Northrop N-9MB

Northrop N-9MB
Country	USA
Role	Flying wing Prototype
First flight	27 December 1942
Built	4

The Northrop N-9M was an approximately one-third scale, 60-ft span all-wing aircraft used for the development of the full size, 172-ft wingspan Northrop XB-35 and YB-35 flying wing long-range, heavy bomber. First flown in 1942, the N-9M (M for Model) was the third in a lineage of all-wing Northrop aircraft designs that began in 1929 when Jack Northrop succeeded in early experiments with his single pusher propeller, twin-tailed, twin-boom, all stressed metal skin Northrop Flying Wing X-216H monoplane, and a decade later, the dual-prop N-1M of 1939–1941. Northrop’s pioneering all-wing aircraft would lead Northrop-Grumman many years later to eventually develop the advanced B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which debuted in Air Force inventory in 1989.

Source: Northrop N-9MB on Wikipedia

Northrop N-9MB flying wing Walk Around
Photographer	Cees Hendriks
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	19

Northrop N-9MB 01

Northrop N-9MB 02

Northrop N-9MB 03

Northrop N-9MB 04

Northrop N-9MB 05

Northrop N-9MB 06

Northrop N-9MB 07

Northrop N-9MB 08

Northrop N-9MB 09

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Wait, Searching Northrop N-9MB for you…

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Photographers	John Heck, Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	36

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Pacific Coast Dream Machines
Photos	47

A Scale Model for a Giant Ambition

The 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 and 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)
Role	Experimental Proof-of-Concept Aircraft
Crew	1 (Pilot)
First Flight (N-9M Series)	December 27, 1942
Powerplant	2 × Franklin 0-540-7 eight-cylinder engines
Horsepower	300 hp (224 kW) per engine
Wingspan	60 feet (18.3 m)
Maximum Speed	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.