Northrop N-9MB

Northrop N-9MB
Kraju	Stany Zjednoczone Ameryki
Roli	Latające skrzydło Prototype
Pierwszy lot	27 grudnia 1942
Zbudowany	4

Tthe Northrop N-9M był w przybliżeniu w skali jednej trzeciej i 60-stopowym skrzydłem o rozpiętości 60 stóp, używanym do opracowania pełnowymiarowego, 172-stopowego skrzydła Northrop XB-35 i latającego skrzydła YB-35, ciężkiego bombowca dalekiego zasięgu. Po raz pierwszy oblatany w 1942 roku, N-9M (M jak model) był trzecim w linii projektów samolotów Northrop, które rozpoczęły się w 1929 roku, kiedy Jack Northrop odniósł sukces we wczesnych eksperymentach ze swoim pojedynczym śmigłem pchającym, dwuogonowym, podwójnym wysięgnikiem, całkowicie obciążonym metalowym jednopłatem Northrop Flying Wing X-216H, a dziesięć lat później dwuśmigłowym N-1M z lat 1939-1941. Pionierski samolot Northrop doprowadził Northrop-Grumman wiele lat później do opracowania zaawansowanego bombowca B-2 Spirit, który zadebiutował w inwentarzu Sił Powietrznych w 1989 roku.

Źródła: Northrop N-9MB na Wikipedii

Northrop N-9MB flying wing Walk Around
Fotograf	Cees Hendriks
Lokalizacja	Niewiedzy
Zdjęcia	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

Czekać, wyszukiwanie Northrop N-9MB dla ciebie...

Zobacz też:

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Fotografów	John Heck, Władimir Yakubov
Lokalizacja	Niewiedzy
Zdjęcia	36

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Fotograf	Władimir Yakubov
Lokalizacja	Maszyny marzeń wybrzeża Pacyfiku
Zdjęcia	47

A Scale Model for a Giant Ambition

Tthe 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 I 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)
Roli	Experimental Proof-of-Concept Aircraft
Załogi	1 (Pilot)
First Flight (N-9M Series)	December 27, 1942
Zespół napędowy	2 × Franklin 0-540-7 eight-cylinder engines
Horsepower	300 hp (224 kW) per engine
Rozpiętość	60 feet (18.3 m)
Prędkość maksymalna	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.