Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing (Prototype)
The Northrop YB-49 was an experimental jet-powered flying wing bomber developed in the late 1940s by Northrop Corporation. Based on the earlier YB-35 piston-engined design, the YB-49 featured a radical tailless flying wing configuration and was powered by eight turbojet engines. Although it never entered production, the YB-49 was a technological forerunner to the modern B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
Fact Sheet
| Role | Experimental Jet Bomber |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Northrop Corporation |
| First Flight | October 21, 1947 |
| Number Built | 2 prototypes |
| Crew | 6 |
Specifications
| Length | 53 ft 1 in (16.18 m) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 172 ft 0 in (52.43 m) |
| Height | 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) |
| Wing Area | 4,000 sq ft (370 m²) |
| Empty Weight | 88,442 lb (40,140 kg) |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 133,559 lb (60,570 kg) |
| Powerplant | 8 × Allison J35-A-5 turbojet engines (4,000 lbf each) |
| Max Speed | 493 mph (793 km/h) |
| Range | 3,250 mi (5,230 km) |
| Service Ceiling | 40,000 ft (12,200 m) |
Armament & Defensive Equipment
| Guns | None (designed for speed and altitude) |
|---|---|
| Bomb Load | Up to 16,000 lb (7,260 kg) |
Notable Features
- Jet-powered flying wing design for aerodynamic efficiency
- Precursor to the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber
- Advanced for its time but faced stability and control challenges
- Program cancelled in favor of more conventional bombers
- Influenced future stealth and flying wing aircraft
The Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing was a jet-powered bomber prototype that represented a bold, but ultimately failed, attempt to realize the visionary designs of aviation pioneer Jack Northrop. A direct descendant of the propeller-driven YB-35, the YB-49 was a pure flying wing with no fuselage or tail, a design that was revolutionary for its time but ultimately succumbed to political, technical, and corporate hurdles.
Design and Development
The YB-49 was a conversion of the earlier YB-35. When the Air Force grew dissatisfied with the YB-35’s unreliable piston engines and complex contra-rotating propellers, two of the airframes were converted to use jet engines. The YB-49 was powered by eight Allison J35 turbojet engines buried within its thick wing.
This jet conversion gave the YB-49 several advantages over its propeller-driven predecessor, most notably a top speed of over 500 mph (800 km/h), making it one of the fastest bombers in the world at the time. The clean, tailless design also gave it a very low radar signature, a concept that was far ahead of its time.
Technical and Political Challenges
Despite its impressive speed, the YB-49 was plagued by a number of issues that would eventually lead to its cancellation:
- Stability Problems: The lack of a conventional vertical stabilizer made the YB-49 inherently unstable in yaw. While a rudimentary yaw damper helped, the aircraft was prone to a “Dutch roll” oscillation that made it difficult to fly and a poor platform for bombing.
- Lack of Air Force Support: The YB-49 faced stiff competition from the conventional-looking Convair B-36 Peacemaker, which was favored by the U.S. Air Force. The B-36, with its proven design, was seen as a safer and more reliable option.
- Corporate Rivalry: The YB-49’s story is also one of fierce corporate rivalry. The head of the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command, General Curtis LeMay, was a strong proponent of the B-36. Northrop’s relationship with the Air Force was also strained, and it is widely believed that political factors played a significant role in the YB-49’s demise.
The final straw came with a tragic crash in 1948, when one of the YB-49 prototypes disintegrated in flight, killing its crew. The program was officially canceled in 1949, and the remaining prototypes were scrapped shortly thereafter.
Legacy and Rebirth
While the YB-49 never entered production, its legacy is undeniable. The concept of the flying wing proved its worth decades later with the arrival of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The B-2, and its successor the B-21 Raider, are the direct descendants of the YB-49. The B-2’s designers were able to overcome the YB-49’s stability problems with the help of advanced computer-controlled fly-by-wire systems, proving that Jack Northrop’s vision was not flawed, but simply decades ahead of the technology needed to make it a reality.
