquée pour le 1er vol le « 27 août 1943 », à partir du lac sec Rogers et une version planeur a été lancée à partir d’un traîneau propulsé par fusée et s’est écrasée en décembre 1944. Un JB-1 sans pilote propulsé par un turboréacteur improvisé General Electric B-1 d’une envergure de 28 pieds 4 pouces (8,64 m) a effectué son 1er vol depuis Eglin Field’Santa Rosa Island, en Floride, le 7 décembre 1944, et s’est écrasé à 400 mètres du lanceur ferroviaire.

Source: Northrop JB-1 Bat sur Wikipedia

Northrop JB-1 Bat Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Western Museum of Flight, Torrance
Photos	40

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Northrop JB-1 Bat 10

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General Characteristics and Role

The Northrop JB-1 Bat was an experimental, unpiloted pulse-jet powered flying wing missile developed by the United States during World War II, based heavily on aerodynamic work done by the German Horten brothers. Its development was part of the United States Army Air Forces’ (USAAF) Jet-Propelled Missile program (JB). The JB-1’s design was highly unconventional, utilizing a pure flying wing configuration with twin rudders and a very clean aerodynamic profile. It was intended as a short-range surface-to-surface cruise missile that could carry a massive warhead (comparable to the German V-1 flying bomb). The project was ultimately terminated due to propulsion issues and the end of the war, but it significantly contributed to Northrop’s pioneering work on tailless aircraft.

Property	Typical Value (JB-1)
Rôle	Experimental Cruise Missile / Flying Bomb
National Origin	États-Unis
Fabricant	Northrop Aircraft
First Flight (Glider)	August 1944
Crew	0 (Unmanned)
Guidance	Preset gyro-pilot system
Warhead	Approximately 900 kg (2,000 lb)
Length	4.37 m (14 ft 4 in)
Envergure	9.14 m (30 ft 0 in)
Launch Weight	3,175 kg (7,000 lb)

Propulsion and Launch Method

Engine: 2 x General Electric BQ-7 (pulse-jet engines).
Thrust (Total): Approximately 4.45 kN (1,000 lbf).
Maximum Speed: Designed for high subsonic speeds.
Launch Method: The JB-1 was designed to be launched from a rocket-powered sled running on a fixed railway track, similar to the method used for the German V-1 missile.
Propulsion Issues: Initial tests with the pulse-jets were unsuccessful due to performance and reliability problems, leading to a modified glide-only prototype being tested first.

Legacy and Further Development

Pilot Modification: After the failure of the pulse-jet system, the design was briefly converted into a piloted glider (designated JB-1A) for aerodynamic testing, including a side-by-side cockpit, which helped validate the flying wing concept.
Follow-on: The JB-1 project provided valuable data that directly influenced Northrop’s later, larger flying wing aircraft, such as the XB-35 and YB-49 bombers, and eventually the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
Termination: The program was cancelled shortly after the end of the war, as the need for the short-range missile rapidly diminished, allowing resources to be shifted to long-range missile and bomber programs.