Northrop N-9MB

Northrop N-9MB
Страны	США
Роль	Прототип летающего крыла
Первый полет	27 декабря 1942 г.
Построен	4

Teh Нортроп Н-9М представлял собой самолет-летающее крыло с размахом 60 футов в масштабе примерно в одну треть, использованный для разработки полноразмерных тяжелых бомбардировщиков Northrop XB-35 и YB-35 с летающим крылом большой дальности с размахом крыльев 172 футов. Первый полет в 1942 году, N-9M (M для модели) был третьим в линейке самолетов Northrop с полным крылом, которые начались в 1929 году, когда Джек Нортроп преуспел в ранних экспериментах со своим одинарным толкающим винтом, двухсторонним, двухсторонним. стрела, цельнометаллическая обшивка моноплан Northrop Flying Wing X-216H, а десять лет спустя - двухвинтовой Н-1М 1939–1941 годов. Новаторский самолет All-wing привел Northrop-Grumman много лет спустя к разработке усовершенствованного бомбардировщика-невидимки B-2 Spirit, который дебютировал в ВВС в 1989 году.

Источник: Нортроп N-9MB в Википедии

Northrop N-9MB flying wing Walk Around
Фотограф	Сес Хендрикс
Локализации	Неизвестная
Фотографии	19

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Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Фотографов	Джон Хек, Владимир Якубов
Локализации	Неизвестная
Фотографии	36

Northrop N9MB Flying Wing Walk Around
Фотограф	Владимир Якубов
Локализации	Машины мечты Тихоокеанского побережья
Фотографии	47

A Scale Model for a Giant Ambition

Teh Нортроп Н-9М was a family of approximately 1/3-scale flying wing aircraft developed to provide flight test data for the massive XB-35 и 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)
Роль	Experimental Proof-of-Concept Aircraft
Экипажа	1 (Pilot)
First Flight (N-9M Series)	December 27, 1942
Силовая установка	2 × Franklin 0-540-7 eight-cylinder engines
Horsepower	300 hp (224 kW) per engine
Размах крыла	60 feet (18.3 m)
Максимальная скорость	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.