Northrop JB-1 Bat | |
|---|---|
| Land | Norge , Norge |
| Rolle | Prototype jetdrevet flygende vinge |
| Første fly | 27. august 1943 |
| Bygget | Unknow |
Den Northrop JB-1 "Bat" var et amerikansk overflate-til-overflate kryssermissil som var en prototype jetdrevet flygende vinge. United States Army Air Forces MX-543-programmet ble initiert i september 1942 for å bruke lisensbygde versjoner av Frank Whittles jetmotor (General Electric J31). Northrop Corporation ble kontrahert i slutten av 1943, og bare 10 JB-1 flyskrog ble bygget. En bemannet versjon ble slept for den første flyvningen "August 27, 1943", fra Rogers Dry Lake og en glideflyversjon ble skutt opp fra en rakettdrevet slede og styrtet i desember 1944. En ubemannet JB-1 drevet av en improvisert General Electric B-1 turbojet med et vingespenn på 28 fot 4 tommer (8,64 m) foretok sin første flyvning fra Eglin Fields Santa Rosa Island, Florida, den 7 desember 1944, og krasjet 400 meter fra jernbaneutskyteren.
| Northrop JB-1 Bat Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Vladimir Yakubov |
| Localisation | Western Museum of Flight, Torrance |
| Photos | 40 |
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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) |
|---|---|
| Rolle | Experimental Cruise Missile / Flying Bomb |
| National Origin | USA |
| Produsenten | Northrop Aircraft |
| First Flight (Glider) | August 1944 |
| Mannskapet | 0 (Unmanned) |
| Guidance | Preset gyro-pilot system |
| Warhead | Approximately 900 kg (2,000 lb) |
| Lengde | 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) |
| Vingespenn | 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.
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