Military Model Scene

Title: Northrop Flying Wings
Author: Peter E. Davies
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-2507-0

Number 10 in the X-Planes series from Osprey. An 80-page soft-cover book.
The opening chapter looks at the interest in tailless aircraft, from the Dunne swept-wing biplane of 1912, through later designs up to and during WW2 from Alexander Lippisch and the Horten brothers. There are a number of other designs mentioned, including the post-war de Havilland DH108. Among other American designers interested in the idea of a flying wing, the keenest was Jack Northrop. So it moves on to the Northrop solution, which included designs for some smaller aircraft, such as his N-1M, XP-56 and XP-79. The primary design he is well known for though is the much larger bomber, the XB-35. Originally designed for propeller power (4 engines, driving contra-rotating pusher propellers), it was later adapted to use jet engines, as the YB-49. It takes us through the pros and cons of the aircraft, not just the advantages it might offer, but the challenges it faced during development. Political pressure was also exerted so production orders were very limited and they were finally ordered to be scrapped. Despite Northrop being involved with other designs, such as the Scorpion which did go into production, we are also told about how he was eventually forced out of his own company. Northrop was involved with other research projects, such as the M2-F1 lifting body and the Tacit Blue stealth technology demonstrator. Then, the idea of a flying wing bomber came around again, and this time, more modern/powerful engines plus computerised controls which managed many of the stability problems of the original, it gets to the B-2A, the 'Stealth' bomber, and most recently, the B-21 Raider.
The book does well in taking us through the pros and cons of the advantages of a flying wing design, and the problems which those original designs faced, including those which were not really the design, but the elements which were supplied by the government which Northrop was required to use, but which presented a number of issues. Jack Northrop did manage to live long enough to see his dream go into production, although once again, cost constraints saw the numbers ordered for the USAF cut back a long was from the original plans. I found it a very interesting read. Well illustrated, with a mix of archive images and the fine quality artwork we expect now from the Osprey series.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin