Northrop JB-1 Bat

Northrop JB-1 Bat
Country	USA
Role	Prototype jet-powered flying wing
First fly	August 27, 1943
Built	Unknow

The Northrop JB-1 “Bat” was a United States surface-to-surface cruise missile that was a prototype jet-powered flying wing. The United States Army Air Forces MX-543 program was initiated in September 1942 to use license-built versions of Frank Whittle’s jet engine (General Electric J31). The Northrop Corporation was contracted in late 1943, and only 10 JB-1 airframes were built. A manned version was towed for the 1st flight on “August 27, 1943”, from Rogers Dry Lake and a glider version was launched from a rocket-propelled sled and crashed in December 1944. An unmanned JB-1 powered by an improvised General Electric B-1 turbojet with a wing span of 28 feet 4 inches (8.64 m) made its 1st flight from Eglin Field’s Santa Rosa Island, Florida, on December 7, 1944, and crashed 400 yards from the rail launcher.

Source: Northrop JB-1 Bat on 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)
Role	Experimental Cruise Missile / Flying Bomb
National Origin	United States
Manufacturer	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)
Wingspan	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.