Horten HO 229

by Andrew Oh

Jun 29. 2025

#Horten

#HO229

#Germany

#WW2

#B2Spirit_Prototype

#FlyingWingAircraft

#全羽機

#StealthAircraft

#B2Spirit

The Horten Ho 229 (also known as Horten H.IX) was a revolutionary jet-powered flying wing aircraft developed by Nazi Germany during World War II.

It is often considered a precursor to modern stealth aircraft, thanks to its shape and construction. Here’s a detailed overview:

Horten Ho 229 Overview

Feature Description

Type Jet-powered prototype fighter-bomber

Designer Reimar and Walter Horten (Horten brothers)

Country Nazi Germany

Manufacturer Horten + Gothaer Waggonfabrik (Gotha)

First flight March 1944 (glider version), early 1945 (jet version)

Number built 3 prototypes (Ho IX V1, V2, V3); only V2 flew with jet engines

Design Features

1. Flying Wing Configuration

No tail or fuselage — single continuous wing

Significantly reduced drag and radar cross-section

Designed for high-speed flight and longer range

2. Jet Propulsion

3. Construction

Wooden airframe with metal fasteners (to conserve strategic metals)

Some designs included charcoal and glue composite layers, which might have absorbed radar waves (possibly a primitive form of stealth)

Performance (V2, estimated)

Spec Value

Max speed ~977 km/h (607 mph) at 12,000 m (39,000 ft)

Range ~1,000–1,900 km depending on load

Armament (planned) 2 × 30 mm MK 108 cannons; up to 1,000 kg bombs

Stealth Legacy

The Ho 229 is often cited as the first aircraft designed with stealth principles in mind, although not explicitly.

In 2008, Northrop Grumman built a full-size replica and tested it using radar — confirming that its shape reduced radar signature by up to 80% compared to conventional WWII aircraft.

Surviving Example

The Ho 229 V3 (never flown) was captured by U.S. forces in 1945 and is now stored at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (Udvar-Hazy Center, near Washington D.C.).