Northrop JB-1 Bat

Northrop JB-1 Bat
Країні	Сша
Роль	Прототип реактивного літаючого крила
Перша муха	27 серпня 1943 р.
Побудований	Незнай

У 201 Northrop JB-1 «Летюча миша» була крилатою ракетою класу «земля-земля» США, яка була прототипом літаючого крила з реактивним двигуном. Програма MX-543 ВПС США MX-543 була ініційована у вересні 1942 року для використання ліцензійних версій реактивного двигуна Френка Уіттла (General Electric J31). Корпорація Northrop отримала контракт в кінці 1943 року, і було побудовано лише 10 планерів JB-1. Пілотована версія була відбуксирована для 1-го польоту «27 серпня 1943 року» з Роджерс-Драй-Лейк, а планерна версія була запущена з ракетних саней і розбилася в грудні 1944 року. Безпілотний JB-1, оснащений імпровізованим турбореактивним двигуном General Electric B-1 з розмахом крила 28 футів 4 дюйма (8.64 м), здійснив свій 1-й політ з острова Санта-Роза в Еглін-Філді, штат Флорида, 7 грудня 1944 року і розбився на відстані 400 ярдів від залізничної пускової установки.

Джерело: Кажан Northrop JB-1 у Вікіпедії

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)
Роль	Experimental Cruise Missile / Flying Bomb
National Origin	США
Виробник	Northrop Aircraft
First Flight (Glider)	August 1944
команда	0 (Unmanned)
Guidance	Preset gyro-pilot system
Warhead	Approximately 900 kg (2,000 lb)
Довжина	4.37 m (14 ft 4 in)
Розмах крил	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.